Another day means another Wordle puzzle to solve—and if you're finding it difficult to figure out today's answer, Newsweek is here to help.
New York-based software engineer Josh Wardle invented the viral game to keep his crossword-loving partner entertained during a Coronavirus lockdown.
It went public on November 1, 2021, and had 300,000 users on January 2, 2022, according to figures by Statista. The New York Times then purchased Wordle for an undisclosed seven-figure fee.
Since Wardle uploaded the game to the internet, over 1,000 daily puzzles have been solved by players around the globe. With enough possible answers in the game's word bank to last until late 2027, fans still have plenty more puzzles to solve.
If you're new to the word-based game, thankfully it is simple to follow. Players must guess one five-letter word per day and they have six attempts to get it. If a correct letter is in the right place, the tile will go green. If it is in the wrong place, it turns yellow. If it is not in the word at all, the tile goes gray.
Speaking to Newsweek in January 2022, Wardle explained why he decided on five-letter words being the gold standard for the game.
"There is a reason that every word is five letters long and that you are allowed six attempts to guess it," he said. "That might seem arbitrary but, with the prototype version, I tested different word lengths and experimented with the number of tries that players were allowed.
"Through that process of refinement, I figured out that five letters and six tries was the ideal sweet spot. It's just limited enough to feel challenging and to make you think, but most of the time people still manage to solve it. So, you feel a real sense of real accomplishment."
Newsweek has provided some clues below for today's puzzle. The answer will be revealed at the end of this article, so please scroll down with caution if you want to work it out for yourself.
'Wordle' #1,052, Clues for Monday, May 6
Hint #1: Today's answer is a noun and a verb.
Hint #2: The word contains two vowels.
Hint #3: There are no repeated letters
Hint #4: It begins with the letter "S."
Hint #5: The word has one syllable.
'Wordle' #1,052 Answer for Monday, May 6
The answer to today's Wordle is "shave."
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the verb definition is " to remove a thin layer from," "to sever the hair from (the head or another part of the body) close to the roots" and "to discount (a note) at an exorbitant rate."
The noun is defined as "an act or the process of shaving."
Congratulations if you got the answer right but if you failed to guess the correct answer, fret not. Wordle creator Wardle previously told Newsweek that he usually needs four or five attempts before getting it right.
"[My partner] and I play it on the couch together each morning," he said. "She will consistently get it in three goes, which is way, way better than I can ever hope to achieve. I normally need at least four or five attempts."
Wordle is released at midnight in your local time zone. Newsweek will be back with another round of hints and tips for each new game.
While you wait for the next game, why not give the geography guessing game Worldle or other word puzzles a try?
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Billie is a Newsweek Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London, U.K. She reports on film and TV, trending ... Read more
