When Josh Wardle created Wordle during lockdown, the New York-based software engineer had no idea the global sensation it would become.
Originally designed as a gift for his crossword loving partner, Wardle realized that other puzzle geeks might enjoy the game and decided to share it with the world. Within a month of uploading Wordle to the web in October 2021, the game had over 2 million daily players, and was purchased by The New York Times for a seven-figure sum in January 2022.
More than two years later, and Wordle is still hugely popular. According to a WordFinder survey of over 1,000 Wordle players, 38 percent of people in the U.S. still play the game every day.
They also discovered that the average U.S. Wordle player also spends 12 minutes trying to solve the daily brainteaser—more than three days a year.
It turns out, Wordle skills and habits also vary by generation. Baby Boomers are apparently the best Wordle players, winning 81 percent of the time. However, they do play the game the most, giving them an advantage.
When asked why they play Wordle, 63 percent of American players said it kept their mind sharp, 60 percent play because they enjoy word puzzles, while 35 percent just “enjoy the thrill of accomplishment.”
WordFinder also quizzed users on their favorite starting words, with “stare,” “crane”, “raise,” “audio” and “adieu” taking the top five spots. Other popular choices included “crate,” “train,” “slate,” “heart” and “arise.”
If you’re struggling to find the answer to today’s Wordle puzzle, Newsweek has put together a few clues to help you out.
‘Wordle’ #885, Clues for Tuesday, November 21
Here are five hints to make today’s Wordle brainteaser a little bit easier.
Hint #1: Today’s answer is a noun, according to Merriam-Webster.
Hint #2: There are no repeating letters.
Hint #3: Related words include “keys,” “ivory” and “note.”
Hint #4: Today’s Wordle puzzle contains three vowels.
Hint #5: The answer ends with an “o.”
‘Wordle’ #885, Answer for Tuesday, November 21
The answer to today’s Wordle puzzle is “piano.”
Did you get it in the six allotted guesses or less? Don’t feel bad if you didn’t—even Wardle admits to struggling sometimes. If you want some advice for beating tomorrow’s puzzle when it resets at midnight, Newsweek asked Wardle his top tips for playing the game.
In an exclusive interview in 2022, Wardle told Newsweek: “I would encourage people to experiment with different ideas and to find their own [starting] words, rather than just sticking to the same proven tactics over and over again.”
However, he did recommend ruling out the incorrect gray letters first, so it’s easier to find those green and gold ones.
“Even when you have most of the letters, it’s still worth using a couple of tries to just narrow down the options further,” he said.
“It’s often just as important to learn what letters aren’t in a word. That information can actually be more powerful in a lot of ways, and you don’t necessarily realize it at first.”
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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