Announced yesterday, Wordle finally has a dedicated editor, just like The New York Times crossword puzzles and Spelling Bee. Wordle welcomes Tracy Bennett, an associated puzzle editor at The Times, as its official editor.
So, what does this mean for the everyday Wordle player? According to The Times, Wordle “will have a Times-curated word list and will be programmed and tested like the Spelling Bee and the Crossword.” The change means an editorial process will ensure the game remains fun and varied. There are a few changes to Wordle’s curated list of words, guesses, and answers that may interest players.
As for specific changes of note, many plural words have been removed from the potential answers list, but these words can still be used as guesses. Answers will continue to be five-letter words that fit the criteria, except plural forms of three- or four-letter words ending in ES or S, like “SPOTS,” for example.
Expletives are also now considered valid guesses. In the early days of Wordle, expletives were fair game, but this ended after the acquisition, only to return yesterday. It’s unlikely any “bad words” will ever be seen as answers, considering that The Times makes all their games family-friendly, but players can still feel free to use these as guesses.
The dictionary of valid guesses is much larger than before and allows for more variety in figuring out the answer. Arriving at the mystery five-letter word of the day could get much more interesting now.
Wordle’s success has spawned hundreds of clones, some low-effort, others going on to become hits in their own niche, like Heardle. You can check out our list of games similar to Wordle if you’re looking for a new word game to try.
Check out our word games section for daily answers and more word game coverage. Wordle is free to play at The New York Times website.
