Considering the global sensation it has become, Wordle has remarkably humble origins, with the game invented during the coronavirus lockdown by Josh Wardle, a software engineer from the U.K. working in New York, who wanted a game "for me and my partner to enjoy."
Wardle released Wordle to the public in October 2021 and the game quickly picked up a loyal audience, with some players sharing their results and strategies on social media each day. Wordle's appeal meant the game was purchased by The New York Times in January 2022 for a low seven-figure sum, though it remained free to play.
Speaking to Newsweek, Erhan Aslan, an academic who teaches applied linguistics at the U.K.'s University of Reading, provided some tips for Wordle players.
He said: "One thing that I think is important in this game is the starting word chosen. Starting off with words that include commonly used vowels, for example, e and a, consonants such as r and t, and sound sequences might be helpful.
"Choosing a word that starts with q, z, j, or x, for instance, may not be the best choice. As you get more feedback after a few guesses, users need to draw on some knowledge of phonics to narrow down or eliminate some words that they might be thinking."
The answer to Sunday's puzzle will be revealed at the end of this article, so scroll down with caution if you want to work it out for yourself.
'Wordle' #1,219, Clues for Sunday, October 20
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today's Wordle brainteaser.
Hint #1: The answer contains three vowels, one of which functions as a consonant in a different word structure.
Hint #2: None of the letters are repeated.
Hint #3: Synonyms for today's answer include "tricky" and "unpredictable."
Hint #4: The fourth letter is a vowel.
Hint #5: One of the first three letters in the alphabet features.
'Wordle' #1,219, Answer for Sunday, October 20
The answer to today's Wordle puzzle is "dicey."
Well, that was a fun one! Having three vowels certainly helped, and meant it wasn't one of the toughest Wordle puzzles we've yet faced, but it was still a good brainteaser.
Did you figure it out? If so congratulations, but please don't worry if not. One of the best things about Wordle is trying to improve your score over time and Newsweek will of course be back with another round of hints and tips tomorrow.
What Does 'Dicey' Mean?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines "dicey" as "slightly dangerous or uncertain."
For example: "The company's finances look a little dicey."
English (US) ·