Considering the global sensation it has become, Wordle has remarkably humble origins, having first been invented during coronavirus lockdown by New York based software engineer Josh Wardle who simply wanted a game “for me and my partner to enjoy.”
Wardle released his game to the public in October 2021, after which it quickly went viral across the English speaking world, with some players taking to social media each day to share their results and discuss tactics. In January 2022, Wardle sold Wordle to The New York Times for an undisclosed low seven-figure sum, though the puzzle remains free to play.
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Erhan Aslan, an expert in applied linguistics who teaches at the University of Reading in the U.K., provided some tips for Wordle players in an interview with Newsweek.
He said: “One thing that I think is important in this game is the starting letter chosen. Starting off with letters that include commonly used vowels, for example, e and a, consonants such as r and t, and sound sequences might be helpful.
“Choosing a word that starts with q, z, j, or x, for instance, may not be the best choice. As you get more feedback after a few guesses, users need to draw on some knowledge of phonics to narrow down or eliminate some words that they might be thinking.”
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’ #810, Clues for Thursday, September 7
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today’s Wordle puzzle.
Hint #1: There is only one vowel.
Hint #2: The fourth and fifth letters are the same.
Hint #3: Synonyms for Thursday’s Wordle include “inhabit,” “squat” and “hole up.”
Hint #4: None of the first three letters in the alphabet feature.
Hint #5: There is no “I” in team. The same applies to Thursday’s Wordle puzzle.
‘Wordle’ #810, Answer for Thursday, September 7
The answer to today’s Wordle puzzle is “dwell.”
Did you get it? With only one vowel, Thursday’s Wordle challenge was a tough one, though the double letter is likely to have helped some players. If you did figure it out congratulations, but please don’t be disheartened if not. One of the best things about Wordle is seeing if you can improve your result over time, and Newsweek will be back with another round of hints and tips on Friday.
What Does ‘Dwell’ Mean?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “dwell” as “to remain for a time.”
For example: “To dwell in the hallway.”