Gratifying and highly addictive, Wordle has attracted the attention of thousands in less than three months.  Once a day, players get six chances to determine the hidden word, which has five letters.  The game tells you whether any of your letters are in the word or the correct place, using gratifying green squares and occasional yellow ones to nudge players in the right direction.  As the number of tries ticks down, the excitement and rush increase.  The goal of the game is to decipher the word with the fewest guesses.  You might be wondering, what makes this ordinary game so sensational?  

The popular puzzle is known for its simple interface.  Wordle is void of flashing ads, shining banners, and window pop-ups.  While desperate apps have to send notifications to individuals, Wordle is not looking for a serious relationship. 

Or maybe the rising success of Wordle has to do with the one game per day limit. With highly accessible and binge-worthy media constantly knocking on our door, the 24-hour wait feels highly refreshing. When asked what the secret ingredient is to the compelling Wordle, Aidan Panian said, “Something about only having six tries to get it right, and only one try a day, makes the game much more fun.” 

The game encourages heavy competition.  Players can copy and paste their results, sending them to friends via social media and text.  The message appears with little green, gray, and yellow box emojis so that users can communicate their scores without spoiling the word.    

With the Super Bowl approaching, individuals across the country are getting ready to prepare nachos and pigs in a blanket with their family, invite friends over, and all sit by the television for the big game.  Keeping the image of the Super Bowl in your head, now picture… Wordle.  Players support other players, while still keeping their competitive energy intact.  Wordle brings family and friends together; however, instead of once a year, you can enjoy the good spirits of people around you every day.  

Jane Mathews ‘23 said, “At the beginning of every English class, we would do Wordle as a group.  It was a really fun activity, and it was so interesting to see the way people thought and what words they went to first.”

Wordle functions as an escape from the day-to-day fatigue of work, where individuals of all age ranges and skill levels can play and talk together.  Dusted with a sprinkling of competition, you won’t want to stop playing the relaxing and entertaining game.