Wordle is a web-based word game created by Welsh software engineer Josh Wardle. Players have six attempts to guess a five-letter word, receiving feedback through coloured tiles that show correct letters and their placement. A single puzzle is released each day, and all players attempt the same word. The game was inspired by Mastermind and was publicly released in October 2021, quickly becoming a widespread phenomenon.
Gameplay and design
After each guess, letters are coloured green for a correct letter in the correct spot, yellow for a letter present in the word but misplaced, and gray for a letter not in the word. The daily answer is drawn from a curated list of 2,309 words, and the same word is used for all players worldwide. Options include a hard mode requiring players to reuse revealed clues and a high-contrast mode for colourblind players. Computer algorithms can consistently solve the puzzle within five of the six allowed guesses.
Rise and ownership
Wordle began as a personal project for Wardle and his partner, and its popularity grew after a shareable emoji-based results format appeared in late 2021. In January 2022, The New York Times Company acquired the game for a reported low seven-figure sum. The game remained free, though its word list was adjusted to remove offensive or politically sensitive words. Its success led to numerous clones, translations, and spin-off products.
