Unraveling The Popularity Of Wordle: The Game That Captivated Millions

It's finally the weekend but that doesn't mean your Wordle winning streak has to end. This simple yet addictive game has taken the world by storm since its launch. With its straightforward mechanics and engaging gameplay, Wordle offers a delightful challenge to players of all ages. Every day brings a new five-letter word to guess, and the excitement of solving it creates a community bond among players.

The popular brainteaser was invented by Josh Wardle, a Welsh-born software engineer based in New York City. He perfected Wordle during the COVID-19 lockdowns before releasing it to the public in October 2021. Following its public debut, Wordle exploded from 90 users on November 1, 2021, to 300,000 on January 2, 2022, according to figures by Statista. The New York Times purchased it for an undisclosed seven-figure fee, soon after making it the publication's most popular game.

Its success is partly because of its straightforward premise. Players have six chances to guess a five-letter word, and with each attempt, they receive clues that help narrow down the correct answer. After each guess, the game provides feedback by changing the color of letter tiles: green indicates that a letter is both correct and in the right position; yellow means the letter is in the word, but in the wrong position; and gray shows that the letter isn't in the word at all.

Another key aspect that has contributed to Wordle's popularity is its accessibility. The game is web-based, requires no downloads, and is entirely free to play. If you can't get enough of Wordle, The New York Times now allows subscribers access to more than 1,000 past puzzles from the official Wordle archive on the web and in the NYT Games app.

"We are thrilled to unlock the official Wordle archive for our subscribers," Jonathan Knight, head of games at The New York Times, said in May. "This expansion is not just about playing past puzzles; it's about deepening the connection our community has with Wordle and with each other."

'Wordle' #1,183, Clues for Saturday, September 14

Newsweek has put together five hints to help you figure out today's Wordle puzzle:

• Hint #1: Today's answer is an adjective, adverb, and noun.
• Hint #2: The word has only one syllable.
• Hint #3: There are no repeated letters.
• Hint #4: Today's answer contains two vowels.
• Hint #5: Synonyms include "wide" and "comprehensive."

'Wordle' #1,183, Answer for Saturday, September 14

Today's Wordle answer is "broad."

According to Merriam-Webster, the adjective is defined as "having ample extent from side to side or between limits," and the adverb is defined as "in a broad manner." The noun definition is "woman."

Wordle updates every day at midnight in your local time zone, and the next puzzle becomes available at that time. Newsweek will be back with another round of hints and tips for each new game.

Players who would like something to keep themselves busy while they wait can have a go at other word-based puzzles such as Typochondria and Spellspire.