Wardle is the creator of the five-letter-word online game Wordle.
Today.
Alarm.
Arise.
Teeth: brush, floss.
Grabs phone.
Loads. Rules clear.
Legit words, slang taboo.
Ready? Ready.
Plays.
Picks usual first guess.
Sonar? Cable? Novel? Stare?
Ashen block after ashen block.
Lucky!
Clues. Hints.
Tries again.
Fifth space, amber (maybe lemon?).
Right vowel, wrong place.
Tries again.
Three right!
First, green. Third, green. Fifth, amber (maybe lemon).
Brain stirs.
Words. Order. Usage. Logic.
Tries again. Worse.
Feels faint. Think!
Needs quiet.
Fight doubt.
Avoid doing badly.
Tries again
Wrong!
Shock, truly.
Stuck.
Brain blank.
Sharp panic.
Takes pulse.
Keeps faith.
Brain spark: vowel twice?
Final guess.
Every fiber tense.
Waits.
First block flips.
Green.
Green, green, green, green!
Bliss!
Alive again!
Prize: pride.
Inner peace.
Waits.
Night, alarm, teeth, phone, newly blank board.
First guess again.
Final point:
minor thing, major magic.
Daily light among bleak times.
Happy place.
Hence,
folks thank
JoshW ardle.
Thompson is a Grammy- and Oscar-winning musical artist and director
- Introducing the 2024 TIME100 Next
- Sabrina Carpenter Has Waited Her Whole Life for This
- What Lies Ahead for the Middle East
- Why It's So Hard to Quit Vaping
- Jeremy Strong on Taking a Risk With a New Film About Trump
- Our Guide to Voting in the 2024 Election
- The 10 Races That Will Determine Control of the Senate
- Column: How My Shame Became My Strength