Wordle has been an online sensation for two years now, so much so that it is still The New York Times‘ most popular game.
Developed by Josh Wardle, a software engineer, the game was originally a gift for his girlfriend who loved word games. Wardle soon recognized its broader appeal and launched Wordle online in October 2021.
The popularity skyrocketed within months, growing to more than 2 million by January 2022. This rapid growth caught the attention of The New York Times, which acquired it for an undisclosed seven-figure sum.
According to Wardle, one of the keys to Wordle‘s ever-lasting appeal is its one-puzzle-a-day format.
“The idea to impose a limitation came when my partner and I started getting into crosswords during the pandemic,” Wardle said. “In particular, The New York Times has this puzzle called Spelling Bee, which has this once-a-day model that I thought was really effective.
“I liked the idea that everyone around the world was trying to solve the exact same word at the exact same time. It created a shared communal experience. [If] there were multiple puzzles to solve and everyone was at a different stage, then there wouldn’t be that kind of conversation, which I think is the most fulfilling part of Wordle.”
If you’re new here, or you just want a recap, the point of the game is to guess the correct five-letter word within six attempts. As you enter a letter into a block, its color will change.
Green means it is the right letter in the right place, gray means the letter is not included in the word at all, and yellow means you have the right letter, but in the wrong place.
‘Wordle’ #1,200, Clues for Tuesday, October 1
Newsweek has put together five hints to help you figure out today’s Wordle puzzle.
Hint #1: Today’s answer is a noun and a transitive verb.
Hint #2: It contains two vowels.
Hint #3: There is one repeated letter.
Hint #4: It begins with the letter “M.”
Hint #5: The word is related to computer hardware.
‘Wordle’ #1,200, Clues for Tuesday, October 1
MICHAEL DRAPER/AFP via Getty Images
Today’s Wordle answer is “Modem.”
According to Merriam-Webster, the noun is defined as “a device that converts signals produced by one type of device (such as a computer) to a form compatible with another (such as a telephone) and that is used especially to transmit and receive information between computers via landlines.”
The transitive verb is illustrated with the words “modemed; modeming; modems” and is defined as “to send (something, such as data) via a modem.”
Wordle updates every day at midnight, at which point the next puzzle becomes available. Newsweek will be back with another round of hints and tips for each new game.
Players who would like something to keep themselves busy while they wait can have a go at other word-based puzzles such as Typochondria and Spellspire.