JustBeginning
Beginner's guide

So you're getting into word games

Wordle pulled you in, and now you want more. The good news: word games are one of the cheapest, most portable hobbies going. A great crossword book and a reliable pen fit in a jacket pocket and will entertain you for months. Here's exactly what to get first, and what to skip.

By Colin B. · Published June 13, 2026 · Last reviewed June 13, 2026
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The 60-second version

If you only buy 3 things to start:

  1. New York Times Monday Crossword Puzzle Omnibus — The NYT Monday crossword omnibus: right difficulty, real puzzles, the best on-ramp in the hobby.
  2. Bananagrams — Bananagrams is faster and more chaotic than Scrabble, and you can teach it to anyone in two minutes flat.
  3. Pilot G2 Fine Point Gel Pens (12-pack) — The Pilot G2 fine point is the default crossword pen for a reason: smooth, consistent, and you can find it everywhere.
Budget total
$25
Typical total
$60
A puzzle book and a decent pen is all you need to start. Even Scrabble runs under $25 used. This is one of the most affordable hobbies you can build.

We earn commission on qualifying Amazon purchases — see our affiliate disclosure. Price tiers and budget totals shown above are editorial estimates; actual Amazon prices vary.

At a glance

Our top pick in each category

The fastest path through this guide — each best-starter pick by category. Scroll for the budget and upgrade alternatives.

CategoryTop pickPriceWhere to buy
Crossword & Puzzle BooksThe New York TimesNew York Times Monday Crossword Puzzle Omnibus$ See on Amazon →
Reference BooksMerriam-WebsterMerriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition$$ See on Amazon →
Writing InstrumentsPilotPilot G2 Fine Point Gel Pens (12-pack)$ See on Amazon →
Word Board GamesBananagramsBananagrams$$ See on Amazon →
Before you buy anything

A few things worth knowing first

Start with free Wordle and the NYT Mini Crossword before you spend a dollar. Both are genuinely good, and they'll tell you whether you want more. The full NYT Games subscription ($5/month) unlocks Spelling Bee, Connections, and the full crossword archive, worth it if you're doing puzzles daily.

Physical vs. digital is a real choice. Paper crosswords have a tactile satisfaction that an app doesn't replicate. Digital solves anywhere, auto-checks answers, and never runs out. Many people do both. Neither is the 'right' way.

Word games range from solitary (Wordle, crosswords) to social (Bananagrams, Codenames, Scrabble). Think about when and with whom you'll be playing. That shapes everything you buy.

The gear

What you actually need

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Crossword & Puzzle Books

The best crossword books for beginners are the Monday and Tuesday NYT collections, graded to give you solvable puzzles while still teaching you the vocabulary and patterns. Monday puzzles are built for new solvers (usually themed, more straightforward fill), Tuesday steps it up. Avoid 'easy' crossword books from supermarket racks; they're often poorly constructed with obscure fill that teaches you nothing. The NYT is the gold standard. Buy a Monday collection and work through it before buying anything else.

Best starter
The New York Times

New York Times Monday Crossword Puzzle Omnibus

$

The NYT Monday Omnibus is the universally agreed best entry point for new crossword solvers. 200 Monday puzzles graded exactly right, enough to build real vocabulary and pattern recognition without the frustration of harder grids. When you can reliably finish these, move to Tuesday.

What we like

  • 200 Monday puzzles, the ideal beginner difficulty level
  • NYT constructors maintain quality no other publisher matches
  • Compact paperback fits perfectly in a bag or bedside drawer

What to know

  • Finite; you'll finish it in 4-6 months if you solve daily
  • No answer-checking without flipping to the back
See on Amazon →
Upgrade pick
The New York Times

New York Times Sunday Crossword Omnibus, Vol. 13

$

Once Monday feels easy, the Sunday puzzle is the classic challenge. Big grid (21x21), 140+ answers, and themed in ways that reward lateral thinking. The Omnibus volumes pack 200 Sunday puzzles into one fat book. Weeks of entertainment.

What we like

  • 200 full-size Sunday grids, typically 3-5x longer than Monday
  • Sunday themes are creative and memorable, unlike filler themeless grids

What to know

  • Not a starter book: solve Monday/Tuesday first or you'll quit
  • Paperback spine can crack if you fold it flat while solving
See on Amazon →
Specialty pick
Publications International

Brain Games Word Searches for Adults

$

Not everyone wants the challenge of crosswords. Word searches are pure pattern-matching flow, relaxing rather than taxing. This large-print volume is well-curated, thematically organized, and legitimately satisfying for a different kind of puzzle mood.

