It’s very windy out. As I type this post, my little garden-shed-turned-office is practically shaking with the wind. I feel like Dorothy, about to go up up and away, though I doubt I’d land in Oz. Here in the mountains, of course, we do not have as much of a risk of tornadoes as lowlanders do, but we do get them from time to time. We get it all: Massive blizzards that dump five feet of snow in a week; huge wildfires that flicker tongues of flame up above the peaks for all the world to see; monsoons; droughts; tornadoes; floods. No hurricanes, though, which is a perk. No tsunamis, either, though no beaches so it’s a trade-off.
But we’re here to talk about Wordle, not the weather.
Before we get to that, a reminder that my weekend streaming guide is up and some very fine shows to check out. I also reviewed the new Dune Part 2 film, which I enjoyed but have mixed feelings about.
Now, let us Wordle! Onward!
How To Solve Today’s Wordle
The Hint: Nation.
The Clue: This Wordle ends with a vowel.
.
.
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The Answer:
Wordle Analysis
Every day I check Wordle Bot to see how I did. You can check your Wordles with Wordle Bot right here.
My opening word was not very good, though a tiny bit ironic given the final Wordle, both being words associated with governance. Why did I guess count? I’m not entirely sure. I’ve been writing about Dune but that has mostly dukes and barons, not counts. Ah well, following it with slate was just the thing, turning over a shocking four green boxes in the process and leaving me with just three options: spate, skate and state. Of course, at this point you just have to swing for the fences. I guessed skate because I’ve just started watching Sharp Objects on HBO and so many of the girls skate in that show, so that instantly seemed like an omen. Alas, I was wrong. Fortunately I hadn’t actually thought of spate as an answer, so I went with my next best guess: state for the win!
Competitive Wordle Score
I was pretty sure I’d at least tie the Wordle Bot today, but lucky me the poor demonic evil monster of a nemesis swung even more wildly than I did, snagging the Wordle in five. That means I get 0 points for guessing in four and 1 point for beating the Bot. Huzzah!
Today’s Wordle Etymology
The word “state” has a rich etymology that traces back through several languages and periods of history. The English word “state” originally comes from the Latin word “status,” meaning “condition, position, as well as standing in society,” which is derived from the verb “stare,” meaning “to stand.” This Latin root is reflected in many Romance languages today (e.g., “estado” in Spanish, “état” in French, and “stato” in Italian), all carrying similar meanings related to condition, status, or a standing of affairs.
The transition from “status” to “state” in English reflects the word’s broadening use to describe not only personal or physical conditions but also political and governmental conditions. By the Middle Ages, “state” began to be used in English to refer to the political and governmental affairs of a country, reflecting a centralized authority or government.
The concept of “state” as a sovereign entity emerged in the early modern period, especially with the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, which laid the foundations for the modern system of sovereign states. This further solidified the use of “state” to denote a political entity with sovereignty over a defined geographic territory.
Thus, the etymology of “state” reflects its evolution from a word describing personal condition or status, through its use to denote the affairs of governance, to its current meaning as a political entity with sovereignty.
