Some days can be trickier than others when it comes to trying to solve Wordle, so to give you a helping hand, Newsweek is here to provide you with some tips.
The word game was an instant success after it made its debut in 2021, and still enjoys huge popularity among puzzlers across the globe.
It was created by software engineer Josh Wardle, who wanted to help keep his crossword-loving partner entertained during the COVID-19 lockdown. He decided to share Wordle with the world in October 2021 and since then, millions of people have attempted to solve the daily brainteaser.
Thanks to the game's success, it was sold to The New York Times in early 2022 for an undisclosed seven-figure sum.
Players have six chances to guess the five-letter word of the day, which can be a noun, adjective or verb. They're helped by a color-coded system. A tile will become green when players guess the proper letter. The letter will become yellow if it appears in the word, but not where the user has placed it and the tile will turn gray if the letter does not appear in the word at all.
In a previous interview with Newsweek, Erhan Aslan, an expert in applied linguistics at the University of Reading in the U.K., shared his advice on how people can improve their chances of solving the daily puzzle.
"One thing that I think is important in this game is the starting letter chosen," Aslan said. "Starting off with letters that include commonly used vowels, for example, e and a, consonants such as r and t, and sound sequences might be helpful.
"Choosing a word that starts with q, z, j, or x, for instance, may not be the best choice. As you get more feedback after a few guesses, users need to draw on some knowledge of phonics to narrow down or eliminate some words that they might be thinking."
If you wish to solve today's puzzle on your own, be careful as you scroll down because the solution is revealed at the end.
'Wordle' #941, Clues for Tuesday, January 16
Newsweek has put together five clues to help you solve today's Wordle brainteaser.
Hint #1: Today's answer is both a noun and an adjective.
Hint #2: This word has only one vowel.
Hint #3: There are no repeated letters.
Hint #4: The word has different spellings in the U.S. and U.K.
Hint #5: It is also the name of a Frank Ocean album.
'Wordle' #941, Answer for Tuesday, January 16
Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we share the answer.
Today's word is "blond."
According to Merriam-Webster, the adjective definition of blond is "of a flaxen, golden, light auburn, or pale yellowish-brown color" and also: "having blond hair." The noun means "a person having blond hair."
Blond is preferred in American English while blonde is preferred in Britain.
Did you get it? Congratulations if so, but please don't worry if you didn't. One of the best things about Wordle is seeing if you can improve your score over time. If you want to try your luck again, the next puzzle will be released on Wednesday.
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.
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