Wordle just expanded in a major way. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

NurPhoto via Getty Images

Not much has changed with the NYT Games app’s popular word-puzzle game, Wordle, since it joined the newspaper’s online slate of games back in 2022.

Some words were edited out of the list and the design was spruced up, but other than that it’s been basically the same old, same old ever since. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. The game does exactly what we want it to do: Provide one word every day that everyone solves together.

I’ve added “Competitive Wordle” to my own daily guides, which I think provides a nice added layer for gamers like me who are very competitive. But the game itself has largely remained static. Until today.

Now You Can Create Your Own Wordle

Today, the New York Times announced the addition of Create Your Own Wordle. This is only available to subscribers, but the Wordles you create can be played by anyone. These can be anywhere between 4 and 7 letters long, so you’re not bound to the 5-letter Wordles the actual game uses. (This actually makes me more certain than ever that when the 5-letter words run out, or maybe even sooner, Wordle will switch to 4-7 letter words).

You can try this out by creating your own Wordle right here. You can also add a clue to your Wordle to give players an extra leg up, or leave the clue space blank. You can include your display name as well.

“Our solvers already love sharing their Wordle scores in group chats and on social media,“ the New York Times said in the announcement post. “On a typical day, more than 2,000 people share their Wordle score every second. With the addition of Create Your Wordle Puzzle, New York Times Games continues to bring friends and family together to connect and celebrate.”

MORE FOR YOU

Play Some Custom Wordles Right Now

The NYT also posted a handful of custom Wordles from various writers at the paper, from different sections like the newsroom, Audio, Cooking and so forth. These are all different lengths, and each has a clue. Here are those puzzles:

Melissa Clark, food columnist for New York Times Cooking.

• Play Melissa’s Wordle puzzle here.
• Clue: “Good to know how to make in a pan.”

Anna Martin, host of the “Modern Love” podcast.

• Play Anna’s Wordle puzzle here.
• Clue: “A scary way to stop seeing someone.”

Ben Frumin, editor-in-chief of Wirecutter.

• Play Ben’s Wordle puzzle here.
• Clue: “Next season we’re winning it all!!”

Dianna Russini, senior NFL insider for The Athletic.

• Play Dianna’s Wordle puzzle here.
• Clue: “What I do while chasing news (and my kids).”

Marc Lacey, managing editor of The New York Times.

• Play Marc’s Wordle puzzle here.
• Clue: “Bring a camera and wide-brimmed hat.”

David Marchese, journalist and co-host of “The Interview” podcast.

• Play David’s Wordle puzzle here.
• Clue: “It’s what I’m often doing at work.”

Vaughn Vreeland, writer and host of “Bake Time” for New York Times Cooking.

• Play Vaughn’s Wordle puzzle here.
• Clue: “A type of kitchen tool that’s handy for baking.”

Jacqueline Yue, product director of New York Times Games.

• Play Jac’s Wordle puzzle here.
• Clue: “🧖🫧”

David Ornstein, football correspondent for The Athletic.

• Play David’s Wordle puzzle here.
• Clue: “The element for which I have become most renowned.”

Of course, I’ve made several already. Here’s one I came up with today that you can play. The clue is “Not Forrest Gump.” Let me know how many tries it took you to get this one!

The Create Your Own Wordle feature definitely expands this game in a fun way, but Wordle will always be special because of its universality. The same word every day, and only one. Simple but elegant. But it’s fun to make your own, too, and it’s hopefully evidence that the game will grow into more than just 5-letter words in the future.