Sometime around mid-January this year, a good friend of mine sent me the link to Wordle, saying “try”. I had read an article about it. Then there was that news from the US of the timely rescue of a mother being held hostage, all thanks to Wordle.

So I tried. Initially, I did not understand the rules and tapped on whatever box to make an impressive word. Six tries and the slots remained yellow and grey with a random green. The correct word appeared, the day ended and the next day brought us another Wordle.

It took me three days for the green boxes to reveal. That too at my fourth attempt! One complete word, finally! Crimp. Meanwhile, my friend showed off by guessing one on her second attempt. ‘2/6,’ it read.

I showed the game to my husband.

“How do you begin?” he asked.
“Wild guess,” I replied.
“That doesn’t work for me.

With that, the conversation around Wordle was deep buried, at least at home.

“Have you tried Wordle yet?” I asked another friend.

We discuss books and all other things under the sun.

“I can’t be that dedicated to finding five-letter words,” pat came the reply.

So it was back to me and my friend, the original messenger. Our other common interests around pets, books, food, and walks are shared in a close-knit WhatsApp group. Post-Wordle, we have formed our separate line of conversation where we discuss the word of the day and other such specifics. First, we share our score, followed by the filled-in grid. "Such divergent paths to the same word, different means to the end," chuckles my friend.

She takes Slate, Prune, Binge to Mince. I go Feast, Mower, and Mince. I go Media, Fluid and Vivid. She goes, Rains, Pilot, Mixed and Vivid. One of those rare times, when we thought alike, Apple to Ample. Our paths beginning to Merge in the world of Wordle.

It is quite frustrating to get three green tiles at the first attempt, but still not be able to guess the correct word! The worst times is when four of the five letters appear but you are still stuck on that one illusive alphabet. Catch, Patch, Batch, Latch, Match, Hatch, all chances gone, and Watch it is! Dammit.

This one time when I have had only one green, an ‘e’ for instance, much like a universal blood donor, and then managed to get the word with a 3/6 score, my friend remarked “leap of faith”.

I try picking clues. Check the previous day’s word to avoid using the same alphabet or similar-sounding words. If it was Scare yesterday, certainly it won’t be Spare or Sport. Avoid Party or Trial. Avoid all words that end with ‘re’. Also, do not even think of words like Urine and Sperm. It’s highly unlikely. But then it was Flair and Foyer for two consecutive days, and we are back to wild guesses.

For me, the first word is always the most exciting. Before it becomes a game. I try Craft, Mushy, Panel, and Dream.

“Think simple,” says my friend.
“I don’t think this game is for Shashi Tharoor.” We agree.
“He will lose all six chances.”
“There, Where, Other, Today … are these words even worth thinking about for Mr Tharoor?”
“Why not? Commas made philosophers of us all. That’s the beauty of language. It’s all worth it, I guess.”
After all, simplicity is a virtue in an increasingly complex world, we conclude.

Words are getting progressively less linear on Wordle – Squad, Foray, Irony, Nymph. It is as if the developers can hear us. But whatever it is, tomorrow is yet another day, another Wordle and I’m looking forward to it!