What is Nerdle? Wordle fans hooked on new challenging game

Math aficionados will love Nerdle, a new Wordle-like game that aims to please number nerds

Nerdle
(Image credit: Nerdle)

As Wordle continues to capture the attention of players all around the world, countless variations on the game have been popping up across the Internet.

Cases in point: Quordle (described as "Wordle on steroids") and Nerdle, a relatively newer spin on the world puzzle that has been described as a math-based take on the popular game.

WHAT IS NERDLE?

Nerdle was developed by British data scientist Richard Mann, whose 14-year-old daughter wished for a Wordle game equivalent that would cater to "math nerds."

Just like in Worlde, the goal of Nerdle is to figure out a "solution" in only six tries. Instead of guessing a word, though, folks that play the new iteration of the game have to figure out an equation.  

HOW TO PLAY NERDLE

You can play Nerdle on your phone, tablet or on your laptop. Just like the original franchise, Nerdle gives users six opportunities to solve a problem. After each try, the 8 tiles where you are to input your answers will change color based on your guesses. Green means you've got the right number in the right place, purple means you've got the right number in the wrong place and black means the number doesn't appear in the correct solution.

Keep in mind that the equations that you’re writing out need to be mathematically correct so you can’t be shooting in the dark when selecting numbers.

Yes, it sounds just as hard as it actually is. 

NERDLE HACKS

Given the immense popularity of Wordle, the Internet is filled with tons of tips and suggestions on how to improve your game. That is not yet the case with Nerdle. It is a newer invention, after all. 

If you are finding it way too hard to solve the Nerdle of the day, though, try starting off with Mini Nerdle, which is just what it sounds like: a smaller, easier version of the game.

It might also help you to know that Twitter users around the world are taking to the social media platform to discuss how hard—and addicting!—playing Nerdle is for them.

"There's this game called Nerdle and it's basically Wordle but math," one user wrote. "Why am I doing this after midnight??? Goodnight!"

"True love is spending your FaceTime call figuring out the daily instant Nerdle problem together," someone else wrote.

"I just want y'all to know that although I'm not posting my [...] Nerdle results, I'm still winning them ok bye," yet another pronounced.

Will Nerdle turn out to be just as addictive as its original predecessor, Wordle? All signs point to yes.

Anna Rahmanan

Anna Rahmanan is a New York-based writer and editor who covers culture, entertainment, food, fashion and travel news. Anna’s words have appeared on Time Out New York, the Huffington Post, Fortune, Forbes, Us Weekly, Bon Appetit and Brooklyn Magazine, among other outlets.