Wordle Takes AHS By Storm
Anusha Sambangi
STAFF WRITER
Wordle, an online word guessing game, has gained immense popularity over the past few months. All around Andover High School, people have incorporated the game into their routines and conversations.
Recently acquired by The New York Times, Wordle consists of a 5×6 chart where players have only six chances to guess a five-letter word. Unlike many other word games, all players have the same correct word, which is changed every day. However, to decrease the difficulty, the game color-codes letters in previously guessed words to give clues as to what letters the correct word has: green for a letter present in the correct place, yellow for a letter present in the wrong place, and gray for a letter not present in the word at all.
AHS sophomore Gwen Claman plays Wordle every day. “I like playing Wordle because it’s a good brain exercise,” she said. Like many other Wordle players, Claman enjoys the competitive aspect of the game. “I have friends that I can play against, and we try to guess the word first,” she explained. “Anyone can play word games; that makes [Wordle] fun for everyone.”
AHS students Max Hoffman (left), Jayden Cho (middle), and Grady Lilley (right) play Wordle on their phones
Teachers have also enjoyed playing Wordle and have incorporated the game into their daily lives. Scott Armstrong, AHS math teacher, says he likes playing the game five to six times a week and plays it in the morning while eating breakfast with his kids. “We like to see who can get it first,” said Armstrong. Armstrong also enjoys playing another version of the game called Nerdle, a math-based variation of Wordle.
In addition to the recreational aspect of the game, many mentioned the educational benefits of playing Wordle. “I have personally learned a lot of strange and new words from playing this game,” said Claman. “Since there is a different word every day, the game gives you access to a wider range of vocabulary.” Additionally, Armstrong mentioned the other learning benefits of “thinking about the game logically and mathematically with probability.”
Mahathi Veluri, an AHS junior, mentioned that “the game’s rising popularity could lead to the word getting spoiled for other people.” Still, playing Wordle is a part of Veluri’s daily routine, and she looks forward to playing it every day. “There’s no addiction factor,” said Veluri. “It’s only once a day.”
Linda Morgante, AHS freshman, shared similar views about the game. “I feel so determined while playing it,” she said. “When I guess the word I feel very accomplished.” Morgante enjoys playing Wordle with her friends and prefers it over many other online games.
