Wordle game gets some new rules and an NYT editor
Remember Wordle, one of the most-played online word games during the pandemic? It was acquired by The New York Times (NYT) in January from its original creator Josh Wardle for around $1 million. NYT has now assigned a dedicated editor for the game and has made a few changes to the gaming rules in order to make it better (read tougher).
Why does this story matter?
It is hard to believe that around a year ago, the popular puzzle app had less than 90 players each day. As more people got excited about the new features and uniqueness of the game, its user base has now grown to millions. NYT is now bringing some changes to offer an improved gaming experience.
The daily word puzzle will now be decided by NYT
Tracy Bennett, who joined NYT as an associate puzzle editor in 2020, has been appointed as the editor of Wordle. The most important change is that the daily word puzzle will now come from a list that has been put together by the NYT, as opposed to being dictated by the list compiled by the original creator.
There are some interesting changes in the word list
The list will not include plural three or four letter words that end in "ES" or "S." "The answer will never be FOXES or SPOTS, but it might be GEESE or FUNGI," said NYT. "FOXES or SPOTS can be used as a guess word to help narrow down the answer, but FOXES or SPOTS will not be the answer."
Gameplay will remain unchanged
"Wordle's gameplay will stay the same, and answers will be drawn from the same basic dictionary of answer words, with some editorial adjustments to ensure that the game stays focused on vocabulary that's fun, accessible, lively, and varied," said NYT.
Do you want to start playing the game?
If you want to play Wordle, first you will have to create a free New York Times account. Once that's done, you will get a five-letter puzzle every day. You get only six chances to crack the code. It can be played for free online or via the app. However, you will have to wait until the next day to get a new puzzle.
