Can Wordle Be Plural? And Other Wordle FAQ

Because the New York Times mobile game became a global trend in 2022 doesn’t mean it has lost any of its playership. There are still over 300,000 players a day of all age groups — 90% of students have heard of the game, and those who have are relatively likely to commit to completing the puzzle daily. Even for veteran players, there are some unknowns. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions surrounding the world’s top word puzzle game.

Who Invented Wordle?

In October 2021, Josh Wardle created Wordle, the name as a fun play on words to his last name. He is a Welsh engineer who designed games previously, including one entitled Mastermind which inspired the basis for Wordle, and his partner’s love of word games like Spelling Bee. In January 2022, the New York Times bought the game due to its pandemic popularity, keeping it free-to-play for all the world’s wordsmiths.

How Does Wordle Make Money?

Most players have noticed a remarkable aspect of the game — there are no ads. This makes many wonder how the game is profitable if it’s free and there are no banner ads bombarding gamers. Since its acquisition from Wardle, it has made no money from the game alone. Wardle sold the game to the New York Times after countless copies of the game disenchanted him. He wanted to stop hiring lawyers to contain plagiarized versions of the game, so he decided to accept the sale.

However, the game has brought many new subscribers to the New York Times even though players can experience it without having an account. In this regard, the Times is making millions.

Has Wordle Reused Words?

At this point, Wordle has not reused any words. One player named Owen Yin discovered the script that lists every Wordle answer — past, present and future. There are 2,315 five-letter words in English, meaning if the game does not make any modifications, it will end in 2027.

Can Wordle Be Plural?

As of October 17th, 2022, the Wordle has never been a plural English word ending in an S. However, nothing stops it from being so — unless you get spoiled by looking at the supposed list of answers. Some believe it could be plural one day, as it has not been explicitly stated that this is out of possibility.

Is Wordle Getting Harder?

The words may have become more challenging based on an average number of guesses in 2022. In February 2022, the Wordle was guessed with an average of 3.72 guesses, whereas in July 2022, it was 4.17 guesses. With words with multiple letters throwing players for a loop, like the July 6th word “fluff” and lesser known words like July 24th’s “tryst,” it’s possible difficulty may ramp to keep players’ interests.

How Does Wordle Pick Words?

Since Owen Yin’s discovery of every answer, it proved the answers are predetermined instead of picked fresh every day. Simple decoding of its algorithm revealed every player could use their cheat sheet to get that coveted first-try guess every day until the game’s end if they wanted to.

Can Wordle Have Duplicate Letters?

The short answer is yes. It can have duplicate letters and double letters. Some examples of previous guesses have been “bleed” and “natal.”

Can Wordle Be a Proper Noun or Name?

The list of 2,315 words does not include any proper nouns or names. However, some words in English can be both regular and proper nouns, and these are not off the table — keep them in mind.

Is Wordle Good for Your Brain?

Most mind games, including crossword puzzles and Sudoku, provide mental benefits to players — and Wordle is no different. 

Brain teasers force individuals to focus parts of their brain they wouldn’t typically on tasks run on autopilot, such as making a cup of coffee. 

It allows the mind to stretch in ways it wouldn’t work outside a traditional classroom setting. Consistency matters most, though, as long-term benefits will only matter if players continually exercise their brains in this way.

Are You a Wordle Genius?

Whether you’re casually playing or have never heard of the game, Wordle has brought joy to many players worldwide with its simplicity and engagement. Commiserate over not getting the word for the day because you don’t even know what it means, or give a round of applause for getting it in three tries. Either way, Wordle will influence word games in the future.