Just make the main link a New York Times gift article link. Those aren't paywalled. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/18/world/middleeast/israel-exploding-pagers-hezbollah.html?unlocked_article_code=1.L04.4Yla.tf3LG-_hbGcb&smid=url-share

#Wordle1188 3/6* Grade: B+

⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 F (1,674)
⬛🟩⬛🟨⬛ B- (23)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNudF97iZqAQzWQG

I just played the letters I wanted to play and blundered into the solution in 3/6.

#Wordle1187 4/6* Grade: A-

🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛ F (629)
🟩🟨⬛⬛⬛ B+ (10)
🟩⬛🟩🟩🟩 A+ (1)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20r591AQjxXR4dMPseqaQ

I've been over on this thread on /r/wordle where I'm still a mod. Whenever someone mentions that they use a canned sequence of words at the start of every game, I look into my research and find a set that's better in every way. It's fun to bring it up every now and then. Just because you can make 5 words with 25 different letters (like WALTZ VIBEX FJORD NYMPH GUCKS) doesn't make it a good idea.

#Wordle1186 4/6* Grade: B+

⬛🟨⬛⬛🟨 D- (416)
🟨⬛🟨🟨⬛ D (32)
🟩🟩🟩⬛🟩 A+ (1)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20r4IqXxIhVisXvpcwgef

Oof. This word is going to throw some people.

#Wordle1185 3/6* Grade: B+

⬛⬛🟩⬛🟨 D+ (197)
⬛⬛🟩🟩⬛ F (34)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNtEx7J69zphURhS

That was luck. I'm not even going to act like I calculated that.

#Wordle1184 3/6* Grade: A

⬛⬛⬛🟨🟨 D+ (221)
🟨⬛⬛🟨🟩 A+ (1)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNtsP7gnfJBg2nO9

Wow, OK. I got stuck and had to use my research to figure out my only playable 3rd guess.

#Wordle1183 3/6* Grade: A-

⬛🟨⬛⬛⬛ F (1,071)
⬛🟩⬛🟩🟩 A+ (2)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNth76NHiGVMy96r

I think optimizing for 3/6s is the way to go. When I have time, I'll write a bot to figure out an optimal starting word.

#Wordle1182 4/6* Grade: B-

⬛🟩⬛⬛⬛ F (899)
⬛🟩⬛⬛🟨 F (136)
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+ (1)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20r304qkYiPseEZQYbT5d

Good game. I'm impressed some of you got this in 3/6 somehow.

#Wordle1181 4/6* Grade: B

⬛🟨⬛⬛⬛ F (1,071)
⬛🟩⬛🟨⬛ D (59)
🟩🟩🟩🟩⬛ A+ (1)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20r2ztN2i2TKaODDXU0XU

Good game. Gradle doesn't understand that ⬛ is good information too.

#Wordle1180 3/6* Grade: A-

🟨🟨⬛⬛🟩 B- (59)
⬛🟨🟨⬛🟩 D- (13)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNsHZ5pwpxALi7Yw

I think my theory is really solid now. My next step to improve would be to write a bot that tries every starting word vs every puzzle solution and find the best strategy I could teach a human player.

#Wordle1179 4/6* Grade: B+

🟨⬛⬛⬛🟨 F (470)
⬛🟨⬛🟩🟨 C+ (19)
🟩🟩⬛🟩🟩 A (2)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20r1IiwqTCfC44dFfq88X

A classic case of me not thinking of the word.

#Wordle1178 3/6* Grade: B+

⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 F (1,674)
🟨⬛🟨🟨🟨 A+ (3)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNskz4u5BXq6XlxV

Yeah! Saving two common consonants for the second turn seems to make its own luck.

#Wordle1177 4/6* Grade: B

⬛🟨🟨⬛⬛ D (341)
⬛🟩🟩⬛🟩 A (3)
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩 D- (2)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20r0R7fPyfr4AjAMSoHBb

Tricky word, but my training guaranteed a win this time.

