When New York-based software developer Josh Wardle first created Wordle he surely had no idea he was about to launch a global sensation. Indeed Wardle said he initially only developed the word puzzle “for me and my partner to enjoy.”
However after being released to the public in October 2021 Wordle soon acquired a passionate following across the English-speaking world and was sold to the New York Times in January 2022 for an undisclosed low seven-figure sum.
In an interview with Newsweek Erhan Aslan, an associate professor of applied linguistics at the University of Reading in the U.K., gave some advice for playing Wordle.
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He said: “One thing that I think is important in this game is the starting word chosen. Starting off with words 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. For example, if the second letter of the target word is l (indicated by green) and the player feels that the word starts with a consonant, they will need to know that there are only a few consonant cluster possibilities (such as bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl).”
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’ #697, Clues for Wednesday, May 17
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today’s Wordle puzzle.
Hint #1: The answer only contains one vowel.
Hint #2: There are no repeated letters.
Hint #3: Synonyms for Wednesday’s Wordle include “slab” and “lumber.”
Hint #4: One of the first three letters in the alphabet features.
Hint #5: The third letter is a vowel.
‘Wordle’ #697, Answer for Wednesday, May 17
The answer to today’s Wordle is “Plank.”
With only one vowel that was a tough one, though fortunately it was also a relatively common word which certainly helped. Did you get it? If so, we’re very impressed! But please don’t be put off if not, another Wordle puzzle will be released tomorrow and once again Newsweek will be here with a round of hints and tips.
What Does ‘Plank’ Mean?
The Merriam-Webster University dictionary defines “plank” as: “A heavy thick board.”
For example: “I’m going to use that plank of wood to help build a bookcase.”