NYT's new ‘WordleBot’ will passive-aggressively insult your strategy

More like "WetBlanketBot"
By Cecily Mauran  on 
Image of WordleBot in the forefront of 'Wordle' tiles
Credit: Eden Weingart/The New York Times

The New York Times just brought the smug know-it-all to the Wordle party.

On Thursday evening, the Times, which bought Wordle in January, introduced "WordleBot" to the world on Twitter. The tweet describes WordleBot as "your daily Wordle companion that will tell you how efficient and lucky you were," but honestly, it just feels patronizing.

To put WordleBot to work, one must first solve the daily Wordle, then the Wordle-splaining begins. "I’ll examine your puzzle and tell you what, if anything, I would have done differently," says the self-righteous droid.

Mashable Top Stories
Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.
Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!

Then, it proceeds to pick apart your Wordle strategy guess by guess in humiliating fashion. "Your guess did eliminate five words, but there were some better options. Guessing "RANDY" for example, would have guaranteed eliminating every possible solution but one." Thanks for the feedback WordleBot.

Screenshot of WordlBot intro
So smug. Credit: Screenshot: 'New York Times'

For the first few slides WordleBot kept up a friendly, if not patronizing, disposition, but then it just turned cold: "This was a wasted guess — it didn’t add anything to what we already knew. From this point, you will need some luck to solve the puzzle in six guesses." Oh, is that what I need WordleBot? LUCK?

Screenshot of WordleBot providing feedback
I decide whether or not it was a wasted guess. Credit: Screenshot: 'New York Times'

My coworker, Mashable Australia editor Caitlin Welsh was equally offended by such a rigid approach to strategy, not because she made a bad guess, but because she did in fact have a strategy, and WordleBot was just too ignorant to see it. "Sorry WordleBot," she said, "my third guess today did exactly what I intended it to, which was confirm letter placement? It was not 'wasted'!"

Once WordleBot has broken your spirit, it proceeds to twist the knife and compares your score to how it, a fucking robot, would solve the puzzle.

Screenshot of WordleBot comparing scores
Now WordleBot is just showing off. Credit: Screenshot: 'New York Times'

Topics Wordle

Mashable Image
Cecily Mauran

Cecily is a tech reporter at Mashable who covers AI, Apple, and emerging tech trends. Before getting her master's degree at Columbia Journalism School, she spent several years working with startups and social impact businesses for Unreasonable Group and B Lab. Before that, she co-founded a startup consulting business for emerging entrepreneurial hubs in South America, Europe, and Asia. You can find her on Twitter at @cecily_mauran.


Recommended For You
Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 24
a phone displaying Wordle

Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 26
a phone displaying Wordle

Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 14
a phone displaying Wordle

Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 27
a phone displaying Wordle

Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 28
a phone displaying Wordle

More in Entertainment

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for April 30
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'


Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 30
a phone displaying Wordle

NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 30
Closeup view of crossword puzzle clues

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for April 29
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!