Well the end is nigh, dearest Wordlers. 2o23’s time on this earth has come to an end. Revelers of all ages will take to the streets to drink copious amounts of flavored rubbing alcohol and ring in the new year with fireworks, swapping spit with strangers and pounding hangovers. Nothing says “happy new year!” like mountains of regret.
Perhaps I woke up on the cynical side of the bed today. I’ve been watching—and enjoying the hell out of—this four hour long video from YouTuber Harry “hbomberguy” Harris on some of the most egregious acts of plagiarism on YouTube.
Even when you know it’s bad, and only getting worse with all the blatant theft on other sites like TikTok, it’s still astonishing to see the lengths some people go to steal other people’s hard work and then pass it off as your own. I think perhaps the most salient point Harris makes (or one of the most important anyways) is how it almost always comes from a place devoid of joy. These are people who take no pleasure in creating, who have no sense of putting in a labor of love at all, and so create content that is soulless, unoriginal and hollow.
In any case, it’s four hours long so I’m not finished with it yet but I wanted to share it with all of you regardless.
If you’re looking for something to watch this New Year’s weekend, check out my streaming guide here.
It’s the last day of 2023. 2024 beckons. Let’s do this final Wordle of the year, shall we?
How To Solve Today’s Word
The Hint: How I feel whenever Wordle Bot beats me at Wordle.
The Clue: This word ends with the same letter as last year’s New Year’s Eve Wordle.
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See yesterday’s Wordle #924 right here.
Wordle Bot Analysis
After each Wordle I solve I head over to the Wordle Bot homepage to see how my guessing game was.
Yesterday, I would have been thrilled to guess in three given yesterday’s Wordle and, well, because it’s always great to guess in three. Except for today, which I’ll get to in the score section below.
My opening guess, steal, came from the above video, which is all about plagiarism and theft. I suppose it hits close to home, given the business I’m in. Slant was just one of three words I could think of after this guess. The others were shalt (which I figured was probably not the right guess) and salty. I almost picked salty but it was a coin toss and I went with slant instead. Alas!
Today’s Competitive Wordle Score
A sad, sad wash today. I get 1 point for guessing in three but lose it immediately for losing to Wordle Bot, who snagged the answer on guess #2. I guess slate really paid off today!
Today’s Wordle Etymology
The word “salty” originates from the Old English “sealt,” related to salt. Its primary meaning is about the taste of salt. In nautical terms, it evolved to describe something experienced with the sea, like a seasoned sailor. In modern slang, “salty” refers to being irritated or bitter, a usage that likely started in the early 20th century and became popular in online communities. This evolution showcases how language adapts over time across different contexts.
Play Competitive Wordle Against Me!
I’ve been playing a cutthroat game of PvP Wordle against my nemesis Wordle But. Now you should play against me! I can be your nemesis! (And your helpful Wordle guide, of course). You can also play against the Bot if you have a New York Times subscription.
Here are the rules:
- 1 point for getting the Wordle in 3 guesses.
- 2 points for getting it in 2 guesses.
- 3 points for getting it in 1 guess.
- 1 point for beating me
- 0 points for getting it in 4 guesses.
- -1 point for getting it in 5 guesses.
- -2 points for getting it in 6 guesses.
- -3 points for losing.
- -1 point for losing to me
You can either keep a running tally of your score if that’s your jam or just play day-to-day if you prefer.
