Have you seen Facebook or Twitter posts with green, yellow, and gray boxes? These boxes signify the scores of millions of players on Wordle. 

Wordle is a free-to-play word game that has players guessing 5-letter words with the goal to guess the day’s secret word. Similar to the board game Mastermind, Wordle will reveal each letter as green, yellow, or gray, according to its placement within the word. Using this information, players attempt to guess the word.  

The game seems fairly straightforward. But how did it become the internet sensation it is now?

Wordle founder Josh Wardle released Wordle to the public on November 1, 2021. The original 90 players who tested it then, have grown to millions of players today who have incorporated it into their life. 

The once-a-day aspect of Wordle is a truly genius marketing strategy. It allows players to look forward to doing the Wordle everyday, while also ensures players don’t become bored of the game. Because of this daily limit, players go out of their way to complete the day’s Wordle.

Wordle’s popularity is also growing because of the easily accessible social media features  which allow you to share your scores to Facebook friends or Twitter followers. Social media feeds are filled with the distinctive green, yellow, and gray grid, serving as a reminder for people to play Wordle everyday.

I think Wordle is a great puzzle because of the community it creates. Especially at Jefferson, where students constantly strive to succeed, Wordle brings us together because of the competitive and intellectual aspects involved in the strategic placement of letters. And if there is anything we as Jefferson students love, it’s competition and intellectual challenge. These are the two things Wordle brings everyday TJ students and millions of players around the world.

Wordle has become so popular that the New York Times acquired the game for a low seven figures, adding to their selection of games including The Crossword, Spelling Bee, and more.

The rise of Wordle has been remarkable. Since the daily word is the same across all players, it creates a sense of community within Wordle players, all working toward the same goal. Nowadays, it is rare to see something that unites the internet and brings people together, even if it is just a game.