Wordle

I really like word games. I really like puzzles that I can write programs for. This game scratches both itches.

Basic facts

• Wordle is a Javascript client-side program, so you can examine its programming. Embedded in the main script is the dictionary of 2315 words that it chooses its solutions from. In general, the words aren't very obscure, so on the whole Wordle shouldn't have you running for a dictionary.
  • (There's also a second dictionary of 10,657 words that includes all words that it accepts as "valid". These can be much more obscure.)
• The author intends to add an "archive" feature to the game, so people don't have to wait a whole 24 hours to play a new round. In the meantime though, you can change your laptop's system time to play future Wordles.
  • Changing the system date can make a lot of websites break, because of HTTPS certificates. Right now, the Wordle website's certificate is good from 12/22/2021 through 12/22/2022, so you can feel free to pick any date in that range. But you'll want to undo the date change when you're done, so all the other websites continue working.

Advice

• Most people start with the same word every time. What is a good starting word though? I wrote this program to calculate what the best words to start with are. It suggests ONSET, ATONE, STEIN, or STONE. I like ATONE because it has the most vowels.