Today's 'Wordle' #1,038 Clues and Answer for Monday, April 22 Puzzle

If you are struggling with today's Wordle puzzle, then no problem. As usual, Newsweek is here with a few clues to help you find the answer.

The word puzzle game has gone from a pandemic pastime to a beloved daily staple for many players. Wordle was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic by Brooklyn-based software engineer Josh Wardle, who created the game as a gift for his crossword-loving partner.

Realizing that other puzzle fans might enjoy the game, he uploaded Wordle to the web in October 2021. By January 2022, the game had over 2 million users.

Stunned by its success, The New York Times purchased Wordle for a seven-figure sum, adding Wordle to its roster of puzzle games.

The game was even assigned a "Wordle editor" to curate the daily selection. The wordbank started out with 2,315 possible answers, with The New York Times removing six that were considered offensive, outdated or used a non-U.S. spelling. Still, there are enough choices to keep Wordle players entertained until October 2027.

Internet fads come and go, so why is Wordle still so popular, over two years since it first launched? Wardle says it's because the game challenges users, but not too much.

"There is a reason that every word is five letters long and that you are allowed six attempts to guess it," he told Newsweek in January 2022.

"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," Wardle added.

"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."

If you're finding today's Wordle difficult, we've put together a few hints to help you solve the puzzle.

'Wordle' #1,038 Clues for Monday, April 22 Puzzle

Hint #1: Today's Wordle can be used as a noun or verb.

Hint #2: There are two vowels.

Hint #3: There are no duplicate letters in today's answer.

Hint #4: The last letter is a consonant.

Hint #5: The answer begins with the letter "L."

'Wordle' #1,038 Answer for Monday, April 22 Puzzle

The answer to today's Wordle is "Laser."

Wordle resets at midnight in your local time zone, but if you can't wait until then, here are some other popular word puzzle games to keep you busy in the meantime.