My best guess is that they were open to the idea but ended up realizing it's not for them - and then feeling too uncomfortable to communicate it properly?
Since you're tired of dating apps here's an alternate suggestion: Go over the hobbies you have, and find which ones have IRL communities - and then join them. Hell, if you find communities for hobbies you don't have but seem interesting to you, try em out.
An important mindset to have is: DO NOT go in with the expectation to find a partner. Go in with the goal of just socializing and having fun, but don't force it, its "doing fun stuff with like-minded people", not "scouting for a partner".
From there on, the more people you are exposed to, the likelier you are to stumble upon someone you click with romantically. You would also be surprised how many people find partners through mutual friends.