Drat: the NY Times has purchased Wordle
Until a few days ago I’d never heard of Wordle. That shows you how far out of the loop I am, because it’s been popular online for a few months now.
A friend mentioned it to me a few days ago, and I tried it and liked it. One of its advantages is that you can only play one time a day, so that acts as a built-in check against obsessive time-wasting with the game.
But no sooner had I started than the Times seems intent to ruin things [emphasis added]:
The game was purchased by The New York Times Company in January 2022 for an undisclosed seven-figure sum, with plans to initially keep it free for all players.
How long will that initial period last? I have no intention of paying to subscribe to the Times in order to play Wordle.
However, I realized the very first time I played that this was just an internet and solitary version of an old old favorite of mine called Jotto. I played it as a child, and it is just about exactly the same except of course no computers were involved, and it was interactive with at least two people playing against each other.
And I think that difference is emblematic of the social and entertainment changes we’ve undergone since the 1950s, when Jotto first started and when I first began to play it. I probably stopped playing it in the early 60s, but I seem to recall that when my son was young we used to make up our own Jotto sheets and play it together as a family.
I had forgotten about Jotto until Wordle came along. But it was a fun game. If you played it for years, as I did, it will also help you with Wordle.
Speaking of which, here’s a method that supposedly would help you play Wordle even without accessing the Times.
While it lasts, there’s a clone at Wordleunlimited.com.
For those who came late to the party, there’s a Wordle archive at
https://www.devangthakkar.com/wordle_archive.
https://wordlegame.org
Another unlimited version–play as many times as you like, and yes, I waste a lot of time playing.
I wish I’d scrolled down to see the keyboard that showed consumed letters. 🙂
What a great game. Thanks for the links.
Cute! I guess I needed a word game in my collection.
Why did the NYT bother to buy it out? The old crossword losing its luster or something? Couldn’t scrape together enough creatives on staff to come up with something original any more? Feh. Of course they’re going to start charging for it; how can they not? Do they think it’s going to be that much of a draw as a loss-leader?
I should take a moment to praise the elegance of the color use scheme.
Of course they’re going to start charging for it; how can they not? Do they think it’s going to be that much of a draw as a loss-leader?
Deep down they know that few people subscribe for the quality of the reporting. We unfortunately subscribe (at the insistence of my wife), but the only thing I look at are the Sunday puzzles. I know I’m not the only one.
In any case, not to brag, but I tried Wordle once and got the word on my third guess (despite misreading the instructions and mixing up what the colors meant after the first guess). So I’ll quit while I’m ahead.
I also remember playing Jotto as a kid, with those pads and pencils. I no longer remember the rules, though my recollection is you only got told when a letter in your word matched both the letter and the position in the hidden word.
I’m in the control group
https://xkcd.com/2576/
Another wordle archive: https://metzger.media/games/wordle-archive/?levels=select
We keep reading that the NY Times and the MSM media in general are losing customers (e.g. revenue), yet somehow, like the EverReady Battery bunny (chipmunk?), they never go out of business.
They don’t even bother trying to modify how they operate in an effort to attract / maintain their customers.
Now the NY Times has the $$$$ to buy whatever it is they just bought. Companies on the straits can’t afford to do stuff like this.
Something does not make any sense.
Ed Bonderenka: I’m going to use that excuse for everything!
Here is a link to a six letter version: https://metzger.media/games/wordle-archive/?random=play&letters=6
Surprisingly, I’ve found it easier than the 4, but I’ve had pretty good luck with the 4 also.
The link Chris gave above allows you to choose how many letters.
I just wonder where they got the money to buy it. I guess Carlos Slim opened his wallet again.
Thanks for the heads up, Ed. That is interesting! And, thanks for the link, Chris!
(Solved today’s in 5 steps, by the way.)
Just tried the max on Chris’ link, 11 letters. Solved it in 4 tries. The hardest part was thinking of four, different 11 letter words to guess!
@ Ed B > “I’m in the control group https://xkcd.com/2576/”
I didn’t really need another rabbit hole today….
Had to think about this one for a second or two.
https://xkcd.com/2562/
No, I’m in the control group.
AesopFan:
Oh, I’m stealing that.
https://wordlegame.org
That one also has a “Give Up” button. Do not click it; your self-esteem will drop when you see how easy it would have been to guess the word.
I believe you can subscribe on the cheap for just their games, including the crossword for $10 a year.
deadrody:
It’s not really the cost of a subscription that’s the obstacle. It’s the idea of supporting them financially.