When Josh Wardle first developed WordDuring the coronavirus 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 Great Britain, offered some tips Word players.
Aslan 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.
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“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 puzzle will be revealed at the end of this article, so scroll down carefully if you want to find out for yourself.
Word #1,240, Directions for Sunday, November 10
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve Sundays Word brainteaser.
Tip #1: The second and third letters are the same.
Tip #2: There are two vowels.
Tip #3: Synonyms for Sunday Word include ‘close’, ‘internal’ and ‘intimate’.
Tip #4: The fourth letter is a vowel.
Tip #5: None of the first three letters of the alphabet are present.
Word #1,240, Reply by Sunday, November 10
The answer on Sunday Word puzzle is ‘internal’.
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 Monday Newsweek will be back with another round of hints and tips.
What does ‘inner’ mean?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘internal’ as ‘within or contained in something else’.
For example: “Off the main hall are a series of small interior rooms.”
