Arish Dubash

Designing a competitive and engaging Wordle alternative

Year

2023

My Role

Sole UX Designer

Overview

War of Words is an ongoing passion project that aims to improve Wordle by introducing a more competitive scoring system and unique unlimited puzzle gameplay. This case study details the design process, from ideation to MVP creation and more.

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Overview

Like many, I became obsessed with Wordle during the pandemic. It was one of those simple pleasures that took the world by storm, as millions of us tried to crack the daily puzzle and share our victories with friends.

But as a competitive person, I found myself wanting more. Wordle was fun, but it lacked depth in its scoring and strategy.

That’s when I gave myself a challenge: could I create an even more engaging version of the game we all loved? I set out to build War of Words, a more dynamic and competitive version of Wordle, with a scoring system that rewarded speed, accuracy, and strategy.

I also wanted to introduce modern design elements and an unlimited play feature, so players could enjoy more than just one puzzle a day.

What started as a side project to practice JavaScript quickly evolved into a full redesign of Wordle’s gameplay mechanics. With over 4.3k unique users and 80k puzzles solved, the MVP continues to grow and receive valuable feedback from active players.

What started as a side project to practice JavaScript quickly evolved into a full redesign of Wordle’s gameplay mechanics. With over 4.3k unique users and 80k puzzles solved, the MVP continues to grow and receive valuable feedback from players.

Overview

But as a competitive person, I found myself wanting more. Wordle was fun, but it lacked depth in its scoring and strategy.

That’s when I gave myself a challenge: could I create an even more engaging version of the game we all loved? I set out to build War of Words, a more dynamic and competitive version of Wordle, with a scoring system that rewarded speed, accuracy, and strategy.

I also wanted to introduce modern design elements and an unlimited play feature, so players could enjoy more than just one puzzle a day.

Identifying the problems

While Wordle’s simplicity has made it a cultural phenomenon, there are opportunities to enhance the user experience.

I set out to identify where improvements could make the game more engaging and competitive. I came up with the following three areas:

While Wordle’s simplicity has made it a cultural phenomenon, there are opportunities to enhance the user experience.

I set out to identify where improvements could make the game more engaging and competitive. I came up with the following three areas:

Limited scoring system

The current scoring lacks variety. Adding rewards for speed, accuracy, and strategy could increase competitiveness and engagement in the game.

Text-heavy onboarding

The onboarding process is text-heavy and doesn’t effectively explain the game’s rules or new features, leading to confusion for new players.

Restricted to daily game play

Wordle’s one-puzzle-per-day format restricts replayability and limits engagement for players who want to play more.

Wordle's scoring system

has too little variation.

Wordle's scoring system relies on which round the puzzle is completed, offering minimal variation in outcomes. This limited range creates a flat experience for players, as there are only seven possible results—ranging from solving the puzzle on the first try to failing after six attempts.

For millions of players, this means the competitive aspect becomes stale, as it's difficult to differentiate skill or strategy. The lack of variety leaves little room for players to stand out, diminishing the overall excitement of the game.

How can we make scoring… more fun?

Several dimensions could be added to make scoring more exciting. For instance, I considered incorporating speed (how quickly a puzzle is completed), offering bonus points for playing in hard mode (where players must adhere to stricter rules on letter hints), and penalizing for incorrect guesses.

To determine which features to prioritize for the MVP, I used an Impact vs. Effort Matrix to weigh their value against implementation difficulty.

Which scoring features to prioritize for the MVP?

Feature prioritization matrix (Effort vs Impact): The matrix above helped prioritize the most valuable scoring feature for the MVP while balancing development time and complexity.

Speed.
Rewarding players for solving puzzles faster.

Non-words.
Deducting points for guessing wrong words.

Number of rounds.

Which round the puzzle was solved in.

Feature prioritization matrix (Effort vs Impact): The matrix above helped prioritize the most valuable scoring feature for the MVP while balancing development time and complexity.

High scores aren't
just for arcades

A leaderboard incentivize users to play against themselves, increasing the game's "replayablity". Incorporating the feature in Wordle should do the same.

Releasing an

interactive MVP

When I set out to build War of Words, my primary goal wasn’t just to design an improved Wordle — I also wanted to use this project as a way to learn vanilla JavaScript.

This learning curve was steep. As a beginner in JavaScript, I quickly realized how challenging it was to translate my Figma designs into functional code. The logic behind Wordle’s gameplay, combined with the complexities of CSS, became a real test of my skills. This experience made me much more empathetic toward developers, as I found myself struggling to code the very designs I had created.

Despite the challenges, I pushed forward and released the MVP on March 15, 2022.

Play Interactive MVP

MVP insights and feedback

Following the MVP release, War of Words grew to over 4,300 unique users and 80,000 Wordles played. The data revealed surprising insights into player behavior, with users focusing more on speed than strategy. Additionally, patterns in score sharing and engagement became apparent.

Here are the three key takeaways:

Analytics exposed quick play and low engagement

Through metrics like bounce rate and average time on page, I identified a pattern of quick, surface-level engagement.

Players were rushing to complete the puzzle, resulting in low session times and less meaningful interaction with the game. This trend has implications for SEO and ad revenue as shorter sessions can limit long-term growth potential.

Through metrics like bounce rate and average time on page, I identified a pattern of quick, surface-level engagement.

Incentivizing speed
was counterproductive

A key insight revealed that players prioritized speed over thoughtful word choice, leading to repetitive strategies. Some players, including those using the same first words each game, found it less engaging to strategize deeply.

I adjusted the scoring to prioritize rounds completed over speed, but players continued to rush through the game, resulting in an average session length of 1m 29s and only 18 seconds of active engagement per session.

