Social Media

New York Times buys viral word game Wordle

Published

February 2, 2022

Luigi Leonardo

You might have noticed a grid of colored squares peppered around your social media feeds as of late. Likewise, you might have also seen a strange influx of interest for word games. Though they don’t seem connected, both trends revolve around the sudden astronomical rise of a viral word game called Wordle. If you’ve been wondering about the game yourself, you might hear a lot more about it in the coming months. Taking it from its social media roots, the New York Times has acquired Wordle.

How to play Wordle

So, what exactly is Wordle? The popular word game doesn’t differ a lot from traditional word-guessing games. Every day, players get a five-letter word to guess and six tries to do it. You don’t get any hints as to what the word might be. Instead, the game tells you which letters belong to the word. A yellow square means that the letter is in the word but in the wrong position. Green means it’s the right letter in the right position. Meanwhile, black means that the letter isn’t part of the solution.

Now, you’re likely getting a clearer idea of what those colored squares on Twitter mean. That grid, composed of yellow, green, and black squares, represent the user’s tries. It’s a badge of honor, as if to say, “Yeah, I just took this many tries to guess the word.”

Getting into the game is easy, too. Instead of fancy apps or pay-to-play systems, Wordle is free to play on any browser with this link. It’s a completely web-based game. Besides making it easy for players to get into the game, having a web-based platform means that any Wordle alternatives you might see on the App Store or on the Play Store aren’t part of the authentic Wordle experience. In fact, Apple already started purging any copycats from the App Store in January.

An astronomical rise

Created by software engineer Josh Wardle, the game was originally meant only for his partner, Palak Shah, who loves word games. The Brooklyn-based engineer created the simple game with no need for any account creation. The game doesn’t even have ads.

In fact, the original iteration didn’t even have a way to share your progress on social media. Apparently, Wardle only decided to introduce the feature when a New Zealand player used emojis to represent their progress on the word of the day.

Despite the simplicity of it, Wordle has exploded from its original one-person target audience. Because of good, old-fashioned word-of-mouth, millions of players now post their word grids every single day. And, according to an early interview with The Guardian, Wardle is now challenged to maintain the game’s operation every day.

“It going viral doesn’t feel great to be honest. I feel a sense of responsibility for the players. I feel I really owe it to them to keep things running and make sure everything’s working correctly,” the developer said.

Image source: New York Times

NYT buys Wordle

On Monday, The New York Times purchased the popular word game for “an undisclosed price in the low seven figures,” taking the game off Wardle’s hands. Though the acquisition might seem like a blow to the indie dream, the developer believes that the company are the right stewards for the game, citing that their values follow Wardle’s.

For the Times’ part, acquiring the hit word game can only mean opportunity for the publication’s growing games library. Like any newspaper, the Times maintains a games section to keep everyone’s minds calm amid the growing dread from today’s news. With most publication already in the digital realm, it’s easier to keep a game library. In fact, even before their acquisition of Wordle, the publication already had a similar game called Spelling Bee.

However, despite the acquisition’s promise for both Wardle and the Times, the latter has not explained whether the game will change direction in any way. Though the Times offers some gameplay for free, most are locked behind a subscriber wall.

Certainly, the Times does have a lot of precedent for keeping the games as is. Now, more than a day after the acquisition was made public, Wordle is still the same game as it has always been.

Colored squares will keep littering your feeds for the foreseeable future. Underlying all this talk of acquisition, Wordle offers one of the simplest ways to keep connected over the internet: a daily five-letter word to bond over.

Entertainment

BINI, KATSEYE among top worldwide Google Searches ahead of Coachella

Coachella to kick off this weekend

Published

April 10, 2026

GadgetMatch

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

BINI and KATSEYE topped recent Google Search trends ahead of their Coachella performances this month.

It’s clear that Coachella attendees are curious about the popular Philippine pop girl group, as well as the Los Angeles-based global girl group.

That’s aside from dedicated BLOOMs who are eager to see Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena take part in the legendary California music festival on Friday, April 10.

According to Google Trends data, global searches for the term “BINI Coachella” hit a perfect
score of 100 on April 8.

This indicates that the search term briefly became the highest-ranking search trend.

Meanwhile, “KATSEYE Coachella” scored 98 on April 7 on Google Trends, followed by a perfect 100 on April 8.

The timing of KATSEYE’s new single, “PINKY UP” couldn’t have been better as it dropped just a day before their Sahara stage set.

At the same time, the Filipino octet has also released “Blush” as their new comeback song — just hours ahead of KATSEYE.

As such, EYEKONS have also been scouring the interwebs for the global girl group.

And as these are worldwide search data, the recent Google Search trends somewhat prove these artists are effectively breaking through the global mainstream, and introducing their respective cultures to the global stage.

