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Megan Cartwright is Newsweek’s Deputy Entertainment Editor, based in London, U.K. Her focus is on U.S. pop culture and entertainment news stories. Megan joined Newsweek in 2022 from New York where she was the Senior Editor for In Touch, Life & Style and Closer magazines and had previously interned at MTV, Cosmopolitan and InStyle. She is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University. Languages: English.
You can get in touch with Megan by emailing m.cartwright@newsweek.com.
Megan Cartwright
Deputy Entertainment Editor
Wordle has become so popular among puzzle enthusiasts that it is hard to believe it was launched less than four years ago.
The brainteaser was invented by Welsh-born software engineer Josh Wardle. He perfected Wordle during the COVID-19 lockdowns before releasing it to the public in October 2021. By January 2022, The New York Times purchased it, and today, it is the publication’s most-popular game.
In an interview with Newsweek in 2022, Wardle told readers his “favorite thing about the response to the game” is knowing the lives he has touched.
“I get these emails and messages from people, talking about how they’ve used it to keep in touch with their loved ones,” Wardle said at the time. “There are parents who aren’t able to see their adult children because of COVID, or friends who can’t meet up in person. They are comparing Wordle scores as a way of checking in with each other. It’s become something to discuss and to let people know that you’re thinking about them.”

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How To Play ‘Wordle’
A large part of Wordle‘s appeal is its simplicity. Players get six attempts to guess the daily five-letter word. Green tiles behind each letter let players know the letter is in the word and in the correct place; yellow tiles mean the letter is in the word but is in the wrong position; and gray tiles indicate that the letter is not in the word whatsoever.
Don’t worry, though, there is no time limit to the puzzle.
Newsweek‘s clues for today’s Wordle are:
Hint #1: It starts with the letter “S.”
Hint #2: It can be a noun or a verb.
Hint #3: There are no repeated letters.
Hint #4: “Glow” and “activate” are synonyms.
Hint #5: The answer rhymes with “Shark.”
‘Wordle’ #1,369, Answer for Wednesday, March 19
The answer to today’s puzzle is “Spark.”
As a noun, Merriam-Webster defines the term as “a small particle of a burning substance thrown out by a body in combustion or remaining when combustion is nearly completed,” “a hot glowing particle struck from a larger mass especially: one heated by friction,” “something that sets off a sudden force,” “a foppish young man” and more.
As a verb, it means “to throw out sparks,” “to respond with enthusiasm,” “to set off in a burst of activity: activate” and others.
Congratulations if you got the five-letter word correct! But don’t be too hard on yourself if you didn’t. Wordle is released at midnight in your local time zone, which means you will get another chance to play on Thursday.
Can’t wait for the next Wordle to drop? Pass the time with these other popular word games.
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About the writer
Megan Cartwright is Newsweek’s Deputy Entertainment Editor, based in London, U.K. Her focus is on U.S. pop culture and entertainment news stories. Megan joined Newsweek in 2022 from New York where she was the Senior Editor for In Touch, Life & Style and Closer magazines and had previously interned at MTV, Cosmopolitan and InStyle. She is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University. Languages: English.
You can get in touch with Megan by emailing m.cartwright@newsweek.com.
Megan Cartwright
Megan Cartwright is Newsweek’s Deputy Entertainment Editor, based in London, U.K. Her focus is on U.S. pop culture and entertainment …
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