It’s been over 18 months since Josh Wardle, a New York based software engineer, first released Wordle to the public, yet the game shows few signs of losing its extraordinary popularity.
Wardle originally invented Wordle during coronavirus lockdown “for me and my partner to enjoy.”
The game was made publicly available in October 2021, after which it quickly developed into a global sensation with a dedicated fan base across the world.
Brandon Bell/GETTY
In an interview with Newsweek, Erhan Aslan, associate professor of applied linguistics at the University of Reading in the U.K., explained how social media was vital to Wordle‘s swift rise in popularity.
He said: “Word-based puzzles and games have been around for quite a while, and they are nothing new. What is different or new today is how and where people play games. Before the digital age, word puzzle games, particularly crossword puzzles, would usually appear in newspapers and magazines. People would do them while waiting for the bus or train, in the toilet, or just to kill time.
“In today’s digital age, like many other things, many simple games like Wordle can be played online. I think that Wordle gains its popularity not only from its simple rules but also from its virality on social media platforms as a result of people sharing/posting their scores to demonstrate a sense of accomplishment and validation.”
Wordle‘s popularity helped inspire a number of other online puzzles including Worldle for geography enthusiasts, and Nerdle for math fans.
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’ #698, Clues for Thursday, May 18
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today’s Wordle puzzle.
Hint #1: There are no repeated letters.
Hint #2: The answer only contains one vowel.
Hint #3: None of the first three letters in the alphabet feature.
Hint #4: Associated with sheep.
Hint #5: The third letter is a vowel.
‘Wordle’ #698, Answer for Thursday, May 18
The answer to today’s Wordle is “Shorn.”
That was a tough one! With only one vowel, and a relatively uncommon word, today’s Wordle puzzle is likely to have challenged even experienced players of the game. Did you get it? If so, we’re very impressed! But please don’t be put off if not, another Wordle will be released on Friday and once again Newsweek will provide you with a selection of hints and tips.
What Does ‘Shorn’ Mean?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “shorn” as: “Past participle of shear.”
For example: “Don’t worry about those sheep, they’ve already been shorn.”