Is Wordle getting harder?
No, Wordle is not getting harder. While the answer on some days may be harder than others, the difficulty of the answers is not increasing over time.
The answer to each day's Wordle puzzle is selected by the New York Times. While games like the New York Times Daily Crossword starts with a relatively easier puzzle on Monday and gets progressively harder throughout the week, Wordle does not follow this pattern. The difficulty of the answer is not related to the day of the week.
The perception of Wordle words getting harder could arise from several factors:
- Subjectivity: Difficulty can be subjective. A word that is common and easy for one person may be obscure and difficult for another. This can depend on a variety of factors including language proficiency, education, and reading habits.
- Learning Curve: As you play more, you develop strategies and recognize patterns which can make the game seem easier over time. However, if you hit a plateau or encounter a particularly tricky word, it may feel as though the game has suddenly gotten harder.
- Word Frequency: The words used in Wordle are selected from a fixed list of common English words. However, the frequency of words in everyday language can vary. If the game selects a word that is less commonly used or known, it may seem harder.
- Random Variation: Since the word is selected randomly each day, there can be natural variation in the difficulty of the words. Some days the word may be easier, and other days it may be harder. This random variation can sometimes create streaks of easy or hard words, which can lead to the perception that the game is getting easier or harder over time.