The New York Times on Monday announced its acquisition of the cultural phenomenon that is daily word game Wordle.
The wildly popular puzzle game, in which players attempt to guess a five-letter word in six attempts, was purchased for an undisclosed sum “in the low seven figures,” the Times said.
Brooklyn-based software engineer Josh Wardle released the one-play-per-day title in October 2021 to an early audience of about 90. Less than four months later, the game boasts millions of regular players.
“It has been incredible to watch a game bring so much joy to so many, and I feel so grateful for the personal stories some of you have shared with me,” Wardle said in a Monday tweet. “From Wordle uniting distant family members, to provoking friendly rivalries, to supporting medical recoveries.”
The puzzle, Wardle added, will remain free to play for everyone; he is working with the NYT to ensure wins and streaks are preserved in the move. The New York Times Games platform—which includes The Mini crossword, Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, Tiles, and Vertex—reached 1 million subscriptions in December.
“If you’ve followed along with the story of Wordle,” Wardle said, “you’ll know that NYT games play a big part in its origins and so this step feels very natural to me.”
The love child of Jotto and Mastermind, Wordle confirms which letter guesses are correct and, more importantly, in the correct position using yellow and green tiles, respectively. Even those who don’t play are likely familiar with the grey, yellow, and green grids filling up social media timelines. A number of clones and variations have appeared on browsers across the world.
“If you’re like me, you probably wake up every morning thinking about Wordle, and savoring those precious moments of discovery, surprise, and accomplishments,” Jonathan Knight, general manager for The New York Times Games platform, said in a statement. “The game has done what so few games have done: It has captured our collective imagination, and brought us all a little closer together.”
