Elaine is being released and may be coming home tonight or tomorrow.  I can't wait.

WORDLE!

Xfinity had an interesting show about Wordle last night.  I learned a lot.

Will Shortz, the New York Times puzzle editor and fellow Mensa and National Puzzlers League member has been running The National Crossword Contest for forty years. 

This year, because of the popularity of Wordle and because The New York Times bought the rights to it, he included it as part of this year's contest.

Here is a bit of what I learned last night:

One year ago, only ten people tried it at first to find the solution word (which was CIGAR); now millions are addicted.  

The Wordle compilers have already built a file of all the solution words they will use for the next six months.

Will tries Wordle every day and always uses the same beginning word AROSE because it gives him 3 vowels and 2 common letters.

IMHO here are other beginning words that you might consider:

ADIEU = 4 vowels

ATONE = 3 vowels and 2 common letters

PASTE   =  2 vowels and 2 common letters

But I like these beginning words better because I think they may tax your brain and give you more fun and satisfaction when you succeed:

SPASM = just one vowel and a repeated common letter

CRYPT  = No vowels, unless you consider Y a vowel

CLASP  =  1 vowel and 1 common letter

This is a list of common English letters in order by usage:

ETAOINSHRDLU

This was derived from linotype letter usage. And as I mentioned somewhere before, it is the name of a sci/fi character:  ETAOIN  SHRDLU.

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