#Wordle1176 4/6* Grade: A-

⬛⬛🟩⬛🟨 D+ (197)
⬛⬛🟩🟩🟩 B- (9)
⬛🟨🟩🟩🟩 A+ (1)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20r0qwCwLQvUgEKWHtmlr

Good run. I could nitpick my 2nd word, but I can't think of a better one.

#Wordle1175 4/6* Grade: B+

⬛⬛🟨⬛🟨 D- (360)
⬛🟨🟨🟨⬛ D (33)
⬛🟩🟩⬛🟩 A+ (1)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20qZZVZe7hu4XqNOfj8Bv

Did anyone else's starting word return the exact same result three days in a row? I think @nytgames@threads.net Wordle editor is trolling us again.

#Wordle1174 4/6* Grade: C+

⬛⬛🟨⬛🟨 D- (360)
🟨🟨🟨⬛⬛ F (43)
⬛⬛🟨🟨🟨 F (16)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20qZzllVqPF4ovbxtvDVH

I was sleepy and wasted my 3rd turn repeating a yellow letter. I should've had it in 3/6.

#Wordle1173 3/6* Grade: A

⬛⬛🟨⬛🟨 D- (360)
⬛🟨🟩🟩🟨 A+ (1)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNro12as82opNda5

Skill shot!

#Wordle1172 3/6* Grade: A

⬛🟩🟨⬛⬛ C- (187)
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩 A- (5)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNrcj1HKscR7y8o3

Statistically, I should have used an S in my third guess, but this was a happy accident.

#Wordle1171 2/6* Grade: A+

🟨🟩⬛🟨🟨 A+ (2) 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#o87NtraDUZET

Wow! For me, today's puzzle wasn't Wordle; it was just unscrambling a word. ✌️

::: spoiler Tap for critical hit :::

#Wordle1170 4/6* Grade: B

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ F (1,860)
🟨🟨⬛⬛⬛ C (44)
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩 B (4)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20qXQYOIKD5aYFDgDFsBG

I got lucky here. That third guess felt like a strange choice at the time, but I just checked my research and I think it was my best option.

#Wordle1169 3/6* Grade: B+

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ F (1,860)
🟩⬛⬛⬛🟩 A- (9)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNqDb0jAL7NVhnkT

A ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ isn't scary when you have such a good response.

#Wordle1168 3/6* Grade: A

⬛🟨🟨⬛🟩 B (32)
⬛🟩🟩⬛🟩 B (4)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNqrsZQS3aMEcVvu

Scoredle's bot had an inane second guess for me, but I think my actual guesses were nice and tight.

Here in Ohio, FuncoLand and Electronics Boutique were the national game store chains in town until GameStop bought them both and took over their stores. Funco was known for their lists of trade-in values in magazines in the days before VGPC. Now it's come full circle and GameStop is turning some stores into the 90s FuncoLand stores they replaced.

Or FuncoLand?

#Wordle1167 4/6* Grade: B+

🟨⬛🟨⬛⬛ C+ (78)
⬛🟩⬛🟩⬛ B- (7)
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩 D+ (3)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20qWzcUOCWc8eNHrlgvXQ

Let's see who's been paying attention in class.

#Wordle1166 3/6* Grade: B+

🟩⬛⬛⬛🟩 B (33)
🟩⬛⬛⬛🟩 F (16)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNq42YVps51S9N3K

I like this word! I was about to guess it 2nd, but I decided to go with something else to cover more possibilities.

#Wordle1165 3/6* Grade: A

⬛⬛🟨🟨⬛ B- (66)
⬛🟨🟩🟨🟩 A+ (2)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNpSkYsHMDncfnpX

Good game. I wonder if my second guess was optimal, but it got the job done today.

#Wordle1164 4/6* Grade: B+

⬛🟨⬛⬛🟩 C- (182)
🟨⬛🟩⬛🟩 C (13)
🟩🟩🟩⬛🟩 B- (3)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20qVhr0UEpJIRLCm3p5eA

@nytgames@threads.net Tracy Bennett, you brilliant troll!