Negative scores hurt morale

Negative scoring for incorrect guesses impacted player morale. My dad, for instance, stopped playing after frequently scoring low or even hitting negative scores due to incorrect guesses, which made the game feel discouraging.

I iterated the scoring system to cap the minimum score at zero, preserving the negative feedback for incorrect guesses without making the total score drop below zero, balancing feedback with motivation.

Designing a

new-look

The insights from the MVP phase not only informed gameplay adjustments but also shaped key design decisions. As players gravitated toward speed over strategy, it became clear that the user interface needed to communicate important gameplay elements more effectively without overwhelming the player.

To achieve this, I focused on creating a clean, intuitive design that would guide users naturally through the game. This led to the development of a comprehensive style guide, which outlines all the components used in the interface to ensure consistency and ease of use across the platform.

Foundational Elements

Primary Palette

.boyband-blue

.purkle

.mint-parrot

.golden-shower

.morning-sky

.cotton-candy

Neutrals

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Boyband Blue

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Purkle

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Mint Parrot

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Golden Hour

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New Components,
New Style

The components give off a modern feel and are dark-mode inclusive, due to the fact that many people play at night.

Revised design and features

After gathering feedback from the MVP and identifying areas for enhancement, I focused on implementing high-fidelity improvements that would elevate the user experience.

These improvements included a revamped landing page, a new onboarding stepper sequence, an adjusted advanced scoring system, and the introduction of Wordle Arcade—a completely new way to play.

Revamped landing page

While the New York Times Wordle requires minimal marketing due to its well-established user base, War of Words needed a more visually enticing landing page to attract players and build credibility. To achieve this, I incorporated clear messaging and strong visual elements to differentiate it from the original game.

#1 Wordle Alternative: Legally implemented as social proof to establish trust with new visitors.

Call-to-action buttons: Two primary CTAs – one for Daily Wordle and one for Wordle Arcade, with the latter being the focal point.

Interactive Banner (Planned): A future enhancement will feature an interactive SVG showing Wordle Arcade in action, helping users quickly understand the new mode.

New onboarding sequence

The new design introduces a more interactive and visual onboarding experience, designed to simplify the learning process and account for the game’s more complex scoring system.

Progressive Disclosure: Rules are explained step-by-step, preventing overwhelming new users with too much information at once.

Call-to-action buttons: Two primary CTAs – one for Daily Wordle and one for Wordle Arcade, with the latter being the focal point.

Interactive Banner (Planned): A future enhancement will feature an interactive SVG showing Wordle Arcade in action, helping users quickly understand the new mode.

Adjusted advanced scoring system

Feedback from the MVP phase prompted a shift in focus towards a more rewarding and engaging scoring system, inspired by arcade-style games. Instead of penalizing players for incorrect guesses, I introduced bonuses for specific achievements:

Bonus Points: Awarded for unique achievements, including bonuses that encourage players to vary their starting words and avoid repetitive strategies.

Day Streak: Similar to Duolingo’s streak feature, this encourages daily play, fostering consistent engagement and habit-building.

High scores: A top 5 high score leaderboard, inspired by arcade games, to drive competition and motivate players to improve.

Final words

Building War of Words was not only an exercise in improving Wordle but also a deep dive into learning JavaScript and creating a more competitive and engaging game. From the MVP launch to gathering user feedback, I’ve gained invaluable insights into player behavior and engagement.

Looking ahead, there’s still a lot I want to iterate on. The MVP highlighted the need for server-side functionality to store high scores, and while JavaScript allowed me to get the basics off the ground, the process was time-consuming.

To address this, I plan to rebuild the app on a no-code platform like Bubble. This will enable me to implement the more complex features I envision, including in-depth individual stats, server-side high scores, and a more competitive, community-driven experience.

What next to work on

Statistics and Gamification

I’m passionate about data, and War of Words presents a great opportunity to enhance competition with stats like average completion time, player rankings, and percentile standings. These features will foster a deeper sense of achievement and encourage users to improve their performance.

Methods of Monetization

As War of Words grows, I’ll explore freemium options to add value for dedicated players. Potential offerings include custom skins, avatars, and premium league features. These additions would allow personalization and open new revenue streams.

Community and Competition

Building an in-game community is a priority. Rather than relying on external groups, I plan to add features like leaderboards, tournaments, and Fantasy Sports-inspired leagues directly into the game. This approach will gradually foster a stronger player community within War of Words.

Platform Considerations

My current focus is on a web-based app, aligning with Wordle’s older demographic who prioritize ease of access. However, a native app may be considered in the future as War of Words scales.

New onboarding sequence

Ultimately, War of Words has been a rewarding journey, and there’s plenty of room to grow. I’m excited to continue developing the app and adding new features that will make it even more engaging for players who love a good challenge.

Thank you for reading!

Check our some of my other projects.

Designing a competitive and engaging Wordle alternative

Designing a competitive and engaging Wordle alternative

Designing a competitive and engaging Wordle alternative

Designing a competitive and engaging Wordle alternative

Overview

Overview

Identifying the problems

Wordle's scoring system

Wordle's scoring system

has too little variation.

has too little variation.

How can we make scoring… more fun?

How can we make scoring… more fun?

Which scoring features to prioritize for the MVP?

Which scoring features to prioritize for the MVP?

High scores aren't just for arcades

High scores aren't just for arcades

Releasing an

Releasing an

interactive MVP

interactive MVP

MVP insights and feedback

Analytics exposed quick play and low engagement

Analytics exposed quick play and low engagement

Incentivizing speed was counterproductive