For such a successful game Wordle has remarkably humble origins, being invented during coronavirus lockdown by New York-based software engineer Josh Wardle, who was simply after a game "for me and my partner to enjoy."
Speaking to Newsweek in January 2022 Wardle offered some advice for Wordle players.
"One thing I will say is that a lot of people tend to think that the game is just about finding those green and gold letters," he said. "If you get those, then you theoretically have the information you need, but you don't want to get too hung up on that.
"Even when you have most of the letters, it's still worth using a couple of tries to just narrow down the options further. It's often just as important to learn what letters aren't in a word. That information can actually be more powerful in a lot of ways, and you don't necessarily realize it at first."
In an interview with Newsweek, Claire Childs, who lectures in English at the University of York in the U.K., discussed what it is about Wordle that makes the game so popular.
She said: "What contributes to Wordle's success is its simplicity—the rules are straightforward, and it takes relatively little time to do. The fact that there is a new puzzle every day adds to the novelty. Just as we like to discuss TV, films or music with friends/family and on social media, we now enjoy sharing how well (or badly) we did on Wordle that day."
Wordle's popularity has helped inspire a range of other online puzzles, such as Quordle, Nerdle and Worldle.
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' #795, Tips for Wednesday, August 23
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today's Wordle puzzle.
Hint #1: There are two pairs of repeated letters.
Hint #2: The answer contains two vowels.
Hint #3: Synonyms for today's Wordle include "passion," "gusto" and "vigor."
Hint #4: The final letter is a vowel.
Hint #5: None of the first three letters in the alphabet feature.
'Wordle' #795, Answer for Wednesday, August 23
The answer to Wednesday's Wordle puzzle is "verve."
Well that was a fun one! Not the most commonly used word, though the two vowels certainly helped. Did you figure it out? If so we're very impressed! But don't worry if not, a new Wordle puzzle gets released each day and many of them are easier that today's challenge. Either way, we hope to see you again tomorrow when Newsweek will be back with another round of Wordle hints and tips.
What Does 'Verve' Mean?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines verve as "great energy and enthusiasm."
For example: "She delivered her speech with tremendous wit and verve."
