Wrdle Sells Oouut

Everyone has a price. Wordle, the feed-clogging word game that asks players to guess a five-letter word in six tries or fewer, has been sold to the New York Times. Say adios (good starter word) to the sparse webpage where you can play the game once a day, and say hello (mediocre starter word) to the Times app, where Wordle will be nestled alongside other Times word games like the crossword and Spelling Bee.

According to the Times, Wordle was purchased from creator Josh Wardle for a price in the “low seven figures.” Part of the game’s appeal — that it is completely free to anyone who wants to feel a little dumb or a little smart first thing in the morning — will be maintained, at least for a little bit. The Times stated that the game would “initially remain free to new and existing players.” I’ll be taking bets on how long before it’s only available for subscribers. The over/under is five months.

I love when dorks sell out, so I guess I am happy for Wardle for becoming a millionaire. Mostly, I hope this leads people to the best word game of all time: the crossword. I need more people to text when I am infuriated by a particularly cheeky rebus or when I complete a Saturday puzzle without turning on auto-check. Please join me over here, the water is warm, and you will enjoy the superiority you feel over people who tweet out their little squares every day.