Wordle the word game that’s all the craze

[Juggernaut]

Lots of possibilities, four tries Thursday.

 

[Runwildboys]

5 guesses today. (Thursday) had one space that could have been any of three letters ...and if course it was the third choice. Lol

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Four tries.
Three minutes.
Thursday.

 

[Vtwin]

5 guesses today. (Thursday) had one space that could have been any of three letters ...and if course it was the third choice. Lol

Fourth letter?

Same thing happened to me.

 

[Runwildboys]

Fourth letter?

Same thing happened to me.

Yep

 

[Reality]

I'd say the point of the game depends on the individual. I'm trying to solve it in the least amount of guesses, keeping my streak alive is secondary to that goal. It does take some luck to solve it within the first three guesses, but a broad vocabulary also helps. I view it as a daily challenge, like a Sudoku puzzle or the Jumble. It's currently a popular phenomena and I'll enjoy the collective fun while it lasts.

I enjoy Sudoku puzzles, especially the hard ones, but there is logic and strategy with those.

With Wordle, having a broad vocabulary is only a small part being able to solve the puzzle. It is mostly based on luck, not skill or general intelligence.

When someone guesses a word in two attempts, it means they were lucky that the first word they used matched a lot of letters. That is not based on vocabulary or skill but pure luck. When someone guesses it in 5 or 6 attempts, it is does not mean they are less smart or skilled than someone who guessed it in two attempts as it is all based on how well the word of the day matches the word(s) the player used first.

For example, if the word was "AVOID" and you guessed "TRULY", you would have no matches due to bad luck. However, if you had guessed "DIVAS", you would have matched 4 letters. All letters would be in the wrong slots of course, but with 4 matching letters revealed it would not be very hard to guess the word in one or two attempts depending on how many 5-letter words can be formed with those letters.

In the few times I have played I used the same three words in the first three slots. A couple of times I had enough matches to guess in 2 attempts and other times it took as many as 5 attempts. The most common attempts I have matched has been 4 which makes sense because I use the same three words each time that all have different letters.

I can see enjoying playing the game personally, but I see no relevance in comparing how many attempts it takes given the significant amount of luck involved.

That said, if everyone was using the same word guesses, then that would differentiate everyone based on skill and/or vocabulary.

Again, I am not trying to insult or question anyone's enthusiasm for the game, as we all have our own entertainment preferences, I was just trying to understand why other people find this game "fun" while I do not.

 

[Denim Chicken]

I can see enjoying playing the game personally, but I see no relevance in comparing how many attempts it takes given the significant amount of luck involved.

Same with playing cards. Most games have both elements of skill and luck. Wordle is no different.

People are happy to win a hand of poker, even if they got pockets aces of the draw.

4 tries today. Have now beat the wife 3 days in a row.

 

[Reality]

Same with playing cards. Most games have both elements of skill and luck. Wordle is no different.

True, but you are not choosing the specific cards you want. With cards, everyone is playing with the same "chance". With Wordle, the "chance" (or "luck" actually) is based on guesses. The skill in cards is usually based on winning percentage over time and/or winning the most money (if gambling), but that is after everyone receives their cards based on luck of the deal.

It is like winning the lottery. Someone who picks the right lottery numbers is not smarter than everyone else. They were luckier. In Wordle, skill is only a small part of it as most of it is based purely on the luck of the first words you try versus the word of the day.

For example, assuming you play Wordle long enough and you use the same word on your first attempt every day, you will eventually guess the word in one attempt when it becomes the word of the day. On that day you are not smarter than everyone else who took more than one attempt to guess it. You were just luckier because on that day the word of the day matched your first word.

To be clear, I can see the personal enjoyment from playing the game as a thinking puzzle. It's the same thing as Sudoku puzzles. However, when I finish a Sudoku puzzle I do not compare my results with other people. That is where my confusion comes from with Wordle.

I know this sounds like I am insulting the game, but I really am not. I see how it can be fun to play personally. I just do not understand why sharing how many attempts it took has any sort of relevance given the attempts are mostly based on luck from the random words you use that day versus the word-of-the-day, not skill.

 

[Denim Chicken]

In Wordle, skill is only a small part of it as most of it is based purely on the luck of the first words you try versus the word of the day.

well, that's true to an extent. But you have to consider that there is not an infinite number of 5 letter words. Some consonants/vowels will thus be statically more likely, so there is a sort of skill (or at least varying stratagem) to which word you start with. Once you're past your first word, then vocab and skill comes into play as you will have either letters confirmed or eliminated.

I don't think about it too deeply, Just a fun competitive morning activity between my wife and I.

 

[Runwildboys]

I enjoy Sudoku puzzles, especially the hard ones, but there is logic and strategy with those.

With Wordle, having a broad vocabulary is only a small part being able to solve the puzzle. It is mostly based on luck, not skill or general intelligence.

When someone guesses a word in two attempts, it means they were lucky that the first word they used matched a lot of letters. That is not based on vocabulary or skill but pure luck. When someone guesses it in 5 or 6 attempts, it is does not mean they are less smart or skilled than someone who guessed it in two attempts as it is all based on how well the word of the day matches the word(s) the player used first.

For example, if the word was "AVOID" and you guessed "TRULY", you would have no matches due to bad luck. However, if you had guessed "DIVAS", you would have matched 4 letters. All letters would be in the wrong slots of course, but with 4 matching letters revealed it would not be very hard to guess the word in one or two attempts depending on how many 5-letter words can be formed with those letters.

In the few times I have played I used the same three words in the first three slots. A couple of times I had enough matches to guess in 2 attempts and other times it took as many as 5 attempts. The most common attempts I have matched has been 4 which makes sense because I use the same three words each time that all have different letters.

