Adieu. Audio. Bacon. Sneak.  There’s a starter word for every Wordle player. Wordle was created in late 2021 by Josh Wardle, a software engineer who previously worked for Reddit, and has since become a worldwide phenomenon with three million current players. In the game Wordle, a player has six attempts to guess a five-letter word. Hit enter and the letters will flip and change colors. Green means that the right letter is in the right place, yellow means that it’s the right letter in the wrong place, and gray means that the letter isn’t in the word at all. 

The game has a new word to guess every day and people of all ages have started to make Wordle a part of their daily routines. Many players share starter words that help others start on the right track, with “adieu” and “audio” being the top recommendations found online. People have taken to sharing their results on social media and many news sites now feature a daily Wordle hint for players who just can’t figure out that day’s word.

Wordle has taken on many forms since its inception. One variation of interest is Taylordle, which uses words inspired by singer/songwriter Taylor Swift. Other forms that have become popular include Dordle, where you have to guess two words, and Quordle, where you have to solve four Wordles at once. 

Its variation and widespread prevalence have helped Wordle make its way to State High, and it has proven to be very popular among State High students.

“The fact that it’s free is really helpful,” junior Avery Jones said. Jones also believes that it’s popular because it’s fun and quick, adding, “It’s challenging enough that it’s still enjoyable, but it’s something that you can normally complete in a day.” Many people feel that Wordle can be a fun challenge while also being very simple. “It’s a great balance,” Jones remarked.

Students have definitely taken notice of how quickly the game became popular with their peers.

“I feel like it just popped up all of a sudden,” junior Eden Singh said. “It’s just gotten very, very, popular.”

Students aren’t the only ones getting in on the fun. State High social studies teacher Trevor Dietz similarly enjoys the challenge Wordle provides for its players.

“It is a challenging game, but it’s not too challenging,” Dietz said. “Anybody can do it, but it takes some skills.”

Over the past few months, the game has created its own community on social media that continues to rapidly grow. People have been brought together by Wordle and the positive community that comes with it, where players encourage each other and keep the word of the day under wraps for those who have yet to figure it out. Watching the letters fall into place gives people a sense of pride and brings them together, so if you’re ever looking for a new way to pass the time, give Wordle a try and ask around for new starter words.