What is WORDLE?

If you’re already familiar with the game, feel free to skip ahead.

WORDLE is a daily word puzzle accessible through any web browser—no extra applications needed. The game is easy to grasp, which contributes to its global popularity. The primary objective is to guess the word of the day within six attempts, with each answer being a random five-letter word. This creates a 5x6 grid of squares, as shown here:

Upon entering your first guess, three outcomes can be indicated by changes in the colors of the letters:

1. Grey/Black — These letters are not part of the target word.
2. Yellow — These letters are in the word but in a different position.
3. Green — These letters are correct and in the correct position.

With only six attempts available, the goal is to make educated guesses based on the feedback (green, yellow, or black) in order to discover the correct word.

As a daily game, WORDLE resets every 24 hours. If you haven’t tried it yet, I encourage you to give it a shot today. After playing, return here to learn how this game can guide us in achieving our true objectives in life!

Here’s the link: https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/

Now that we are acquainted with this word puzzle, let’s ask ourselves: What is this WORDLE Philosophy?

The WORDLE Philosophy

To illustrate this concept, consider the following scenario:

“You completed today’s WORDLE yet?” “Oh no, I forgot!” I replied to my friend. “Today’s word is really tricky! It took me all six tries.” “Oh,” I said, my curiosity piqued. “Let me give it a go.” Before I knew it, I was staring at the familiar empty grid of 5x6. Today’s word is indeed tricky. I thought deeply about what my first guess should be. Despite having several common words in mind, the term tricky was playing on my mind. Minutes ticked by as I remained fixated on the blank squares. Just try something!

Eventually, I decided to go with TRACE, aiming to use the most common letters to gain some insight. As I pressed enter, I watched in dismay as every letter turned a disheartening black. Not a single letter was correct! My heart raced.

Though shocked for a moment, I soon realized that even a less-than-perfect guess could provide invaluable hints for my next attempt. I chose WOODS for my next guess, using entirely different letters to gain further insight. The result revealed that O was correct and in the right position, while the other letters remained black.

Now we’re getting somewhere!

Excitement surged as I rummaged through my memory for five-letter words that fit the criteria. I settled on FROST, feeling confident. However, WORDLE often surprises us!

While FR and T turned black, I saw OS in green this time. This is tough! I thought, trying to come up with another word that would bring me closer to the answer.

What contains “OS” in the middle? Next, I tried GLOSS and was delighted to find LOS in green, with the last S turning yellow. There must be two S's!

This revelation reinvigorated my determination, but knowing I was on my fourth attempt made me nervous. Through elimination, I figured the new S had to be at the beginning, but I still needed to determine the last letter.

SLOS_ I whispered. What could follow S? I tried various letters in the last position.

SLOSB SLOSI SLOSH Wait... could it be SLOSH? I pondered, weighing my options. Knowing it was my fifth attempt, I decided to take the risk. I entered SLOSH and watched as every letter turned a vibrant green. Yes!

While this experience appears typical for any WORDLE enthusiast, it conceals a profound and potentially life-changing philosophy.

Let me elaborate.

Our lives, filled with change and complexity, are primarily driven by our desire to achieve self-defined goals. These aspirations often seem daunting, which is why we strive to attain them. Yet, the hardest part is often taking that crucial first step. We frequently get caught up in the quest for a “perfect” first move. Just as we obsess over our first guess in WORDLE, we mirror this behavior in real life.

However, here’s an interesting fact: despite extensive research, there is no single “correct” first guess in WORDLE, just as there is no universally “right” first step toward achieving our aspirations.

The first step is crucial and impacts our journey, but not because it’s flawless. Rather, it’s vital because we have the courage to take it, regardless of the outcome. The beauty of WORDLE is that even if you receive all black letters, you are still one step closer to your goal, learning essential information along the way that will inform your next attempt.

Even if you don’t achieve the green you desire, like in WORDLE, your journey remains achievable until the very end.

By continually learning from our attempts and making informed decisions, we can inevitably reach our highest ambitions—it becomes our destiny. As long as we take that first step and keep learning, nothing can hold us back.

It may be tempting to compare ourselves to others who achieve similar goals more quickly, but this comparison is futile. What we truly need is a focused mindset on our personal growth and learning journey, which will ultimately guide us to our own success.

As I like to say: When life gives you black letters, learn from them until you turn them all green!