The New York Times said it is editing Wordle’s puzzles with the intent of removing offensive words.
The news comes after a user noticed on Wednesday the solution for Wordle puzzle #284 appeared to offer two different options. While one person first solved the puzzle with the word “harry,” the other solved it with the word “stove.” When asked why there were two words, a representative from the newspaper affirmed that the answer had been changed that day.
“In an effort to make the puzzle more accessible, we are reviewing the solutions and removing obscure or potentially insensitive words over time. HARRY is an example of an obscure word,” New York Times Executive Director of Communications Jordan Cohen told Mashable.
Both of these are marked as #wordle284 so which one is right? pic.twitter.com/sfx5dA4Dhj
— Jenny Rodrigues (@jennynotjen) March 30, 2022
While most people in the United States may use Harry as a name, the word harry means “to harass, agitate, or trouble by or as if by repeated attacks; beleaguer,” according to Dictionary.com.
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Changing words are not a new occurrence for the popular word game. Wordle puzzle #241 changed midday on Feb. 16, offering people two different solutions based on which website they were using.
The New York Times acquired Wordle on Jan. 31 for an “undisclosed seven-figure amount” from its designer, Mark Wardle. The game, which saw a surge of interest in January 2021, has been hosted on the New York Times website since its purchase.
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Wordle blocks certain offensive and derogatory terms from being used, including “b****,” “whore,” and “sluts,” according to Polygon.
A representative from the New York Times did not respond to requests for comment from the Washington Examiner.
