Wordle’s latest update adds a new way to play with your friends

Wordle has become part of many people’s morning routine, including me and my dad, with whom I differ on tactics. But now there’s a new twist for those who fancy themselves as question masters. Instead of only solving the daily word, you can make them yourself.

According to The New York Times, which acquired the game in 2022, it has added a new feature called Create Your Wordle Puzzle to its Games app on iOS or Android, or through the website. If you’re an All Access or Games subscriber, you’re able to design custom challenges using any four- to seven-letter word. You can then send it to your friends and family, who don’t need to be NYT Games subscribers to play it.

You’ll find the new “Create+” button below Wordle in the app, next to the Archive tab. Tap it, choose “Create puzzle,” then enter your chosen word, add a display name, and include an optional clue if you want to make it a bit easier. After pressing “All set” and “Share your puzzle,” you’ll get a link you can send through your usual messaging or social apps.

The Times says that on an average day, over 2,000 Wordle scores are shared every second, so it’s easy to see why it’s leaning into the social side of the game. To mark the launch, a few of its writers and editors have made sample puzzles to show what’s possible.

For regular players, this is a fun way to make Wordle feel fresh again. Alternatively, you can do the first thing I did and create Wordles with slightly rude words for your friends. Alas, the word needs to be in the usual Games lexicon, so the naughtiest ones are off limits.