Social Media

ZOOP, a new social platform, to launch soon

Platform to host dedicated Eurovision Song Contest Asia channel during launch

Published

April 5, 2026

GadgetMatch

A new social platform built around creators, fans, and communities will launch globally on April 9. It is called ZOOP, and the launch will coincide with a dedicated Eurovision Song Contest Asia channel.

ZOOP positions itself as a challenger to the likes of Meta (Facebook, Instagram) and TikTok. It is designed so creators keep more of the value they generate — up to 80% of revenue, and potentially up to 50 times more than on traditional platforms.

Additionally, fans also get rewarded for meaningful engagement. ZOOP says it has already attracted nearly 1 million users via its web version, beta tests, and waitlist ahead of launch.

Securing a partnership with Eurovision Song Contest Asia as its exclusive social partner is a bold first move. And it isn’t just random; ZOOP plans to host dedicated channels, communities, competitions, voting and rewards around major cultural moments.

ZOOP is powered by Hedera for scalable, low-cost, and transparent participation. The social media platform also has an exclusive global rewards partnership with TLC Worldwide across more than 50 countries.

Her GadgetMatch

Maris Racal’s lewd messages are a treasure trove for thirst trap captions

She’s now etched as a meme material for generations

Published

December 4, 2024

MJ Jucutan

After an accidental wine night, I almost drunk-texted my long-term, long-distance, low-commitment casual boyfriend — until I saw Jam Villanueva’s screenshots splashed all over Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and everywhere else.

In case you’re out of the loop, Villanueva is now the ex-girlfriend of Filipino actor Anthony Jennings, who’s allegedly caught in a sizzling affair with his co-star Maris Racal. The drama allegedly unfolded while Jennings and Racal filmed Incognito.

This tea is extra spicy because Racal, months ago, split with long-term boyfriend Rico Blanco, who insisted Jennings wasn’t involved. But as they say, time tells all — and honestly, the math isn’t mathing.

Cue me, waking up with wine-stained teeth and fresh eyes (still a little red from the wine).

Suddenly, the Racal-Jennings affair felt less like a scandal and more like a masterclass in thirst trap captions. Because honestly, those lewd texts? They’re a treasure trove for Instagram, TikTok, and maybe even Bumble.

So, to save you the trouble of scrolling through messy screenshots, I’ve rounded up the best lines and how to use them — because you deserve captions as hot as you are.

“can we delete msgs?”

Best used for: smokin’ hot mirror selfies with an air of mystery. Bonus points if you’re holding the hand of someone — but don’t hard-launch them just yet.

P.S. Let it actually be your man. We don’t condone home-wrecking here.

“come be my pillow”

This one’s for those sultry bedtime selfies where your makeup or skincare glow is fire. A literal thirst trap, no explanation needed.

“you look so tired i wanna baby u”

Perfect for an irresistible photo meant to elicit a DM from your crush. Just make sure they’re single, because you’re better than a messy love triangle.

“not ready for ‘I love yous'”

For my commitment-free girlies. Use this when you’re traveling solo or just out here thriving, reminding the world you’re too fabulous to settle but still worth worshipping.

“that was so hot”

Post this after a fiery gym session, a post-run selfie, or a beach pic in that new swimsuit that has you feeling yourself.

“smoke then f*ck”

For your night-out pics in that dress — the one you wear when you’re ready to dominate the club (or the smoking area).

“really wanna smoke tonight”

Best paired with a sultry balcony shot overlooking a city skyline. Bathrobes optional but recommended.

“you’re sexy in person”

Mysterious but bold, this line shines with photos where you’re giving just enough. Think: covered face, fine body. Let them wonder.

“wish this night was longer”

For those cozy-yet-sexy bedtime shots in lingerie or silk. Keep it ambiguous: are you pining for someone, or just enjoying your own glow?

“but i like being held by you”

The ultimate flirt caption. Post with a smokin’ hot selfie, and trust me, the right person will slide into your DMs. And maybe, sliding something else soon.

“i’ll touch myself”

For the queens who know their worth and take pride in self-love. Celebrate you and your right to the Big O.

“you forgot your sweater”

An iconic caption for pics with no clothes on (or strategically placed blankets). Your crush should leave their sweater behind for you to sniff like a rom-com heroine.

“u miss my body?”

An iconic caption for when your photo is that good — so good, even you’re turning yourself on.

“i want baby kisses”

For the flirty queens who love a little harmless attention. Best paired with mirror selfies that focus on your glowing face and just enough of your upper body to keep them hooked. You’re not looking for love; you’re just reminding them who’s the moment.

With all these fire captions, remember: they’re for you

These captions are for self-love, not stolen love. Validate your glow, hype your body, and own your moment — but never send them to someone else’s boyfriend. We’ve all been Jam Villanueva, and trust me, you don’t want to be on the receiving end of that kind of heartbreak.

So, channel your inner diva and let them wish they had a chance. Stay confident, stay hot, and keep it classy. You’re better than a messy affair.