I suppose it should come as no surprise that I've been playing this with Kath. As long-time <a href="{app}view_article.php?id=3964">Crossword</a> (even occasionally <a href="{app}view_article.php?id=4093">cryptic crosswords</a>) and <a href="{app}view_article.php?id=3974">Spelling Bee</a> fans, <a href="https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/">Wordle</a> fits right in. And it takes only a couple of minutes per day. In Wordle, you have to guess a 5-letter word. All guesses must be real words. The puzzle indicates letters that are in the right position with a green background and letters that are in the solution, but in the wrong position with a yellow background. It's kind of like the old Mastermind game, but with letters and words instead of colored pegs. Some examples are shown below. <h>Lucky Punch</h> We guessed it in two or three tries, marching pretty consistently forward, without flailing about. <div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 5px"><img src="{att_link}flood.png" href="{att_link}flood.png" align="none" caption="Flood" scale="25%"><img attachment="scare.jpeg" align="none" caption="Scare"><img src="{att_link}cater.png" href="{att_link}cater.png" align="none" caption="Cater" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}brine.jpeg" href="{att_link}brine.jpeg" align="none" caption="Brine" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}choke.jpeg" href="{att_link}choke.jpeg" align="none" caption="Choke" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}crate.jpg" href="{att_link}crate.jpg" align="none" caption="Infer" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}chord.jpg" href="{att_link}chord.jpg" align="none" caption="Chord" scale="25%"><img attachment="third.jpg" align="none" caption="Third"><img attachment="sedan.jpg" align="none" caption="Sedan"><img src="{att_link}ghoul.jpg" href="{att_link}ghoul.jpg" align="none" caption="Ghoul" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}merry.jpg" href="{att_link}merry.jpg" align="none" caption="Merry" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}evoke.png" href="{att_link}evoke.png" align="none" caption="Evoke" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}daisy.png" href="{att_link}daisy.png" align="none" caption="Daisy" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}threw.png" href="{att_link}threw.png" align="none" caption="Threw" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}stole.png" href="{att_link}stole.png" align="none" caption="Stole" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}teary.png" href="{att_link}teary.png" align="none" caption="Teary" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}realm.jpg" href="{att_link}realm.jpg" align="none" caption="Realm" scale="25%"></div> <h>Out of nowhere</h> We guessed three or more letters at once to finish the puzzle. <div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 5px"><img src="{att_link}bayou.png" href="{att_link}bayou.png" align="none" caption="Bayou" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}inert.png" href="{att_link}inert.png" align="none" caption="Inert" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}cheek.png" href="{att_link}cheek.png" align="none" caption="Cheek" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}nymph.png" href="{att_link}nymph.png" align="none" caption="Nymph" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}vivid.jpeg" href="{att_link}vivid.jpeg" align="none" caption="Vivid" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}kiosk.jpeg" href="{att_link}kiosk.jpeg" align="none" caption="Kiosk" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}bough.png" href="{att_link}bough.png" align="none" caption="Bough" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}robot.jpeg" href="{att_link}robot.jpeg" align="none" caption="Robot" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}crimp.jpg" href="{att_link}crimp.jpg" align="none" caption="Crimp" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}light.jpeg" href="{att_link}light.jpeg" align="none" caption="Light" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}glaze.png" href="{att_link}glaze.png" align="none" caption="Glaze" scale="25%"></div> <h>Lots of Gold</h> We guessed a lot of the letters, but in the wrong spots, but then guessed it pretty quickly. <div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 5px"><img src="{att_link}girth.png" href="{att_link}girth.png" align="none" caption="Girth" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}atone.png" href="{att_link}atone.png" align="none" caption="Atone" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}album.png" href="{att_link}album.png" align="none" caption="Album" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}nasty.jpeg" href="{att_link}nasty.jpeg" align="none" caption="Nasty" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}hater.jpg" href="{att_link}hater.jpg" align="none" caption="Hater" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}pleat.jpeg" href="{att_link}pleat.jpeg" align="none" caption="Pleat" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}aloft.jpeg" href="{att_link}aloft.jpeg" align="none" caption="Aloft" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}chant.jpeg" href="{att_link}chant.jpeg" align="none" caption="Chant" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}other.jpeg" href="{att_link}other.jpeg" align="none" caption="Other" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}binge.jpg" href="{att_link}binge.jpg" align="none" caption="Binge" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}sushi.png" href="{att_link}sushi.png" align="none" caption="Sushi" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}worst.jpg" href="{att_link}worst.jpg" align="none" caption="Worst" scale="30%"><img src="{att_link}heard.png" href="{att_link}heard.png" align="none" caption="Heard" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}never.png" href="{att_link}never.png" align="none" caption="Never" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}ridge.png" href="{att_link}ridge.png" align="none" caption="Ridge" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}devil.png" href="{att_link}devil.png" align="none" caption="Devil" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}serum.jpg" href="{att_link}serum.jpg" align="none" caption="Serum" scale="25%"></div> <h>Ugh, finally!