Why Wordle went VIRAL

Did you do today’s Wordle?

Wordle is a quick daily word game that gives players six chances to guess a five-letter word. It’s taken the internet by storm in recent weeks.

Like sourdough bread, Tiger King and wacky Zoom backgrounds before it, Wordle has entered the pantheon of popular pandemic pastimes.

All of the sudden, everyone’s talking about Wordle.

Wordle was dreamt up by Josh Wardle in 2013, but the software engineer says he “dusted it off” during the pandemic. It first started to gain popularity last November, before the ever-enthusiastic Jimmy Fallon tweeted about it on January 4.

Since then, more and more people are making the game part of their daily routines and striving to maintain their winning streaks.

How did Wordle Conquer the World?

Wordle’s one of countless spelling and brain-teasing apps and games. It’s not the most clever or the most challenging. It’s not the best designed. It is, however, remarkably simple. Here are three elements at the HEART of its success.

First, it’s easy to find and access. No app to download, no password to remember, no credit card to enter. Just google “wordle” and you’re well on your way to being hooked.

Second, it’s easy to share. When another user created a clever way to share individual puzzles without spoilers, Wardle incorporated it into the official game. Now social feeds are filled with recaps of the day’s puzzle.

Finally, it rewards repeat engagement. With just one puzzle a day, it leaves players wanting more, and offers simple stats including tracking players’ winning streaks. That’s a huge incentive to come back day after day.

There’s no doubt Wordle is choosing simplicity at the cost of opportunities for revenue and exposure. Nevertheless, countless publications have filled the void with tons of articles about the game’s meteoric rise, the perfect starter words and more. As a piece of its creator’s larger brand, it’s hard to argue the approach isn’t paying off.