10
Loading video...
By Sophie Lloyd
Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
It's been more than two years since The New York Times acquired Wordle, but the game is still the most popular among its roster of word puzzles.
Created by Brooklyn-based software engineer Josh Wardle during the COVID-19 pandemic, the game was originally a gift for his crossword-loving partner, Palak Shah. Realizing that other puzzle nerds might enjoy Wordle, he uploaded the game to the web in October 2021.
In November, the game had just 91 daily players, but by January 2022, it had reached over 2 million. NYT took notice of the viral sensation, purchasing the game for a seven-figure sum.
Read More on Video Games
...
Despite the game's popularity, Wordle is far from easy. Wardle wanted the daily puzzles to be a challenge, but not so tough that users stop trying.
"There is a reason that every word is five letters long and that you are allowed six attempts to guess it," he told Newsweek in 2022.
"That might seem arbitrary but, with the prototype version, I tested different word lengths and experimented with the number of tries that players were allowed.
"Through that process of refinement, I figured out that five letters and six tries was the ideal sweet spot. It's just limited enough to feel challenging and to make you think, but most of the time people still manage to solve it. So, you feel a real sense of real accomplishment."
Although he curated the original word bank of 2,315 possible answers, Wardle also admitted to not being the best player, usually needing four or five guesses to solve the puzzles.
"[My partner] and I play it on the couch together each morning. She will consistently get it in three goes, which is way, way better than I can ever hope to achieve. I normally need at least four or five attempts," he said.
If you need help figuring out today's Wordle puzzle, Newsweek has gathered a few clues to lend a hand.
'Wordle' #1,077, Hints for Friday, May 31 Puzzle
Hint #1: Today's answer is a noun.
Hint #2: It contains two vowels.
Hint #3: There are no repeated letters.
Hint #4: The last letter of today's Wordle is a consonant.
Hint #5: Today's answer begins with the letter "C."
'Wordle' #1,077, Answer for Friday, May 31 Puzzle
The answer to today's Wordle is "Chaos."
According to Merriam-Webster, "chaos" is defined as a "state of utter confusion," or represents a primordial being "in which chance is supreme." Some fans have even speculated that this might have a connection to recent events involving Donald Trump.
If you've found today's Wordle answer, why not give Connections a go? It's NYT's second-most popular puzzle after Wordle, and we've put together some helpful hints to help you master the new word association game.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines