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Is Mottle a game?

Yes. Mottle is an independent, free online word game. Change the first letter of four words to fit a theme. Play Mottle in your browser with a daily puzzle or a practice round.

Play Mottle

Daily word puzzle

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Reload the game · Try the written example

How to play Mottle

Each round gives you four words and one theme. Replace the first letter of each word to find four answers that fit the theme. Keep every other letter in place.

EXAMPLE · BABY GEAR

Swap M for B.

Choose a row, then tap a replacement letter or type it on your keyboard. Solve all four before your sixth wrong guess. In the game’s desk round, HEN becomes PEN. If you get stuck, Hint gives you a clue for the selected row.

Read the full Mottle rulesSee how Mottle hints workReplay past daily puzzles

Why was MOTTLE in Connections?

MOTTLE was a tile in the November 14, 2026 NYT Connections puzzle (#1252). Changing its first letter to B made BOTTLE, a piece of baby gear. That first-letter idea inspired this independent game, which is unaffiliated with The New York Times.

See all four swaps from Connections #1252

Mottle FAQ

Where can I play Mottle for free?

Play Mottle right here on your phone or computer. Both modes are free and run in your browser without an account or download.

Is Mottle an official NYT game?

Mottle is an independent game and has no affiliation with The New York Times. Its mechanic was inspired by one group in Connections #1252.

What does mottle mean?

To mottle something is to mark it with irregular spots or patches of color. See examples of mottle and mottled.

Can I play more than one Mottle puzzle a day?

Yes. Select Practice above the board for another round, even if you already finished the daily puzzle. Your daily progress is saved in the browser you played in.

When does the daily Mottle reset?

The game picks the daily puzzle at midnight UTC from a rotating set. Players around the world get the same round each UTC day. See today’s puzzle and replay earlier dates.