When New York software developer Josh Wardle first invented Wordle during the coronavirus lockdown he surely had no idea he was about to launch a global sensation. The game quickly developed a loyal following across the English-speaking world following its October 2021 release to the public and in January 2022 was purchased by the New York Times for a low seven-figure sum.
The rules of Wordle are simple, without doubt helping to explain its appeal. Each day the player has to work out a new five-letter word, in six attempts or less. After each guess, the letters light up, letting the player know how accurate they were. If a letter goes green it is both in the word and in the position it was placed. Yellow means the letter features, but not where you put it, whilst gray tells you it isn’t included at all.
speaking to Newsweek in January 2022 Wardle explained how he settled on five-letter words.
He said: “There is a reason that every word is 5 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.
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“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.”
Erhan Aslan, associate professor of applied linguistics at the University of Reading in the UK, told Newsweek social media was key to Wordle’s viral spread.
He commented: “I think that Wordle gains its popularity not only from its simple rules but also from its virality on social media platforms as a result of people sharing/posting their scores to demonstrate a sense of accomplishment and validation.”
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’ #658, Clues for Saturday, April 8
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today’s Wordle puzzle.
Hint #1: The second and fifth letters are the same.
Hint #2: Saturday’s Wordle contains two vowels.
Hint #3: Synonyms for today’s answer include “berm,” “ridge” and “rim.”
Hint #4: You can put things on it.
Hint #5: None of the first three letters in the alphabet feature.
‘Wordle’ #658 Answer for Saturday, April 8
The answer to today’s Wordle is “Ledge.”
Did you get it? Figuring out the double ‘e’ early on would have given you a big advantage, as they are the only vowels in the word. Overall not the hardest Wordle puzzle we’ve yet faced, but certainly a fun brainteaser! We hope to see you again tomorrow when Newsweek will be back with another round of Wordle hints and tips.
What Does ‘Ledge’ Mean?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “ledge” as: “A raised or projecting edge or molding intended to protect or check.”
For example: “He put the bottle on the window ledge.”
