If Tuesday's Wordle puzzle is proving to be a head-scratcher, Newsweek is here with a set of handy hints to help you over the finish line.
The game we've all come to know and love was invented by New York-based software engineer Josh Wardle, who perfected Wordle during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Welsh-born Wardle then released it to the public in October 2021.
Following its public debut, Wordle exploded from 90 users on November 1, 2021, to 300,000 on January 2, 2022, according to figures by Statista. The New York Times purchased the game for an undisclosed seven-figure fee soon after.
A major part of Wordle's appeal is its simplicity. Players get six attempts to guess a five-letter word. Gray tiles behind each letter indicate that they're not in the word at all; yellow means the letter features, but is in the wrong position, while green lets players know the letter is in the word and in the correct place.
Speaking to Newsweek in January 2022, Wardle explained why he decided on five-letter words being the golden 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. 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," he said.
"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 Wordle 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' #997 Hints for Tuesday, March 12 Game
Newsweek has put together five hints to help you figure out today's Wordle puzzle.
Hint #1: Today's answer contains three vowels.
Hint #2: "H" is the first letter of Tuesday's word.
Hint #3: There is one repeated letter.
Hint #4: Today's answer is an verb and a noun.
Hint #5: The correct answer is associated with hauling or feeling ill
'Wordle' #997 Answer for Tuesday, March 12 Game
The answer to today's Wordle is "heave."
According to Merriam-Webster, definitions for the word include to lift or raise, "to draw, pull, or haul on," and to retch or vomit.
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.
Players who would like something to keep themselves busy while they wait can have a go at other word-based puzzles such as Typochondria and Spellspire.
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
Ryan Smith is a Newsweek Senior Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
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