When Josh Wardle first developed WordDuring the COVID-19 lockdown, the New York-based software engineer certainly had no idea he was about to launch a global sensation. Indeed, his original goal was remarkably modest: Wardle simply wanted to make a game “that me and my partner can enjoy”.
In October 2021, Wardle was released Word for the general public. The game quickly developed a devoted following around the world, with some players taking to social media every day to share tips and their results. The popularity of the game was so great that it was purchased in January 2022 by The New York Times for an undisclosed low seven-figure sum, although it remained free to play.
During an interview with NewsweekErhan Aslan, who teaches linguistics at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, offered some tips Word players.
“One thing I think is important in this game is the starting word chosen. Starting with words that contain common vowels, for example e and a, consonants such as r and t, and sound sequences can be helpful. Choosing a word that starts, for example with q, z, j or x may not be the best choice,” Aslan said.
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He continued: “As you get more feedback after a few guesses, users should use some knowledge of phonetics to narrow down or eliminate some words they may be thinking. For example, if the second letter of the target word is l (denoted by green) and the player senses that the word starts with a consonant, then they will need to know that only a few consonant clusters are possible (such as bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl).”
The answer to Sunday’s puzzle will be revealed at the end of this article, so scroll down carefully if you want to find out for yourself.
‘Wordle’ #1,247, Directions for Sunday, November 17
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today’s problems Word brainteaser.
Tip #1: The third and fourth letters are the same.
Tip #2: The answer starts with a common consonant.
Tip #3: Synonyms for Sunday Word include ‘poll’ and ‘total’.
Tip #4: The second letter is a vowel.
Tip #5: Associated with counting.
‘Wordle’ #1,247, Reply for Sunday, November 17
The answer to today’s question Word puzzle is “counting”.
Well, that was a fun one! Did you get it? If so, congratulations, but don’t be put off if it isn’t. One of the most fun parts is seeing if you can improve your results over time.
A new puzzle will be released on Monday, and Newsweek will be back with another round of hints and tips.
What does ‘Tally’ mean?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “count” as “a recorded statement or account (from items or charges).”
For example: “Have a daily count of accidents.”
