Some People Say the NY Times Made Wordle Harder: Is There Any Evidence to Prove It?
Is it confirmation bias that makes us think the word game has changed since getting bought by the New York Times?
Wordle. It seemed to rise up in popular culture overnight until suddenly it was everywhere. Now, since Wordle has moved to the New York Times website, many people say they’ve found the game more of a challenge.
As with anything that becomes immensely popular, the puzzle game developed its share of haters. But mostly, in our world of information overload and wildly diverse interests, it was a challenge, yet not too hard of a challenge, that anyone could play once a day, for free, no matter where they were in the world. Everyone plays the same game. Everyone has the same word.
Unlike in the past, with the cultural phenomenons such as the widely watched Seinfeld finale or the last episode of M*A*S*H, we don’t have many shared experiences these days. Wordle brought us together in a time when we’ve never been more divided.
And the game has a sweet story for a background. By now, you’ve most likely heard the feel-good tale of how it was created. Josh Wardle, a software engineer, designed the game for an audience of one. His wife, Palak Shah, enjoys playing word games, and Josh wanted to give her something to do during Covid lockdowns.
At first, it was a game for just the two of them. Josh shared it with family members, who encouraged him to release it online. So he did, without any plans to monetize it. No ads, no subscriptions. Just a simple word game that attracted a community of players.
But we all know nothing simple and good can last forever under public scrutiny.
Wordle’s rise to viral fame created a whirlwind of controversy. Arguments began on whether or not people should be sharing their Wordle scores on social media. Some felt even seeing a pattern of colored squares spoiled the puzzle for them. Others complained about the bragging of those that delighted in announcing they had solved the word in three lines or less.
But still, the game endured. A simple puzzle with many players from all around the world.
And then came the news. Josh had sold the game for a reported seven figures to the New York Times. Who could blame him? That’s a life-changing amount of money. The game had grown too big for one person to handle, and the Times swore they would take care of his game and not put it behind a paywall.
Did the New York Times change the game?
Since Wordle moved to the Times website, many players have reported the words have become more difficult and more obscure, making the game less fun. But the communications director at the Times told People Magazine they haven’t added a single word. It’s the same list of words created by Josh. The Times said they have even removed some of the more “obscure” words such as “agora.”
But hearing this has not changed the minds of many players. Comedian Trevor Noah seemed to speak for many when he tweeted, “…it really feels like Wordle isn’t fun since the New York Times took over. Is it just me??”
I must admit my own bias here. I’m a Wordle fan myself, and as soon as the game appeared on the Times website, the game seemingly had a different vibe. Like Trevor said, less fun.
Is it confirmation bias?
People tend to have strong feelings one way or the other about the New York Times. Even if you enjoy reading articles from the Times, the truth is, it’s a behemoth of a company, with an exceptionally difficult and subscription-based crossword puzzle. This alone could make you feel a bit melancholy about a giant corporation taking over a pure and simple puzzle game created by a husband for his wife.
And your bias against the Times might make your day of playing a word that may have seemed a fun challenge in the past, now a source of anger. Because of confirmation bias, you’re going to blame the Times on a bad Wordle day. You’ll find what you’re looking for, no matter what evidence comes along, such as the Times stating they haven’t changed the game.
Confirmation bias is how conspiracy theories start. People can be faced with clear and present facts, and still, hold on strongly to their mistaken beliefs.
Twitter user, Matthew Shallenberger, does an excellent job explaining his take on confirmation bias and the Times’ acquisition of Wordle through a Twitter thread that has gone viral.
Matthew tweeted, “A few conclusions: 1) What feels true is not always what’s actually true. 2) We tend to give too much weight to recent experience, which can lead us to wrong conclusions. 3) Recognizing and accounting for our preconceived biases is essential to the process of finding truth.”
Matthew also states, “It is entirely possible that some people’s struggles with Wordle coincided with the NYT’s acquisition. But this does not prove that the NYT is responsible for their struggles.” You can read his entire thread here.
There is one change the Times made that you can’t see — ad tracking
There is a behind-the-scenes change made by the Times that may not affect gameplay, yet it has turned the game into a money-maker. Gizmodo reports finding trackers from the Times and other third-parties on the Wordle website, where there were none before.
Of course, this is business as usual across most of the internet. Ad trackers are on almost every website you will visit. Gizmodo goes on to paint the picture of how ad trackers can invade our privacy and provide detailed information on the user.
But this one is a little hard to get too worked up about over Wordle, considering browsing for paper towels on Amazon does the exact same thing.
As for whether the puzzle is harder now under the Times, the facts show that it isn’t. Still, I can’t help but feel, and perhaps it’s my own confirmation bias acting up here, the original vibe of the game is slipping away.