</h> It took four or five attempts, even after we already had three or four letters. <div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 5px"><img src="{att_link}pinto.png" href="{att_link}pinto.png" align="none" caption="Pinto" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}forgo.png" href="{att_link}forgo.png" align="none" caption="Forgo" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}money.png" href="{att_link}money.png" align="none" caption="Money" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}comma.png" href="{att_link}comma.png" align="none" caption="Comma" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}chest.png" href="{att_link}chest.png" align="none" caption="Chest" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}cloth.jpeg" href="{att_link}cloth.jpeg" align="none" caption="Cloth" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}today.png" href="{att_link}today.png" align="none" caption="Today" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}skill.jpeg" href="{att_link}skill.jpeg" align="none" caption="Skill" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}shard.jpeg" href="{att_link}shard.jpeg" align="none" caption="Shard" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}valet.png" href="{att_link}valet.png" align="none" caption="Valet" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}clean.jpg" href="{att_link}clean.jpg" align="none" caption="Clean" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}prick.jpeg" href="{att_link}prick.jpeg" align="none" caption="Prick" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}proxy.jpeg" href="{att_link}proxy.jpeg" align="none" caption="Proxy" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}lucky.jpg" href="{att_link}lucky.jpg" align="none" caption="Lucky" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}birch.jpg" href="{att_link}birch.jpg" align="none" caption="Birch" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}unzip.jpg" href="{att_link}unzip.jpg" align="none" caption="Unzip" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}avail.jpg" href="{att_link}avail.jpg" align="none" caption="Avail" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}shart.jpg" href="{att_link}shart.jpg" align="none" caption="Stage" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}blurb.jpg" href="{att_link}blurb.jpg" align="none" caption="Blurb" scale="25%"><img attachment="excel.png" align="none" caption="Excel"><img attachment="extra.png" align="none" caption="Extra"><img attachment="judge.jpg" align="none" caption="Judge"><img src="{att_link}enjoy.jpg" href="{att_link}enjoy.jpg" align="none" caption="Enjoy" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}meant.png" href="{att_link}meant.png" align="none" caption="Meant" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}trust.png" href="{att_link}trust.png" align="none" caption="Trust" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}queue.png" href="{att_link}queue.png" align="none" caption="Queue" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}sharp.jpg" href="{att_link}sharp.jpg" align="none" caption="Sharp" scale="40%"><img src="{att_link}globe.png" href="{att_link}globe.png" align="none" caption="Globe" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}chain.png" href="{att_link}chain.png" align="none" caption="Chain" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}bacon.png" href="{att_link}bacon.png" align="none" caption="Bacon" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}funny.png" href="{att_link}funny.png" align="none" caption="Funny" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}learn.png" href="{att_link}learn.png" align="none" caption="Learn" scale="25%"></div> <h>Skin of our teeth</h> Sixth attempt was the charm. Some of these could just as easily be "out of nowhere" or "lots of gold", as well. <div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 5px"><img src="{att_link}point.jpeg" href="{att_link}point.jpeg" align="none" caption="Point" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}shame.png" href="{att_link}shame.png" align="none" caption="Shame" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}foyer.png" href="{att_link}foyer.png" align="none" caption="Foyer" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}naval.png" href="{att_link}naval.png" align="none" caption="Naval" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}matey.jpg" href="{att_link}matey.jpg" align="none" caption="Matey" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}kayak.jpg" href="{att_link}kayak.jpg" align="none" caption="Kayak" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}gnash.jpg" href="{att_link}gnash.jpg" align="none" caption="Gnash" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}bunch.jpg" href="{att_link}bunch.jpg" align="none" caption="Bunch" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}leaky.jpg" href="{att_link}leaky.jpg" align="none" caption="Leaky" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}cable.png" href="{att_link}cable.png" align="none" caption="Cable" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}north.png" href="{att_link}north.png" align="none" caption="North" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}forty.png" href="{att_link}forty.png" align="none" caption="Forty" scale="25%"><img src="{att_link}snort.png" href="{att_link}snort.png" align="none" caption="Snort" scale="25%"></div> As you can see, sometimes you get lucky and get it in three guesses (robot, crimp, light above) or you get unlucky and start chasing two letters (point, prick) or just one letter (skill, shard). Once we got lucky and solved "brine" in two guesses without first trying "twine" or "thine". We're at almost a <del>2-week3-week4-week5-weak8-week</del>12-week streak so far. <img src="{att_link}83-day_wordle_streak.png" href="{att_link}83-day_wordle_streak.png" align="none" caption="83-day Wordle Streak" scale="50%">