Can You Play Wordle Offline? Yes, Here’s How

Yes — you can play Wordle offline, but with caveats. The official Wordle on the NYT site loads the daily puzzle once it has internet access; after that, the puzzle stays playable in the browser without reconnecting. There are also a few other paths: installing Wordle as a Progressive Web App, using archive sites that cache puzzles, or running an open-source Wordle clone locally. Here’s exactly how each method works, what works on a plane or in a basement, and where the limits are.

Method 1: Load the official Wordle online, then disconnect

The simplest “offline” Wordle approach is to load the page while you have internet, then disconnect. The daily puzzle is downloaded as part of the page load, and the puzzle logic runs entirely client-side in JavaScript. You can complete today’s puzzle without an active connection.

Caveats:

• If you close the tab and try to reopen, you may need internet again to reload the page.
• Your guess submission and stats save normally once you reconnect.
• Tomorrow’s puzzle won’t appear until you reconnect.

This is the path most casual offline players take. Load the puzzle at home, hop on a flight, complete the puzzle in the air, your streak saves when you land.

Method 2: Install as a Progressive Web App (PWA)

The NYT Games site supports PWA installation on browsers that handle it (Chrome, Edge, and Safari with limitations). Once installed, Wordle behaves like an app on your device — its own icon, its own window, its own cached assets. Offline reliability is significantly better than the standard browser tab approach.

To install:

1. Open wordle.nytimes.com in Chrome or Edge.
2. Look for the “Install” icon in the address bar (or in the browser menu).
3. Click Install. The app installs as a standalone application.

On iOS, the equivalent is “Add to Home Screen” from the Safari share menu. The behavior is slightly different — iOS’s PWA support is more limited than Chrome/Edge — but the daily puzzle generally works offline once cached.

PWA installation gives you the most reliable offline Wordle experience without going down the clone path.

Method 3: The NYT Games mobile app (which handles offline)

If you have the NYT Games app installed on iOS or Android, it caches the daily puzzle as part of its routine sync. You can complete today’s Wordle on a plane or in a basement once the app has cached it. The app re-syncs your stats when you reconnect.

This is functionally similar to the PWA approach but with a more polished offline behavior. Most players who care about offline reliability install the app.

Method 4: Archive sites with cached puzzles

Several third-party sites have archived past Wordle puzzles. These work because the daily puzzle’s mechanics are client-side and the word list (especially older lists) has been documented. You can play past Wordle puzzles offline by downloading these archive sites or using their cached versions.

Note: these are unofficial. The NYT does not endorse them. Their word lists may differ slightly from the current official list, particularly for words removed after the NYT’s editorial curation.

Method 5: Open-source Wordle clones

Several open-source Wordle implementations exist on GitHub. You can download these and play them entirely offline, with no internet ever needed after the initial download. The most popular use the same six-guess, five-letter format.

To set up:

1. Find an open-source Wordle clone (search GitHub for “wordle clone” or “wordle offline”).
2. Download the source as a ZIP.
3. Extract and open the included HTML file in any browser.
4. Play offline indefinitely. The puzzle either uses a random word from its built-in list or follows the original Wordle’s date-based puzzle sequence.

This is the most durable offline solution. The downside: you’re not playing the official daily puzzle in sync with the rest of the world. If you care about discussing today’s puzzle with friends, this isn’t the same game.

What about offline puzzle data?

Wordle’s original implementation by Josh Wardle had a JavaScript array of solution words baked into the page source. The puzzle sequence was determined by the date — same puzzle for everyone on a given day. After the NYT acquisition, the solution list was moved server-side (or to a less-easily-extracted location), making the “look at the source code” trick harder.

If you’re running an offline clone, you’re using whichever word list the clone’s author bundled. This often differs from the current NYT list.

Streak preservation across offline sessions

If you complete the daily puzzle offline using the official NYT site or app, your streak is preserved when you reconnect — the app re-syncs your stats and updates the streak count.

If you use a third-party clone, the streak is local to that clone. Your NYT streak doesn’t update because you’re not playing the official version.

For streak-conscious players: stick to the official NYT path (PWA or app), load the puzzle while online, complete it offline if you must, reconnect to sync.

What about Wordle Bot (the post-puzzle analysis)?

Wordle Bot requires internet because the analysis runs on NYT servers. Offline play means no Wordle Bot until you reconnect. Most casual players don’t use Wordle Bot regularly, so this isn’t usually a blocker.

The plane scenario

Here’s the practical “I’m flying to Tokyo and want to play Wordle on the way” path:

1. Before boarding, open today’s Wordle in the NYT app or NYT Games app on your phone.
2. Make sure the puzzle has loaded (don’t close the app).
3. Board the plane. Switch to airplane mode if you’re not paying for in-flight wifi.
4. Open the app. Today’s Wordle is playable. Complete it.
5. Land. Reconnect. Your streak and stats sync.

This works reliably. The “what if I want to play tomorrow’s puzzle while still on the plane” scenario requires in-flight wifi.

The basement scenario

If you’re in a place with weak or no signal (basement, certain office buildings, rural areas), the same approach works. Load the puzzle when you have signal, complete it when you don’t, sync when you do again.

Browser-only offline alternatives

If you want a Wordle-style puzzle that works fully offline in your browser without app installs or downloads, your best bet is a self-hosted clone or a bookmarked offline-capable PWA. Some browser game collections (including archived ones at archive.org) host Wordle clones that work offline once the page is cached.

The Chrome Dino game at the top of this site is a parallel example: it’s specifically designed to work offline (the original Chrome Dino was triggered by network errors), and on this site it works just as well offline as online.

What changed after NYT acquisition

The NYT made the official Wordle slightly harder to bootleg offline by moving infrastructure server-side, but the core gameplay remains client-side and offline-capable after initial load. The NYT’s official PWA support and the NYT Games app provide the cleanest offline experience.

Frequently asked questions

Can you play Wordle without internet?

Yes, with conditions. Load the daily puzzle while online, then play offline. The NYT Games app and PWA install give you the most reliable offline experience.

Does Wordle work on a plane?

Yes. Load the puzzle in the NYT Games app before takeoff. The app caches the daily puzzle for offline completion. Your stats sync when you reconnect after landing.

Can I install Wordle as an app?

Yes. The NYT Games app (iOS, Android) includes Wordle. You can also install the website as a PWA in Chrome, Edge, or Safari.

Is there an offline Wordle clone?

Yes, multiple. Search GitHub for “wordle clone.” These run entirely in a browser with no internet required after the initial download. They use their own word lists, which may differ from the official NYT list.

Do I keep my streak if I play offline?

Yes, if you use the official NYT app or PWA. Your streak syncs when you reconnect. Third-party clones don’t update your NYT streak.

The takeaway

Wordle offline is doable. The most reliable path is the NYT Games app on iOS or Android, which caches the daily puzzle for offline play and syncs your stats when you reconnect. The PWA install is the second-best option. Self-hosted clones work indefinitely offline but aren’t the same puzzle as the official daily. For another browser game that’s offline-native by design — the game was literally built to be played when your internet goes down — the Chrome Dino game on this site is a fitting companion for the same plane ride. No install, no signup, just press space when the page loads.

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