#Wordle1163 4/6* Grade: B+

⬛🟨⬛⬛🟩 C- (182)
🟨⬛🟩⬛🟩 C (13)
🟩🟨🟩⬛🟩 A- (2)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20qUQQnBXXUIh0KM0vHG4

Again, I feel like a dork getting a 4/6 when Scoredle's solver somehow got a 2/6. It always takes me too long to find these letters, but could I really expect to do better?

I've only actually played the first game, but as I understand it, NiGHTS is a high-ranking Nightmaren just like the monstrous bosses they fight. NiGHTS happens to be powerful enough to be independent. Whenever the other Nightmaren mug a dreaming visitor, if the visitor keeps hold of one of their Ideyas, NiGHTS finds it more fun to help the visitor wreck everything instead.

Edit: corrected NiGHTS to they/them pronouns (and while I'm here, you can still get the Steam version of NiGHTS for free)

#Wordle1162 4/6* Grade: B

🟨⬛⬛⬛🟨 F (470)
⬛🟨🟨🟩⬛ C- (29)
🟨🟩🟩🟩⬛ B+ (3)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20qUqfKjfZgrZyF2oTNx9

I've got to find a better way to deal with the 🟨⬛⬛⬛🟨 case.

#Wordle1161 2/6* Grade: A+

🟩⬛⬛🟩🟨 A+ (5)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#o86XUkb7Chld

::: spoiler Tap for critical hit!✌️ :::

#Wordle1160 3/6* Grade: A-

⬛⬛⬛⬛🟩 F (560)
🟨🟩⬛⬛🟩 A+ (2)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNoVMW96kvUWje5K

This puzzle is easy to beat if you have any skill.

#Wordle1159 4/6* Grade: A-

🟨⬛⬛🟩⬛ B+ (25)
⬛🟨⬛🟩⬛ B- (4)
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩 C (2)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#20qT8tQpdJRfdzYba9HxB

My starting word gave the weird rare 🟨⬛⬛🟩⬛, and it took me a while to figure out how to play on from there.

::: spoiler Tap for a spoiler possible play One legal move for my 3rd turn was MULCT. Apparently, a mulct is a fine or tax, derived from the Latin word mulcta which means "fine". Did any Wordle player anywhere actually try that guess today? :::

#Wordle1158 3/6* Grade: A

🟨🟨⬛⬛🟨 C (135)
🟩🟩🟨🟨⬛ A+ (2)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNoymVdCd1GbdAfu

Yeah! I jumped into Wordle at midnight and nailed the 3/6... Uh, Wordle, are you trying to tell me something?

#Wordle1157 5/6* Grade: C

⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 F (1,674)
🟨🟨⬛🟩⬛ C (37)
⬛🟨🟨🟩⬛ F (15)
⬛⬛🟩🟩🟩 A (2)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#4yz6R3f6prVSZ0m5OUfgAtqxj

Yikes! I made that one more scary than it had to be.

would've been fun if the local magazines were somewhat more active.

I'm trying! :P

I originally chose Kbin/Mbin over Lemmy because of the added support for Mastodon-like posts, but it's still suffers from wonky early adopter stuff. I still rather like Mbin's interface more than Lemmy's defaults, though Lemmy's support for third party front ends is very cool. Whichever way you go, I'm happy that Mbin and Lemmy have access to all the same content. Mbin could grow more if some of a magazine's custom CSS could federate to other instances, or if it supported bots like Lemmy.

Oh dang, I'm gonna have to look into PieFed, though. That looks good! I'd like to see how my community looks, but I think a registered piefed.social user has to do this community lookup for federation to begin.

#Wordle1156 2/6* Grade: A+

🟩🟩🟩⬛⬛ A (6)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#o86y7LGm8m3C

::: spoiler Tap for spoiler victory dance ✌️ :::

#Wordle1155 3/6* Grade: B+

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ F (1,860)
🟩⬛⬛🟩🟨 A+ (3)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 A+

https://gradle.app/#SNnZeTPuqFmvQII4

Man, I turned a ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ into a 3/6 but nobody's going to see it because I played the puzzle 2 hours before midnight in my local time. Oh well.

:::spoiler Tap for spoiler :::