What we like

  • Large print makes it comfortable for extended sessions
  • Thematic categories let you jump to topics you actually care about

What to know

  • Word search is more passive than crosswords; less vocabulary-building
  • Variable difficulty; some puzzles feel too easy for the page count
See on Amazon →

Reference Books

Two books make a real difference: a collegiate dictionary and the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary. The Merriam-Webster Collegiate is the one crossword editors use as their authority. When a puzzle is ambiguous, this is the tiebreaker. The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (OSPD or Official Tournament Word List, OWL) is a different beast: every playable 2-, 3-, and 4-letter word is listed and defined, and tournament players memorize from it. You don't need the OWL to have fun, but if you want to win.

Best starter
Merriam-Webster

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition

$$

The standard reference for American crossword constructors and editors. When you hit a clue answer you don't believe ('is INIA a word?'), this is where you settle it. The 11th Edition has over 225,000 entries. A paperback sits next to the puzzle book; the hardcover is for the desk.

What we like

  • The dictionary crossword editors actually use, directly useful
  • 225,000+ entries, definitive for American English spelling questions
  • New edition includes internet-age coinages constructors use freely

What to know

  • Overkill if you mostly solve digitally (Merriam-Webster.com is free)
  • Hardcover is bulky; this lives on the desk, not in a puzzle bag
See on Amazon →
Specialty pick
Merriam-Webster

Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (5th Edition)

$$

The OSPD is the Scrabble tournament standard. Every word of 2-8 letters permitted in North American club and tournament play, with definitions. Memorizing the two-letter words (AA, AI, OE, XI...) alone will add 50 points a game. Overkill for casual play; essential if you take Scrabble seriously.

What we like

  • Lists every legal Scrabble word, the authoritative challenge reference
  • Two-letter word section alone is worth the price for competitive play

What to know

  • Dry reading; this is a reference tool, not light bedtime material
  • Doesn't cover Scrabble GO's word list, which differs from official
See on Amazon →
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Writing Instruments

The right pen matters more than you'd think for paper puzzles. You want something that writes in small spaces without bleeding through puzzle-book paper, and that dries fast enough that your palm doesn't smear it as you work across a grid. Fine-tip ballpoints and gel pens both work; fountain pens are a pleasure but require better paper. Most serious crossword solvers use pen, not pencil; committing in ink is part of the discipline.

Writing Instruments — what's the difference?

A few common shapes, each making a different trade.

Gel Pen (0.7mm)

Smooth, consistent, best for most paper types.

Tip
0.7mm
Ink type
Gel
Erasable?
No

Best for Everyday crossword solving on standard paperback puzzle books

Tradeoff No erasure; errors are permanent

↓ See our pick
Mechanical Pencil (0.7mm)

Erasable, ideal if you're still learning and want to undo guesses.

Tip
0.7mm
Ink type
Pencil
Erasable?
Yes

Best for Beginners building confidence; puzzle books with fragile paper

Tradeoff Smears on rough paper; erasing in small grids leaves grey residue

↓ See our pick
Fineliner (0.3mm)

Most precise; use once you know you want ink commitment.

Tip
0.3mm
Ink type
Fineliner
Erasable?
No

Best for Neat solvers; variety puzzles with complex grid work; long sessions

Tradeoff Fragile tip; feathers on lower-quality paper

↓ See our pick
Best starter
Pilot

Pilot G2 Fine Point Gel Pens (12-pack)

$

The G2 fine-point is the de facto crossword pen. Smooth, consistent, smear-resistant after a few seconds, and widely available when you run out. The 0.7mm tip writes cleanly in standard crossword squares without blobbing. Buy a 12-pack; you'll lose them before you run out of ink.

What we like

  • Smooth gel ink dries quickly, won't smear left-to-right as you write
  • Refillable; you can buy G2 refills and reduce waste over time
  • 0.7mm tip stays clean in small crossword squares

What to know

  • Clip breaks off with heavy pocket use, not a hard-use pen
  • 12-pack is overkill if you just want one to try
See on Amazon →
Budget pick
BIC

BIC Mechanical Pencils, #2 Medium 0.7mm (5-pack)

$

Some solvers genuinely prefer pencil; you can erase mistakes, which matters when learning. BIC mechanicals are cheap, consistent, and the 0.7mm lead is the right weight for puzzle paper. No sharpening, no mess.