I can see enjoying playing the game personally, but I see no relevance in comparing how many attempts it takes given the significant amount of luck involved.

That said, if everyone was using the same word guesses, then that would differentiate everyone based on skill and/or vocabulary.

Again, I am not trying to insult or question anyone's enthusiasm for the game, as we all have our own entertainment preferences, I was just trying to understand why other people find this game "fun" while I do not.

I personally like to try using different first words frequently, just to see if I get lucky enough to get the letters I need to get it in two guesses. Sometimes I pick words I don't expect to help much, to see how many letters I can eliminate before knowing the word, rather than how quickly I can get it. I'm sure it's not nearly as good an exercise as crosswords, but it's quick. Besides, I don't know of any decent online crossword games. The only ones I've ever seen were too easy to hold my interest.

 

[Juggernaut]

I enjoy Sudoku puzzles, especially the hard ones, but there is logic and strategy with those.

With Wordle, having a broad vocabulary is only a small part being able to solve the puzzle. It is mostly based on luck, not skill or general intelligence.

When someone guesses a word in two attempts, it means they were lucky that the first word they used matched a lot of letters. That is not based on vocabulary or skill but pure luck. When someone guesses it in 5 or 6 attempts, it is does not mean they are less smart or skilled than someone who guessed it in two attempts as it is all based on how well the word of the day matches the word(s) the player used first.

For example, if the word was "AVOID" and you guessed "TRULY", you would have no matches due to bad luck. However, if you had guessed "DIVAS", you would have matched 4 letters. All letters would be in the wrong slots of course, but with 4 matching letters revealed it would not be very hard to guess the word in one or two attempts depending on how many 5-letter words can be formed with those letters.

In the few times I have played I used the same three words in the first three slots. A couple of times I had enough matches to guess in 2 attempts and other times it took as many as 5 attempts. The most common attempts I have matched has been 4 which makes sense because I use the same three words each time that all have different letters.

I can see enjoying playing the game personally, but I see no relevance in comparing how many attempts it takes given the significant amount of luck involved.

That said, if everyone was using the same word guesses, then that would differentiate everyone based on skill and/or vocabulary.

Again, I am not trying to insult or question anyone's enthusiasm for the game, as we all have our own entertainment preferences, I was just trying to understand why other people find this game "fun" while I do not.

Same with playing cards. Most games have both elements of skill and luck. Wordle is no different.

People are happy to win a hand of poker, even if they got pockets aces of the draw.

4 tries today. Have now beat the wife 3 days in a row.

It sounds like you specifically dislike the luck aspect of the game. To counter that luck aspect, we could all agree to use the same first word and then compare our guess numbers. What word though?

I like @Denim Chicken's poker analogy. It'd be interesting to see everyone else's grid results, to see what they did with the hand they were dealt. It's unfortunate the emojis can't currently be posted.

 

[Juggernaut]

Four guesses Friday, could've been five.

 

[Runwildboys]

3rd guess (Friday)

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Five tries.
Five minutes.
Friday.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

I personally like to try using different first words frequently, just to see if I get lucky enough to get the letters I need to get it in two guesses. Sometimes I pick words I don't expect to help much, to see how many letters I can eliminate before knowing the word.

I do something similar. I use the same two words everyday, just to eliminate letters. If I don't have enough green or yellow I use a third word. So I'm not trying to guess the wordle on my first couple of tries. I do that to speed things up. I don't want to spend too much time on this puzzle. I figure, the more letters I eliminate the faster I can come up with the answer.

 

[Vtwin]

I enjoy Sudoku puzzles, especially the hard ones, but there is logic and strategy with those.

With Wordle, having a broad vocabulary is only a small part being able to solve the puzzle. It is mostly based on luck, not skill or general intelligence.

When someone guesses a word in two attempts, it means they were lucky that the first word they used matched a lot of letters. That is not based on vocabulary or skill but pure luck. When someone guesses it in 5 or 6 attempts, it is does not mean they are less smart or skilled than someone who guessed it in two attempts as it is all based on how well the word of the day matches the word(s) the player used first.

For example, if the word was "AVOID" and you guessed "TRULY", you would have no matches due to bad luck. However, if you had guessed "DIVAS", you would have matched 4 letters. All letters would be in the wrong slots of course, but with 4 matching letters revealed it would not be very hard to guess the word in one or two attempts depending on how many 5-letter words can be formed with those letters.

In the few times I have played I used the same three words in the first three slots. A couple of times I had enough matches to guess in 2 attempts and other times it took as many as 5 attempts. The most common attempts I have matched has been 4 which makes sense because I use the same three words each time that all have different letters.

I can see enjoying playing the game personally, but I see no relevance in comparing how many attempts it takes given the significant amount of luck involved.

That said, if everyone was using the same word guesses, then that would differentiate everyone based on skill and/or vocabulary.

Again, I am not trying to insult or question anyone's enthusiasm for the game, as we all have our own entertainment preferences, I was just trying to understand why other people find this game "fun" while I do not.

I look at it like I do playing backgammon. You can employ a strategy that helps you make your luck but at the end of the day if you don't get the right rolls of the dice that strategy means squat.

Getting it on the second guess or the sixth guess matters to me in the same way being the last one to squeak through stoplight on my way to work matters. If I make the light or get the word on my second guess I have a little "hell yea" moment. If I have to wait for the next light or get the word on the sixth guess... it's all good, business as usual.

Posting the results here is just small talk among like company.

 

[Vtwin]

Wordle 244 4/6

 

[Runwildboys]

3rd guess (Friday)

Five tries.
Five minutes.
Friday.

BTW, about 45 seconds.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Five tries.
Four minutes.
Saturday.

 

[Juggernaut]

4 guesses Saturday, almost had it at 3...