Daily Griddle vs. Bonus Games: What's the Difference?
Griddle has two distinct modes of play: the daily puzzle and bonus games. If you've only been playing the daily, you might not realize that bonus rounds exist — or if you've discovered them, you might be wondering why they don't seem to affect your stats. This post explains how both modes work, what each one tracks, and how to get the most out of both.
The Daily Game
The daily game is Griddle's core experience. Here's how it works:
- One puzzle per day. Every 24 hours, a new 6×6 board is generated from the calendar date. The board is deterministic — the same date always produces the same board.
- Same board for everyone. Because the board is derived from the date, every player around the world sees the same tiles in the same positions. This makes scores directly comparable.
- One attempt. You get one shot at the daily puzzle. Once you complete it (or the timer runs out), your score is final and saved to your device.
- Stats are tracked. Your score, word count, longest word, and other metrics from the daily game feed into your aggregate statistics.
- Streaks are counted. Playing the daily game on consecutive days builds your streak counter. Miss a day and it resets.
- Badges are evaluated. Badge achievements — like reaching a score threshold or finding a long word — are only checked against daily game results.
When you return to Griddle after completing the daily game, the site shows your saved score and end-screen stats. You won't see a new daily puzzle until the next calendar day.
Bonus Games
After completing the daily game, a "Play New Board" button appears. Tapping it starts a bonus round:
- Unlimited plays. You can start as many bonus games as you want. There's no daily limit.
- Unique boards. Each bonus game generates a board that's unique to you and that session. No one else will play the same board.
- Same rules. The gameplay is identical: 6×6 grid, three-minute timer, same dictionary, same scoring system and bonus squares.
- No stats impact. Bonus games don't affect your aggregate stats, streaks, or badge progress. A "Just for fun" toast message appears when a bonus game starts to remind you.
- No sharing. Since the board is unique to you (and doesn't represent a shared daily experience), the Share Results button is hidden for bonus games.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Daily Game | Bonus Game |
|---|---|---|
| Board | Same for all players | Unique per session |
| Plays per day | One | Unlimited |
| Stats tracking | Yes | No |
| Streak impact | Builds/maintains streak | No effect |
| Badge evaluation | Yes | No |
| Share Results | Available | Hidden |
| Timer | 3 minutes | 3 minutes |
| Dictionary | Same 196K words | Same 196K words |
| Bonus squares | Standard positions | Standard (or dynamic with beta flag) |
| Beta features | Disabled | Enabled (if toggled on) |
Why Two Modes?
The daily game creates a shared social experience — everyone plays the same puzzle, so you can compare scores with friends, family, or colleagues. The one-shot nature makes it feel like a real challenge with stakes: you can't retry until you're happy with your score.
Bonus games exist for a different purpose. They're a practice ground, a way to warm up before tomorrow's daily, or simply a way to keep playing when you want more. By separating stats, Griddle ensures that your aggregate numbers reflect genuine daily performance rather than cherry-picked results from unlimited attempts.
Beta Features in Bonus Games
Bonus games also serve as a testing ground for new features. Griddle's beta feature system lets you enable experimental gameplay options that only activate in bonus games — never in the daily. Currently available beta features include:
- Selection Path: A visual line connecting your selected tiles, making it easier to see the word you're building.
- Drag Select: Lets you drag across tiles to form a word instead of tapping each one individually.
- Dynamic Bonus Squares: Bonus square types shuffle among the four fixed positions after each board shuffle, adding variety.
To access beta features, look for the Beta Features button on the start screen (hint: it takes a special activation gesture to unlock). Once enabled, your preferences are remembered across sessions.
How Streaks Work
Your streak counter tracks how many consecutive calendar days you've completed the daily game. The rules are simple:
- Play today's daily: Your streak increments by 1.
- Skip a day: Your streak resets to 0.
- Play multiple bonus games: No effect on streak — only the daily counts.
- Play the daily twice in the same day: This can't happen — the game only allows one daily play. Returning after completion shows your saved results.
Your longest-ever streak is saved permanently, even after your current streak resets. You can see both your current streak and your best streak on the Stats screen.
When to Play Each Mode
There's no wrong way to play Griddle, but here are some suggestions:
- Warming up? Play a bonus game first to get your eyes calibrated before tackling the daily.
- Competitive? Focus on the daily game. That's where your real score lives, and it's the one you can share with friends.
- Practicing strategy? Bonus games are perfect for trying new approaches without risking your stats. Experiment with bonus square hunting, speed runs, or long-word searches.
- Testing beta features? Bonus games only — daily mode always uses the standard rule set.
- Just want to play? Start as many bonus games as you like. The daily resets at midnight, but bonus rounds are always available.
Ready to play? Start today's daily Griddle, and once you've locked in your score, try a few bonus rounds to keep the fun going.