Wordle is sold to The New York Times; game will remain free to play “initially”

Wordle, which gives players six chances to guess a five-letter word using strategy and vocabulary skills, had 90 players on November 1st, rising to 300,000 by the middle of January, and now millions play the game daily. The game’s popularity took off when a feature was added that allows players to share with friends, family, and other players, how many tries it took them to guess the right word with that day’s edition of the game.

To play, use the Google search app and type in Wordle; click on the link that pops up. To start the game, type in a five-letter word and press enter. A letter that has a green background is the correct letter in the correct spot. A letter with a yellow background is part of the word but is in the wrong spot. And a letter with a grayed-out background is not in the word.

In a statement, the newspaper wrote, “The Times remains focused on becoming the essential subscription for every English-speaking person seeking to understand and engage with the world. New York Times Games are a key part of that strategy.”