Nerdle
Nerdle swaps letters for numbers. The answer is a full calculation, like 12+35=47, and every guess you type has to be a true sum too.
Opens the real game on nerdlegame.com. Free, in a new tab.
Why Nerdle feels harder than Wordle
In Wordle you can guess any real word. In Nerdle the guess must also be correct maths, so each row takes a little planning. The upside is that the rules are strict. There are only so many ways to make eight characters balance, and every tile you colour removes a lot of them.
The answer list is curated by hand. Nerdle says it has 17,723 solutions, enough for a different puzzle every day until 2070.
The Nerdle family
| Version | What changes |
|---|---|
| Classic | 8 characters, six tries, one puzzle a day |
| Mini | 6 characters for quicker, simpler sums |
| Maxi | 10 characters for longer equations |
| Bi | Two puzzles solved at the same time |
| Speed | The classic puzzle against a clock |
A simple plan for each row
- Row one: test digits and two operators.
- Row two: try the digits you have not used yet, and move the equals sign if it went grey or purple.
- Row three onward: build only sums that fit every green and purple you have.
Before you start Nerdle
- Open with a sum that uses two operators and many different digits, such as 48-36=12.
- Find where the equals sign goes early. Once you know how long the result is, the rest gets much easier.
- Watch doubles. If a digit appears twice in your guess but once in the answer, one tile lights up and the other turns grey.
- Use an equation with many different digits and two signs on row one.
- Lock the position of the equals sign as early as you can.
Playing Nerdle step by step
- Type a true equation
Fill all eight boxes with a sum that works, such as 9*8-7=65. The game will not take a guess that does not add up.
- Green, purple or grey
Green means that character sits in the right box. Purple means it is in the answer somewhere else. Grey means it is not in the answer.
- Mind the order
Times and divide are worked out before plus and minus, just like in school, so 3+4*2 is 11.
- Build the next sum
Use what each row tells you to build the next sum. Swapped answers count, so 20+10=30 is accepted when the answer is 10+20=30.
Quick facts about Nerdle
- Answer
- An 8 character equation
- Characters
- Digits 0 to 9, + − × ÷ and one =
- Tries
- 6
- Colors
- Green right spot, purple wrong spot, grey not used
- New puzzle
- Midnight GMT, or your own midnight in settings
- Category
- Logic and mystery games, math
Nerdle FAQ
Who made Nerdle?
Richard Mann and his daughter Imogen came up with it, and Marcus Tettmar built it. It launched in January 2022.
Can I play old Nerdle puzzles?
Yes. Nerdle has a replay feature for past days and an answers archive.
When does Nerdle reset?
At midnight GMT, so everyone gets the same puzzle. You can switch it to your own midnight in the settings.
Where is the Nerdle answer today?
Nerdle keeps its equation secret until you solve it, and so do we. Purple tiles tell you which characters to move.
Facts checked on 2026-11-09. Nerdle belongs to Richard and Imogen Mann. Megadle is not linked to it.