Until about a week or so ago, I really wasn't concerned how many five-letter words there were in the English language. As it turns out, the number varies widely.
The Free Dictionary lists more than 158,000 words with five letters. The the Official Scrabble Dictionary (which allows some pretty obscure five-letter words), puts the number at about 9,000.
But if some reasonable people come up with some commonly used five-letter words –piano, ouija, knoll, to mention a few –the list will be around 2,500. And at one word a day, that list will last a little shy of seven years.
Five-letter words? One a day? By now you know the topic of today's missive: Wordle, a guess-the-word online game. It's simple and addictive. And the beauty of it is there's only one game a day –the same word for all players. Solve one, wait until midnight for a new game.
It starts with five empty blocks across –one for each letter –stacked six rows deep, one row for each guess. Guess the first word. If it's the right letter in the right place, it will show up green. If it's the right letter, but the wrong location in the word, it will be yellow. If the letter isn't in the word, it will show up in black. A keyboard-like arraignment of 26 letters shows letters guessed and those remaining.
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Wordle is free. There are no pop-up ads. No upgrades to buy. There is no app. The is no download. There is nothing to register. There are no "in-app purchases." It is available only on a website:https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle.
It was developed by Josh Wardle, Brooklyn-based software engineer. His partner liked word games, so he created a guess-the-word game just for her. It being about words, and his last name being Wardle, he made its name a play on his.
It went online around Nov. 1, with 90 players. At the start of this month, there were 300,000 people playing it. The increase continues to be rocket-like.
He believes the game's simplicity is part of its popularity. "I think people kind of appreciate that there’s this thing online that’s just fun," he told The New York Times a few weeks ago. "It’s not trying to do anything shady with your data or your eyeballs. It’s just a game that’s fun.”
And while he's had some success with games in the past, he attributes the popularity of Wordle to limiting it to one word a day. It prohibits binging, which can lead to burn out.
The game keeps statistics on how many times you've played it, percentage won, and how many times you took one, two, three, four, five or six tries to solve the word. Those results can be shared with friends.
It's not just guessing word after word, of course. One major tip: Start with a five-letter word containing three or more vowels: Piano and audio, for instance. Another tip: Use the keyboard below the layout to keep track of which letters have been used. There's no sense in repeating a letter that's not in the target word.
Wordle, said Wardle, "is something that encourages you to spend three minutes a day. And that’s it. Like, it doesn’t want any more of your time than that."
Sometimes, however, it'll take several times more.
Wrong address for writing tablet
A recap of 2021's favorite columns had an incorrect web address for the Blackboard Writing Tablet. Information on the tablet can be found atwww.myboogieboard.com. It is also available for purchase there as well. In addition, it is available from Amazon and possibly big-box stores in the area.
Lonnie Brown can be reached at LedgerDatabase@aol.com.
I'm an enthusiast with a deep understanding of linguistics and language-related games, including an expert level of knowledge in the realm of word games. I've explored various online word games, delving into their mechanics, popularity, and the psychology behind their appeal. My expertise extends to linguistic databases, dictionaries, and linguistic patterns found in games like Wordle.
The article you provided discusses the Wordle game, an online word-guessing game that has gained popularity for its simplicity and addictive nature. Let's break down the concepts mentioned in the article:
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Variety of Five-Letter Words: The article touches on the diversity of five-letter words in the English language, citing different sources such as The Free Dictionary and the Official Scrabble Dictionary. The variation in the number of five-letter words adds an interesting dimension to the discussion about language and word games.
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Wordle Game Mechanics: The core of the article revolves around Wordle, describing its gameplay and structure. The game involves guessing a five-letter word, with feedback provided for each guess. The feedback includes color-coding for correct letters in the right position (green), correct letters in the wrong position (yellow), and incorrect letters (black). The article also mentions the arrangement of the game interface with five empty blocks across and six rows for guesses.
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Wordle's Popularity and Development: The article introduces Josh Wardle, a Brooklyn-based software engineer, as the developer of Wordle. It discusses how the game originated as a personalized gift for his partner, eventually going online on November 1. The simplicity of Wordle, its restriction to one game per day, and the absence of ads or in-app purchases contribute to its popularity.
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Game Statistics and Tips: Wordle keeps track of players' statistics, including the number of games played, percentage won, and the attempts taken to solve the word. The article provides gameplay tips, such as starting with five-letter words containing three or more vowels and using the keyboard below the layout to track used letters.
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Accessibility and Availability: Wordle's accessibility is highlighted – it's a free game available on a website (), with no need for downloads, apps, or registrations. This adds to the game's appeal, emphasizing its straightforward and user-friendly nature.
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Creator's Perspective: The article includes quotes from Josh Wardle, the creator of Wordle, explaining the game's success. He attributes its popularity to the daily limit of one word, preventing burnout and encouraging users to spend a short, enjoyable time playing.
In summary, Wordle's unique features, gameplay mechanics, and the creator's insights contribute to its widespread appeal, making it a fascinating subject for enthusiasts and linguists alike.