What we like

  • Erasing is allowed when you're still building confidence
  • Cheap enough to leave in every bag you own

What to know

  • Pencil marks smear on pulpy puzzle-book paper
  • Erasing in small crossword squares leaves grey smears
See on Amazon →
Upgrade pick
Staedtler

Staedtler Triplus Fineliner 0.3mm (10-color)

$$

The Triplus fineliner in black is a crossword upgrade worth considering: the 0.3mm tip is precise in tight grids, the ink is waterproof, and the triangular barrel is comfortable for long solving sessions. The 10-color set opens up color-coding for variety puzzles, themed entry groups, or the obsessive.

What we like

  • 0.3mm tip is the most precise option for small puzzle-book squares
  • Triangular barrel is ergonomic for 30-60 min sessions
  • Ink dries instantly on coated paper; zero smear

What to know

  • Fragile tip: pressing hard like a ballpoint will splay it
  • Fineliner ink can feather on cheap paper-back puzzle-book pages
See on Amazon →
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Word Board Games

Word board games are a different experience from solo puzzles: they're competitive, social, and faster-paced. Bananagrams is the gateway drug: no board, no turns, everyone racing simultaneously. Scrabble rewards vocabulary depth and strategic tile placement. Codenames rewards deduction and lateral association. You don't need all three; pick the one that fits how your group plays.

Best starter
Bananagrams

Bananagrams

$$

Bananagrams is the best word game on the market for groups who don't know if they like word games yet. No board, no turns, no setup; you race everyone else to use all your tiles in a valid crossword. Rules in two minutes, first game in five, and it genuinely rewards word knowledge without punishing beginners too hard.

What we like

  • Entire rule set explained in two minutes; instant pickup play
  • Compact banana pouch travels anywhere: planes, cafes, road trips
  • Works with 2-8 players without scaling adjustments

What to know

  • Tile distribution suits English, not great for other languages
  • Pouch zipper shows wear after a year of regular use
See on Amazon →
Upgrade pick
Hasbro

Hasbro Scrabble Board Game

$$

The classic. Takes longer than Bananagrams, rewards tile placement and obscure word knowledge (all those two-letter words pay off), and has a satisfying strategic layer that Bananagrams lacks. The board and tile quality on the Original Edition is fine; spring for the Deluxe if you want a rotating platform and locking tiles.

What we like

  • Strategy runs deep: placement matters as much as word quality
  • Widely available used for $5-10; great candidate for thrift stores

What to know

  • Slower pace: 2-hour games are common with analytical players
  • Paper tiles show wear; score pads run out and need replacing
See on Amazon →
Specialty pick
Czech Games Edition

Codenames

$$

Codenames is about word association, not vocabulary. Two teams race to find their agents by interpreting one-word clues. The best group party word game since Taboo. If your crowd is more lateral thinkers than Scrabble nerds, this is the pick.

What we like

  • Team-based: one bad vocabulary player doesn't tank the whole game
  • 25-minute play time; easy to fit between dinner and dessert

What to know

  • Needs 4+ players; 2-player rules exist but feel like a workaround
  • Spymaster role has a steep learning curve for new players
See on Amazon →
Budget pick
Hasbro

Wordle: The Party Game

$$

Hasbro's official physical Wordle translates the 5-letter grid format into a 2-player guessing game with colored pegs for feedback. Quick to learn (if you already play digital Wordle), takes 20 minutes, and makes a great gift for anyone in your life who loses 15 minutes a day to the app.

What we like

  • Familiar Wordle rules mean zero learning curve for daily players
  • 20-minute play time, easy to fit anywhere in an evening

What to know

  • Strictly 2-player; no group mode
  • Less replay depth than Scrabble or Bananagrams
See on Amazon →
Going deeper

Your first month of word games

Wordle takes five minutes a day. A crossword takes twenty. You don't need to become a puzzle fanatic, but if you want to, here's how to get there from where you are now.

Read the guide →
Save your money

What you don't need yet

Beginners get pressured to buy a lot of stuff that doesn't help them play better. Here's what we'd skip on day one.

