By: Emma Magit— Correspondent

The recently popular game, Wordle, has taken over the internet since it was released in October 2021. The new word game has become the new social media obsession. You have probably seen people on Facebook or Twitter posting about how many moves they needed to guess today’s word.

Created by software engineer and puzzle lover Joshua Wardle, Wordle has become an online sensation since it was first posted for free on Wardle’s website.

The game enables users to share their performance, with rows of five bricks indicating how close they were to guessing the correct word. A green brick indicates that the letter is correct and in the correct location in the word; a yellow brick indicates that the letter appears in the word but in a different place; and a gray or black brick indicates that the letter does not appear anywhere in the word.

SHS senior, Rachel Glass, says that the game is simple yet challenging enough to keep her engaged. “The concept behind Wordle is easy but sometimes it can be hard to figure out the word which I like because it makes me try harder,” said Glass.

SHS freshman, Alexa Geisinger, says she doesn’t like playing the game when she can’t figure out the word. “It bothers me when I can’t figure out the word cause that’s all I think about for the rest of the day,” said Geisinger.

Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Florida, Dr. Matt Baldwin, says that the reason Wordle is so popular is the combination of challenge, meaning, and insight. “The other reason why Wordle is so popular is that it has the perfect combination of challenge, meaning, and insight. The words are common, but not too common. The number of guesses is just right,” said Baldwin.

Amy Magit, a Wordle player, says that the game is stimulating to her brain as she gets older. “I think playing games where you have to think about words and connect letters like this is a good way to keep your brain active,” said Magit.

The New York Times announced on January 31, 2022 that it had bought the hit word puzzle game after it soared to success. 

Wardle told a New York Times reporter that he created the game after his partner got really into the Times’s crosswords and Spelling Bee games during the pandemic. “New York Times Games play a big part in its origins, and so this step feels very natural to me,” said Wardle.

Nerves hit the crowd once the announcement came out that the New York Times would be buying Wordle, but players would need to have a subscription to use the website. However, Wardle has said that the game will still be free to play for everyone once it moves to the New York Times’s website. 

The company said in a statement: “At the time it moves to The New York Times, Wordle will be free to play for new and existing players, and no changes will be made to its gameplay.”