The New York Times hints freshly acquired Wordle may no longer be free
The New York Times has snapped up viral puzzle game Wordle, a move which could eventually see the game placed behind a paywall.
US software engineer Josh Wardle, who initially created Wordle as a gift for his puzzle-loving girlfriend, yesterday revealed he had sold the site to the Times for an undisclosed price in the “low seven figures.” In an article published on the purchase yesterday, The New York Times said that no changes would be made to how the game is played and that it would remain free for users “initially.”
Wordle challenges players to identify a five letter word in six guesses. A new puzzle is published online every day and players can post how quickly they solved the colourful grid on social media without giving away the solution.
Wordle will be added to the The New York Times’ Games app which, which lets users play a daily crossword puzzle and topped 1m subscribers in December. The paper currently restricts access to games including Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, Tiles and Vertex, with a paywall.
In a tweet Wardle said “If you’ve followed along with the story of Wordle, you’ll know that New York Times Games play a big part in its origins, and so this step feels very natural to me.”
“Since launching Wordle, I’ve been in awe of the response and the game has gotten bigger than I ever imagined,” he added. “On the flip side, it has been a little overwhelming. I am just one person, and it is important to me that, as Wordle grows, it continues to provide a great experience to everyone.”
He added that “when the game moves to the NYT site, it will be free to play.”
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