In 2022, one of the most esteemed news brands on the planet, The New York Times, became a global media story for purchasing a game. But Wordle was more than just a game. Created by software engineer Josh Wardle to entertain his partner, it has become and remains a phenomenon.
More than a casual distraction, Wordle perfectly captured the social media age by encouraging users to compete and compare results with friends. Its easy-to-use interface also meant nearly anyone with an internet connection could play. This combination of accessibility, competition, and sharing fueled its rise from a personal project to a worldwide obsession in just months.
So while acquiring a digital game was certainly an unexpected move for a legacy media company, Wordle had clearly transcended that label through the power of its design and the human need for connection. In purchasing the phenomenon, NYT wisely capitalized on its ability to sustain large-scale communities through the strengths of both its brand and digital platform. Wordle continues to bring people together each day through a few simple letters.
The popular word puzzle game Wordle is undergoing some adjustments now that it has been acquired by The New York Times. According to the Times, word selection will no longer be handled by the game's creator, Josh Wardle, but rather curated directly by the publication.
Words will be chosen from a Times-made list and programmed similarly to other word games on their site, like Spelling Bee and Crossword. Players can expect to see words that fit with the style and vocabulary presented in those puzzles.
An additional tweak is that the solution word will never be a plural noun ending in "s" or "es", such as "FOXES" or "SPOTS". While guesses containing those words can still help narrow it down, they will not themselves be the answer.
Experts recommend refreshing your browser to ensure syncing with the rest of the player base. These changes aim to align Wordle more closely with the Times' other offerings while keeping the core gameplay experience intact.
Since its acquisition, Wordle has largely maintained the same format under new ownership. Players are given six tries to guess a randomly selected five-letter word, receiving feedback on letter placement after each attempt. It remains a simple yet addictive free game for users to test their vocabulary skills on a daily basis.
Wordle is a simple yet addictive free game where the goal is to guess the mystery five-letter word of the day in six tries or less.
The game's minimalist yet compelling format has captivated millions worldwide since its inception. With just the constraints of a five-letter word and half a dozen tries, Wordle manages to provide memorable short-term challenges as well as a long-term progression for dedicated solvers.