Considering the global sensation it has become, Wordle, the word-based game, has remarkably humble origins. The puzzle was developed during the COVID lockdown by Josh Wardle, a software engineer based in New York, who simply wanted a game “that me and my partner can enjoy.”
Wardle released Wordle to the general public in October 2021, and it quickly developed a devoted following in the English-speaking world. Some particularly hardcore fans shared their results and compared strategies on social media every day.
In January 2022, Wardle sold Wordle The New York Times for an undisclosed seven-figure sum, although the game remained free-to-play.
Speak with NewsweekErhan Aslan, a linguist who teaches at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, offered some tips for Wordle players.
He said: “One thing I think is important in this game is the chosen starting word. Starting with words that contain common vowels, for example e and a, consonants such as r and t, and sound sequences can be helpful. For example, choosing a word that starts with q, z, j, or x may not be the best choice.
“As you get more feedback after a few guesses, users should use some knowledge of phonetics to narrow down or eliminate some words they might be thinking. For example, if the second letter of the target word is l (indicated by green) and the player senses that the word begins with a consonant, he will have to know that only a few consonant clusters are possible (such as bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl).”
The answer to Sunday’s Wordle puzzle will be revealed at the end of this article, so scroll carefully down if you want to find out for yourself.
‘Wordle’ #1,282, Directions for Sunday, December 22
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today’s Wordle brainteaser.
Tip #1: There is only one vowel.
Tip #2: There are no repeated letters.
Tip #3: Associated with strength.
Tip #4: There is no ‘I’ in a team. The same goes for Sunday’s Wordle puzzle.
Tip #5: Often combined with brains.
‘Wordle’ #1,282, Reply for Sunday, December 22
The answer to today’s Wordle puzzle is ‘power’.
Well, that was a tough one! A relatively uncommon word, containing only one vowel. Sunday’s puzzle could have confused even experienced Wordle players. Have you discovered it? If so, congratulations, but if not, don’t worry. Another Wordle puzzle will appear on Monday and Monday Newsweek will be back with another round of hints and tips.
What does ‘Brawn’ mean?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “strength” as “completely strong muscles” or “muscle power.”
For example: “I’m going to ask my brother this weekend to come and help with the car, he has a lot more muscle than me.