The world of Wordle is expanding: The New York Times Games is launching a “Create Your Wordle Puzzle” feature that will allow users to go beyond just playing the popular word game, and instead develop their own one-word challenges.
Debuting Thursday, Create Your Wordle Puzzle will let All Access and Games subscribers “turn inside jokes, special moments, or personal messages” into a 4-7 letter solution with a “created by” label and an optional clue, all done via the New York Times Games app on iOS and Android, as well as mobile web and desktop.
However, not every word can be Wordled.
Per the New York Times Games’ acceptable use policy for Create Your Wordle Puzzle, users are prohibited from including the following in their customized puzzles: name-calling, personal attacks, slurs, harassment, threats, hate speech, bullying, abuse, malicious acts, descriptions of violence or gore, and discrimination, as well as profanity (including expletives and letters followed by dashes that could translate to an expletive) and content that is sexual, salacious, obscene, or predatory, including grooming behaviors.
The new Wordle offering comes at a time of continuous growth for the NYT Games division. In Q3, helped by its exclusive games lineup, the New York Times added 460,000 net digital-only subscribers, bringing the total to 12.33 million.
“The Games team has wanted to do this for some time,” The New York Times Games chief Jonathan Knight told Variety. “We also talk to our users regularly, and take their temperature on what they’d like to see from us. And now that Wordle has a collection of great features surrounding it, like the Wordle Archive of over 1500 puzzles, plus WordleBot’s post-game analysis, we knew the time was right to deliver Create Your Wordle Puzzle.”
Once a Create Your Wordle Puzzle is crafted, the creator will receive a unique URL that will let them share the custom puzzle with others. Notably, this feature allows non-subscribers to play puzzles created by subscribers.
“We think there’s a lot of value in the creation part of the experience, and understand that our most dedicated fans are the most likely to be the Create Your Wordle Puzzle makers,” Knight said. “But we also want as many people as possible within those fans’ networks (big or small) to enjoy the solving side of that same experience. This will make it the most satisfying for everyone.”
At this time, Knight says the NYT Games team is “not looking” at creating custom versions of its other products — which include the Crossword, Connections, Spelling Bee, Pips and more games — and is instead focused on the Create Your Wordle launch. “It’s just the beginning, and we’re excited to learn and to see what people create!” Knight said.
To coincide with the launch of Create Your Wordle Puzzle, The New York Times curated the below list of custom puzzles from nine prominent NYT staffers across the newsroom and verticals including Audio, Cooking, Games, Wirecutter and The Athletic:
Melissa Clark, food columnist for New York Times Cooking.
Play Clark’s Wordle puzzle here.
Clue: “Good to know how to make in a pan.”
Anna Martin, host of the “Modern Love” podcast.
Play Martin’s Wordle puzzle here.
Clue: “A scary way to stop seeing someone.”
Ben Frumin, editor-in-chief of Wirecutter.
Play Frumin’s Wordle puzzle here.
Clue: “Next season we’re winning it all!!”
Dianna Russini, senior NFL insider for The Athletic.
Play Russini’s Wordle puzzle here.
Clue: “What I do while chasing news (and my kids).”
Marc Lacey, managing editor of The New York Times.
Play Lacey’s Wordle puzzle here.
Clue: “Bring a camera and wide-brimmed hat.”
David Marchese, journalist and co-host of “The Interview” podcast.
Play Marchese’s Wordle puzzle here.
Clue: “It’s what I’m often doing at work.”
Vaughn Vreeland, writer and host of “Bake Time” for New York Times Cooking.
Play Vreeland’s Wordle puzzle here.
Clue: “A type of kitchen tool that’s handy for baking.”
Jacqueline Yue, product director of New York Times Games.
Play Yue’s Wordle puzzle here.
Clue: “🧖🫧”
David Ornstein, football correspondent for The Athletic.
Play Ornstein’s Wordle puzzle here.
Clue: “The element for which I have become most renowned.”
