Considering the global sensation it has become, Wordle has remarkably humble origins. The game was first invented by New York-based software developer Josh Wardle who simply wanted a game “for me and my partner to enjoy” during the misery of coronavirus lockdown.
After perfecting his puzzle, Wardle released Wordle to the public in October 2021, after which it quickly developed a loyal following across the English-speaking world, with social media playing a key role in its rapid spread.
Such was Wordle’s popularity that Wardle was able to sell his game to The New York Times for an undisclosed low seven-figure sum in January 2022.
Speaking to Newsweek, Erhan Aslan, an expert in applied linguistics who teaches at the University of Reading in the U.K., offered some advice for Wordle players.
He said: “One thing that I think is important in this game is the starting word chosen. Starting off with words that include commonly used vowels, for example, e and a, consonants such as r and t, and sound sequences might be helpful. Choosing a word that starts with q, z, j, or x, for instance, may not be the best choice.
“As you get more feedback after a few guesses, users need to draw on some knowledge of phonics to narrow down or eliminate some words that they might be thinking. For example, if the second letter of the target word is l (indicated by green) and the player feels that the word starts with a consonant, they will need to know that there are only a few consonant cluster possibilities (such as bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl).”
The answer to today’s puzzle will be revealed at the end of this article, so scroll down with caution if you want to work it out for yourself.
‘Wordle’ #1,071, Clues for Saturday, May 25
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today’s Wordle puzzle.
Hint #1: The answer contains two vowels.
Hint #2: The first and third letters are the same.
Hint #3: Synonyms for today’s Wordle include “behemoth,” “bulk” and “hulk.”
Hint #4: Associated with Greek mythology.
Hint #5: One of the first three letters in the alphabet features.
‘Wordle’ #1,071, Answer for Saturday, May 25
The answer to today’s Wordle puzzle is “titan.”
Well, that was a fun one! A relatively common word, with two of the most frequently used vowels, it may not have been the toughest Wordle puzzle we’ve yet faced but it was still a good brainteaser.
Did you get it? Congratulations if so, but please don’t worry if not. Another Wordle challenge will be released on Sunday and Newsweek will be back with another round of hints and tips.
What Does ‘Titan’ Mean?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘titan’ as “any of a family of giants in Greek mythology born of Uranus and Gaea and ruling the earth until overthrown by the Olympian gods” or “one that is gigantic in size or power: one that stands out for greatness of achievement.”
For example: “Tom Cruise is an undisputed titan of modern American cinema.”
Read the full article here
