“In both puzzles and tech, people understand that you build on established conventions both to learn the craft and to discover new fun things incrementally. Wordle itself is a beneficiary of that dynamic. It builds on gameplay mechanics from the existing game Jotto, it incorporates community innovations like the emoji results-sharing system, and its reputation was absolutely bolstered by the popularity of variant versions. To turn around and smother the ecosystem now is just kicking down the ladder. And it’s especially shameful given that the Times has
enjoyed success recently with Connections, another great game with clear ties to prior art.”
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