Wordle was invented by Josh Wardle, a New York based software engineer originally from the U.K., with its name a play on his surname.
Each day the player is tasked with working out a new five-letter word, in six attempts or less. After each guess is made, all the letters light up, letting you know how close to the answer you were. When all the letters go green, you know you have the right answer.
Whilst being interviewed by Newsweek in January 2022, Wardle explained why he settled on five-letter words for his puzzle.
He said: “There is a reason that every word is five letters long and that you are allowed six attempts to guess it. That might seem arbitrary but, with the prototype version, I tested different word lengths and experimented with the number of tries that players were allowed.
“Through that process of refinement, I figured out that five letters and six tries was the ideal sweet spot. It’s just limited enough to feel challenging and to make you think, but most of the time people still manage to solve it. So, you feel a real sense of real accomplishment.”
Wardle sold Wordle to The New York Times later that same month, though the game remains free to play.
Speaking to Newsweek, Joel C. Wallenberg, a senior lecturer in language change at the University of York, in England, argued Wordle‘s popularity reflects the longstanding human interest in language.
He commented: “Language games poke at how conscious (or unconscious) we are of our own linguistic processes, and maybe give us a little more insight into them than we had before. That might be one reason why humans, maybe universally, have always invented and enjoyed language games!”
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’ #685, Clues for Friday, May 5
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 contains two vowels.
Hint #3: Synonyms for Friday’s Wordle include “beneath,” “down” and “under.”
Hint #4: The fourth letter is a vowel.
Hint #5: One of the first three letters in the alphabet features.
‘Wordle’ #685, Answer for Friday, May 5
The answer to today’s Wordle is “below.”
A common word, with two vowels, Friday’s Wordle certainly wasn’t the toughest we’ve yet faced, but it was still good fun! Congratulations if you figured it out but please don’t worry if not. Another Wordle will be released tomorrow and, once again, Newsweek will be here with a round of hints and tips to help you complete the puzzle.
What Does ‘Below’ Mean?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “below” as “in or to a lower place.”
For example: “They heard voices from the apartment below.”
The post Wordle #685, Hints, Clues and Answer for Friday, May 5 Enigma appeared first on Newsweek.
