Wordles

Wordles is a term that can refer to Wordle-inspired word guessing games or to multiple instances of the original Wordle puzzle. The original Wordle was created by software engineer Josh Wardle and released to the public in 2021. It gained widespread popularity in 2021 and 2022, and was acquired by The New York Times in 2022. Since then, Wordles can denote the official daily Wordle and the broader family of clones and variants that imitate its mechanics.

In the standard Wordles, players try to guess a hidden five-letter word within six attempts. After each guess, tiles provide feedback: green indicates a correct letter in the correct position, yellow signals a correct letter in the word but in the wrong position, and gray means the letter is not in the word. The feedback helps players refine subsequent guesses. Some variants alter the length of the target word or the number of allowed guesses.

Wordles include a range of related games and clones, such as puzzles that require solving multiple words at once, or versions that use four-, six-, or other lengths of words. The term is also used to describe the broader ecosystem of daily or regularly updated word-guessing challenges that share the same basic rule set.

Accessibility and cultural impact are notable features: Wordles are typically playable in web browsers and on mobile devices, emphasize short, daily sessions, and often use shareable result formats that resemble emoji-style tile patterns.