  • A full NYT digital archive subscription — Start with the free Wordle and Mini. Add the full subscription only once you're solving daily and want the Spelling Bee or archive access.
  • A Scrabble Deluxe or rotating board — The standard board works fine. The rotating Deluxe edition is a luxury, not an upgrade. Buy the original first; Deluxe only if you're playing weekly.
  • Word frequency or pattern books — Books like 'Word Freak' or tournament word-list books are great eventually. Waste of money until you've been solving for six months.
  • A puzzle light or magnifier — Puzzle books print plenty large. A magnifier is a solution to a problem you probably don't have yet.
  • Every Wordle-variant app — Quordle, Octordle, Dordle; they're fun but overwhelming to start with all at once. Master the original five-letter Wordle first.
  • A leather crossword portfolio — Handsome accessory, but a book and a pen work perfectly without it. Buy one if paper puzzles become a daily habit.
First week

Your first seven days

A short, real plan to get from gear-on-doorstep to actually playing.

  1. Play Wordle today. It's free, takes five minutes, and sets the vocabulary for everything else. · Action
  2. Try the NYT Mini Crossword, also free, also five minutes. It's 5x5 and the perfect skill check. · Action
  3. Order the NYT Monday crossword book so it arrives by the weekend. · Buy
  4. Pick up a 12-pack of Pilot G2 fine-point pens; you'll go through them. · Buy
  5. Solve the first five Monday puzzles in one sitting. That first sitting calibrates everything: how fast you are, where your gaps are, what kinds of clues light you up. · Action
  6. If you have people to play with, add Bananagrams. Teach it in two minutes at the table. · Buy
  7. Learn the common three-letter crossword words (ERA, ORE, ALE, ERE, ETA, OLE). These show up constantly in Monday grids and will save you. · Learn
FAQ

Common questions

Is Wordle the same as a crossword?

Different formats, same underlying skill. Wordle is a daily 5-letter word-guess game (6 tries to find the word). Crosswords are interlocking fill-in grids, clued by wordplay and trivia. Both reward vocabulary, but crosswords add a cruciverbal pattern language, and learning how constructors clue things makes them dramatically easier.

How do I get better at Wordle?

Two habits help: start with a high-coverage opening word (CRANE, SLATE, TRACE are popular; they hit common letters early), and build a mental model of rare letters (Q, X, Z, J, V appear infrequently). Most players plateau at 4-guess averages. Getting to 3.5 average is achievable in a few months of daily play.

How long does a crossword take to solve?

Monday NYT: 5-15 minutes once you've been solving for a month. Tuesday: 10-25 minutes. Sunday: 30-60 minutes. Speed solvers at the ACPT compete in under 5 minutes per Monday. There's no race; solve at your own pace and time yourself only if you want to track improvement.

Is Scrabble worth learning the two-letter words?

If you're playing competitively or against people who already know them, yes: knowing QI, XI, ZA, AA, and the other 100+ two-letter words is worth an extra 30-50 points per game. For casual family Scrabble, skip the list and just enjoy the vocab you have.

What's Spelling Bee and should I subscribe?

NYT Spelling Bee gives you 7 letters and asks you to make as many words as possible using the center letter. The goal is 'Genius' (top score) or 'Queen Bee' (every word found). It's addictive, trains vocabulary differently than crosswords, and comes with the NYT Games subscription. Worth $40/year if you're doing it daily.

Can I play word games solo?

Almost all of them, yes. Wordle, Spelling Bee, crosswords, and word searches are inherently solo. Bananagrams has a solo mode (build a valid crossword, fastest time). Scrabble has apps with AI opponents. The social word games (Codenames, Taboo) need people, but they're a small slice of the hobby.

Going further

Where to next

Related hobbies

Browse by category

Authoritative sources

  • NYT Games — Wordle, Mini, Spelling Bee, Connections, and the full crossword archive. The hub for daily word-game content.
  • American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (ACPT) — Annual tournament run by Will Shortz since 1978. Covers all skill levels. Watching ACPT video is genuinely educational for technique.
  • Wordplay (NYT Crossword Blog) — Daily blog by the NYT crossword editors. Constructor notes, solve tips, and deep dives on clue construction. Essential for serious solvers.
  • r/crossword — Active subreddit for daily solve discussions. Best use: reading comments on the NYT daily puzzle to see how others approached tough clues.
  • Puzzazz — Premium crossword app with excellent stylus support and an archive of NYT, LAT, and indie puzzles. Better app experience than the NYT native client for many solvers.
  • Merriam-Webster Word Central — Free online dictionary with crossword-specific lookups. Use the word finder for partial-fill crossword searches.
  • One Across (Crossword Solver) — Pattern-search tool for stuck crossword letters. Enter what you have (?RAIN?OW) and it returns candidate words. Use sparingly; overuse kills the solve satisfaction.
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