Wordle, the viral word game invented by New York-based software engineer Josh Wardle, shows few signs of losing its extraordinary popularity, well over a year after it was first released to the public in October 2021.
Each day the player is tasked with working out a new five-letter word, in six attempts or fewer. After each guess the letters change color, indicating how accurate you were, and you know you've got the right answer when they all go green.
Speaking to Newsweek in January 2022, Wardle explained why he settled on five-letter words for his puzzle.
He said: "There is a reason that every word is five letters long and that you are allowed six attempts to guess it. That might seem arbitrary but, with the prototype version, I tested different word lengths and experimented with the number of tries that players were allowed.
"Through that process of refinement, I figured out that five letters and six tries was the ideal sweet spot. It's just limited enough to feel challenging and to make you think, but most of the time people still manage to solve it. So, you feel a real sense of real accomplishment."
Later that month Wardle sold Wordle to the New York Times for an unspecified low seven-figure sum.
Joel C. Wallenberg, a senior lecturer in language change at the University of York in the U.K., told Newsweek Wordle's popularity reflects an inherent human fascination with language.
He said: "Language games poke at how conscious (or unconscious) we are of our own linguistic processes, and maybe give us a little more insight into them than we had before. That might be one reason why humans, maybe universally, have always invented and enjoyed language games!"
The answer to today's puzzle will be revealed at the end of this article, so scroll down with caution if you want to work it out for yourself.
'Wordle' #676, Clues for Wednesday, April 26
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today's Wordle puzzle.
Hint #1: The answer contains two vowels.
Hint #2: There are no repeated letters.
Hint #3: Used for transport.
Hint #4: Usually found in cities.
Hint #5: The fifth letter is a vowel.
'Wordle' #676, Answer for Wednesday, April 26
The answer to today's Wordle is "metro."
Did you get it? A relatively common word, with two vowels, this may not have been the most difficult Wordle puzzle but it was still good fun. Please don't be put off if you struggled though, one of the best things about Wordle is seeing if you can improve your performance over time, and Newsweek will of course be back tomorrow with more hints and tips.
What Does 'Metro' Mean?
The Cambridge University Dictionary defines "metro" as: "An underground electric railway system in some cities."
For example: "Let's use the metro."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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