After making its debut in 2021, Wordle is still taking the world by storm—but some days it's easier to solve than others.
If you're struggling to figure out today's answer you're not alone as Josh Wardle, the software engineer who created the game, often needs a number of attempts before solving each daily brainteaser.
"[My partner] and I play it on the couch together each morning," he told Newsweek in January 2022. "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."
Wardle, who was born in Wales but now resides in New York, created the game because he wanted to help keep his crossword-loving partner entertained during the COVID-19 lockdown. Once he realized that other people might enjoy solving Wordle's daily brainteasers, he released the puzzle to the public in October 2021.
Following its debut, Wordle exploded from 90 users on November 1, 2021, to 300,000 on January 2, 2022, according to figures by Statista. Thanks to its popularity, The New York Times bought it in early 2022 for a seven-figure sum.
Wordle goes live every day at midnight, your local time, with players having to try and figure out the five-letter word of the day. A major element in Wordle's appeal is that, while the answer might not always be easy to guess, it's simple to play.
People get a maximum of six attempts to solve the puzzle by typing in what they think the answer could be. The letters will turn green if they're correct and in the right position, yellow if you have the right letter in the wrong place, or gray if the letter isn't in the day's word at all.
According to the word-finder website WordsRated, "S" is the most common starting letter among players, with more than 15 percent using it first. It's a wise decision as well, since there are a total of 365 words in the game that start with S—that's 167 more than any other word. In second place is the letter C at 8 percent, with B the third most popular choice at 7 percent.
'Wordle' #956, Clues for Wednesday, January 31 Game
Newsweek has put together a few hints to help you solve today's Wordle puzzle.
Hint #1: The answer is an adjective.
Hint #2: There is only one vowel in today's word.
Hint #3: There are no repeated letters.
Hint #4: Synonyms for Wednesday's Wordle include "big," "hulking" and "considerable."
Hint #5: It begins with the letter "B."
'Wordle' #956, Answer for Wednesday, January 31 Game
The answer to today's Wordle puzzle is "bulky."
According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of bulky is "having bulk," "large of its kind" and "having great volume in proportion to weight."
Do you have a good tip for the best starting words when playing Wordle? Share them with us by emailing: entertainment@newsweek.com.
Uncommon Knowledge
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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
