‘Until Tomorrow, Wordle!’: The Week 2 Winner of Our Summer Reading Contest

Winner

Jack Cole, 16, from Boca Raton, Fla. writes about playing Wordle, a Times game that gives you six chances to guess a 5-letter word. (If you, too, would like to play, here is a collection of tips and tricks.)

When I first accepted your challenge, I thought you were a refreshing way to start my brain for the day. Well, 648 days later our relationship has, shall we say, evolved. There are days that you and I are as one. When this happens, I enjoy a challenging but solvable puzzle, smile, and move on with my day. Other mornings, you are exceptionally easy, leading me to believe that I am obviously an expert Wordler.

Then there are the other days. Wordle, although you vehemently deny it, I know you are getting sneakier over time. When you used the triple vowel for the unbelievably random word “CACAO,” I gave you the benefit of the doubt. Despite this courtesy, there are the days that you slide in the double consonant words when you know full well people aren’t thinking of two “N’s in “ENNUI.” I mean, that’s not even English! Then, you get downright subversive. For example, “PARER” is a word that may be used outside of a professional kitchen once a year. I fully admit that I threw my (encased) phone at the couch when you told me on guess four that “PAPER” was incorrect. You knew that would ruin people’s days, right?

And the worst part, Wordle, is that I can’t clean out my phone’s history because I’m terrified of losing my 232-day winning streak. Until tomorrow, Wordle!

_______

Runners-Up

In alphabetical order by the writer’s first name.

Cameron on “U.S. Orchestras Gradually Diversify but Are Slow to Hire Black Musicians”

Dalina C. on “Let Kids Get Bored. It’s Good for Them.”

Daniel X. on “Birds With a Taste for Flesh Threaten Whale Calves”

Reese U. on “Night After Night, I Perform on Broadway and Tell a Devastating Story”

Sanjana S. on “My Father Failed Me. Here’s How I Learned to Forgive Him.”

Shekina on “Europeans Take a Major Step Toward Regulating A.I.”

Sophia Z. on “A Movement to Make Workplaces ‘Menopause Friendly’”