Wordle, the viral word game developed by New York-based software engineer Josh Wardle, shows few signs of losing its extraordinary popularity, well over a year after it was first released to the public.
The goal of the game is simple, the player must work out a new five-letter word each day, in six attempts or fewer.
Speaking to Newsweek in January 2022, Wardle explained why he settled on five-letter words for his puzzles.
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.”
Wordle was subsequently purchased by the New York Times for an undisclosed low seven-figure fee, though it remains free to play.
In an interview with Newsweek Joel C. Wallenberg, a senior lecturer in language change at the University of York in England, argued the appeal of word games like Wordle is linked to the inherent human interest in language.
He said: “Language always seems to be fascinating to people. This is perhaps because producing and understanding language is a fantastically complex process, and we are only aware of the tiniest bit of that process while it’s going on; most of what we do when we speak, we do unconsciously.”
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’ #699, Clues for Friday, May 19
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today’s Wordle puzzle.
Hint #1: The answer contains two vowels.
Hint #2: There are no repeated letters.
Hint #3: The third letter is a vowel.
Hint #4: Synonyms for today’s Wordle include “anguish” and “heartache.”
Hint #5: You may well feel this after the death of a relative.
‘Wordle’ #699, Answer for Friday, May 19
The answer to today’s Wordle is “Grief.”
A relatively common word, with two of the most frequently used vowels, Friday’s Wordle may not have been the toughest we’ve yet faced, but it was still a good puzzle. Did you get it? If so, congratulations! But please don’t worry if not, one of the best things about Wordle is trying to improve your performance over time, and Newsweek will be back tomorrow with another round of hints and tips.
What Does ‘Grief’ Mean?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “grief” as: “Deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement.”
For example: “He suffered terrible grief over his son’s death.”
The post Today’s ‘Wordle’ #699, Hints, Tips and Answer for Friday, May 19 appeared first on Newsweek.
