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Quartiles is a daily word puzzle inside Apple News+, not a separate iPhone app. Players combine letter-group tiles to make words, including five hidden four-tile words called Quartiles. Apple introduced it in May 2024 for News+ subscribers in the U.S. and Canada; access requires an active subscription and a supported Apple News app.
What is Quartiles?
Quartiles is Apple’s spelling and word-building puzzle. Each daily board has 20 tiles, and each tile contains a letter or group of letters. Combine one to four tiles to form a word. The main challenge is finding the board’s five special four-tile words, each called a Quartile, while also spotting other valid words.
It shares the daily-puzzle appeal of Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee and crosswords, but the task is different: rather than guessing one answer or sorting words into categories, you build words from multi-letter tiles. Apple introduced Quartiles on May 13, 2024, as part of Apple News+ (Apple’s launch announcement).
How to play
- Open Quartiles in Apple News and review the 20 tiles.
- Select tiles in sequence to assemble a possible word. A word can use one, two, three or four tiles.
- Submit the entry. The game tells you whether it accepts the word.
- Keep finding words, especially combinations that use four tiles to make a Quartile. Rearrange or shuffle tiles if you get stuck.
Not every recognizable word is guaranteed to count: the game uses its own accepted-word list, so proper nouns, abbreviations, unusual inflections or other entries may be rejected. A valid word can also be hard to spot even when its tiles are visible.
Quartiles scoring
Launch-era gameplay reporting describes the scoring as follows. These detailed values are reported rules, not a scoring table published in Apple’s announcement:
| Word length in tiles | Reported points |
|---|---|
| One tile | 1 |
| Two tiles | 2 |
| Three tiles | 4 |
| Four tiles (a Quartile) | 8 |
Finding all five Quartiles is reported to add a 40-point bonus. That makes the five Quartiles worth 40 points before the bonus; avoid treating 80 as a definitive maximum for the whole puzzle, since other accepted words and the way a score is described affect that calculation. (See launch-era reporting from BGR and MacRumors.)
Rank #2
Where to find Quartiles on iPhone
Quartiles is played within the Apple News app. You do not need—and should not look for—a separate Quartiles download in the App Store.
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- Look in the News+ or Puzzles area for Quartiles. Apple can change navigation labels between software versions; launch-era instructions placed puzzles under Following → Puzzles, but that path may not match your current app.
- Sign in with the Apple Account that has an active Apple News+ subscription, or follow the prompt to subscribe.
Quartiles launched with iOS 17.5 on iPhone and iPadOS 17.5 on iPad. Those are the launch requirements, not a guarantee about future compatibility; use the current News app on a supported device. Apple’s subscription guide says News and News+ features are not available in every region.
Subscription, price and availability
Installing Apple News does not make Quartiles free: the puzzle is an Apple News+ subscriber feature. Apple’s 2024 announcement named the United States and Canada for availability. If the game does not appear, check your region and subscription before assuming the app is broken.
News+ is a bundle, not a gaming pass. Apple describes it as providing access to magazines and newspapers, recipes, audio stories, offline content and puzzles. You can subscribe through the News app or, where offered, get News+ through Apple One Premier. Because subscription prices and promotions can change, check the amount and renewal terms shown at signup rather than relying on a launch-era price.
For a Quartiles-only player, a recurring bundle may not be worthwhile; free daily word games may suit that need better. News+ is a more plausible fit if you already want its publications and other included content, with Quartiles as an extra. A free trial or promotion may be offered to eligible users, but confirm the duration, eligibility and renewal price on Apple’s offer screen.
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Quartiles is designed around a daily puzzle. Launch coverage also reported Game Center leaderboard integration and result sharing. A leaderboard lets you compare scores; it is not the same as playing live against another person. Game Center features may depend on being signed in and on the current app and account setup.
Apple launched Quartiles alongside News+ Offline Mode, which can download puzzles and other News+ content for later use without Wi-Fi or cellular service. Offline access depends on the puzzle already being downloaded or cached. A new daily board may need a connection to refresh, and subscription checks, score synchronization or sharing can also require connectivity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Quartiles compared with other word puzzles
- Wordle: guess one hidden five-letter word within a limited number of tries.
- Connections: sort a set of words into groups that share a category.
- Spelling Bee: form words from a fixed set of letters.
- Quartiles: join multi-letter tiles to form many words, with five four-tile Quartiles to find.
The games reward different habits, so there is no objective difficulty ranking here. Quartiles asks you to scan combinations and recognize word patterns rather than follow a single answer trail.
If Quartiles is missing or will not work
- It does not appear: Check that you are in Apple News rather than the App Store, that News+ is active on the Apple Account used for Media & Purchases, and that the feature is available in your region. Update iOS, reopen News, then check News+ and Puzzles. Restart the iPhone if needed.
- A word is rejected: Check the selected tile sequence and try another combination. A familiar word may be outside the game’s dictionary, especially if it is a proper noun, abbreviation or unsupported form.
- The puzzle will not load offline: It may not have been downloaded before the connection was lost, or the daily board may need a refresh. Reconnect to let News update; confirm subscription access if prompted.
If access remains unavailable after those checks, verify your regional availability and subscription status with Apple Support.
Is Quartiles worth trying?
| If you are… | Practical verdict |
|---|---|
| Already an Apple News+ subscriber | Try it: it is an included puzzle, with no separate game purchase. |
| Interested in magazines, newspapers or other News+ content | Quartiles can add value to a bundle you already want. |
| Looking only for one daily word game | Compare free alternatives before taking on a subscription. |
| Outside the U.S. or Canada | Check current regional availability; Apple’s launch announcement named those two countries. |
| Looking for live multiplayer | Do not mistake leaderboards or shared results for a real-time multiplayer mode. |
Apple has continued expanding the News+ puzzle lineup: a 2025 announcement listed Quartiles alongside Crossword, Mini Crossword, Sudoku and Emoji Game. That wider bundle is the relevant value question—not whether a single puzzle justifies a subscription by itself.
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