The New York Times has acquired the online game of the moment, Wordle, its creator Josh Wardle said today.

No specific acquisition price was disclosed, but the Times said it was in the low seven figures.

For the time being, at least, the game will remain free for users and become part of the Times’ game suite. Wardle, a British software engineer, said he only released the game last October as something for his word-game-loving wife, and now it has millions of global users.

Wardle took to Twitter today to express that, saying he had never imagined that things would happen the way they did, especially since he was making the game for “an audience of 1.” He also said being the boss of a global phenomenon was “a little overwhelming” and so selling to the Times was an easy choice – especially since the newspaper already has some similar games.

Wordle asks its users to solve a five-letter word puzzle, but they only have six attempts to do so. If users solve the puzzle in fewer guesses they can – and by God, they do – publish the finished grid on their social media pages. This doesn’t give away the answer, though, which is one reason why its creator said it became so popular so fast.

“The Times remains focused on becoming the essential subscription for every English-speaking person seeking to understand and engage with the world. New York Times Games are a key part of that strategy,” the newspaper said in a statement. “Our games already provide original, high-quality content and experiences every single day. Wordle will now play a part in that daily experience, giving millions more people around the world another reason to turn to The Times to meet their daily news and life needs.”

In what is a pleasant story for the ages, Wardle said on Reddit he really only got into word puzzles over the last couple of years as the pandemic kept people at home. He said for him and his wife, the Times was often their go-to newspaper for word puzzles. He then decided his wife needed more of a challenge, and after making a prototype for Wordle awhile back, he finished what he’d started.

On the Reddit Q&A, someone asked Wardle why he had made it a free game. He replied, “I don’t understand why something can’t just be fun,” he replied. “I don’t have to charge people money for this and ideally would like to keep it that way.”

Photo: Wordle