Puzzle guides and strategy
In-depth guides to help you solve faster and enjoy the games more. Written by the Puzzlenest editors, with statistics calculated from our own puzzles.
The best starting words for Word Guess, at every length
Best starting words for 4, 5, 6 and 7-letter word games, tested against our real answer lists.
How to get better at word association puzzles
The four kinds of groups, seven solving habits and how to spot red herrings in Word Groups.
Crossword tips for beginners: how to read the clues
Clue types, the golden rule of crossword clues and the short answers every solver should know.
Sudoku techniques, from your first puzzle to expert
Six sudoku techniques in order, from cross-hatching to box-line reduction, with a level guide.
How to solve nonograms: a step-by-step guide
Learn the overlap rule and solve a real 5x5 nonogram step by step, then the techniques for bigger grids.
Minesweeper patterns: the shapes that solve most boards
The 1-1, 1-2-1, 1-2-2-1 and other Minesweeper patterns explained with diagrams.
Quick tips for every game
Each game page also has a full how-to-play section, strategy tips and answers to common questions. Start with Word Guess, Mini Crossword, Number Nest, Word Ladder, 2048 or Solitaire.
Want to practice on older puzzles? Every daily puzzle is in the archive.