Spindle
A daily cross between Wordle and a Rubik's Cube.
Every day: A target word for the day, which the creator describes as the day's target word. You rearrange a shared letter grid to spell that word in as few moves as possible. New puzzle: Once a day, dated on the page.
Spindle gives you a grid of letters and a target word. You spin words within the grid, flipping any valid English word by tapping its first and last letter, until the target word is spelled out horizontally or vertically. The aim is to get there in the fewest spins.
About Spindle
Spindle is a free browser word game described by its creator as a cross between Wordle and a Rubik's Cube. You are shown a grid of letters and a target word, and you must rearrange the grid until that word appears, reading either across or down.
You move letters by spinning words. Tap the first letter of a run and then the last letter: if the letters in between form a valid English word, that run flips end to end. For example, tapping E then T on GRTAE spins EAT, and you can spin in reverse too, so TAHC becomes CHAT.
The challenge is to assemble the day's target word using as few spins as possible, planning which valid words to flip so the letters land where you need them. The creator introduced it on Hacker News as a game built around the day's target word.
It suits players who like daily word games but want something more spatial, closer to sliding and twisting a puzzle than typing guesses.
How to play Spindle
- Look at the target word you need to spell.
- Find a run of letters in the grid that forms a valid English word.
- Tap that word's first letter, then its last letter, to flip it.
- Keep spinning words to move letters toward the target positions.
- Spell the target word horizontally or vertically in as few spins as you can.
Tips
- Plan a couple of spins ahead, since each flip reverses a whole run of letters.
- Remember you can spin a word in reverse, which doubles your options.
- Aim for the fewest spins rather than the fastest first move.
Questions
How do I move letters?
You spin words. Tap the first and last letter of a valid English word and it flips end to end.
What am I trying to do?
Rearrange the grid so the target word is spelled out horizontally or vertically, using as few spins as possible.
Can I spin a word backwards?
Yes. A reversed run also counts if it spells a valid word, so TAHC can spin to CHAT.
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