Wordle Review No. 1,382

Wordle's journey from a personal project to an international phenomenon highlights its simple appeal. Thousands play daily, and its success spawned numerous variations like `Squabble`, `Heardle`, `Dordle`, and `Quordle`. The New York Times' acquisition solidified its place in popular culture, even making its way onto TikTok livestreams.

Players appreciate the daily challenge and the community built around sharing results and strategies. Tools like the NYT's 'Wordle Bot' offer analysis of guessing patterns.

The word 'SHEAR', the answer for #1384, traces back to Old English *scieran* ('to cut, cleave'), stemming from the Proto-Indo-European root *sker-* ('to cut or split'). Understanding word origins isn't necessary to play, but adds an interesting layer for language lovers.

Where did Wordle come from?

It was created by software engineer Josh Wardle for his partner and later acquired by The New York Times.

What's a good Wordle starting word?

While personal preference matters, strategic choices often include words with 2-3 vowels and common consonants like R, S, T, L, N, E.

Is Wordle getting harder?

The New York Times states the difficulty hasn't officially increased, though individual perception may vary. A 'Hard Mode' is available for an extra challenge.

Did you guess the recent Wordle answers like BOOTY or SHEAR? What are your go-to starting words? Let us know your strategies in the comments!

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