Today’s Wordle
Another day, another Wordle. And hey look, it’s Lazy Sunday once again. I feel like we need to do something special on Lazy Sunday for this Wordle column, but I’m not entirely sure what just yet.
For now, we’ll take a look back at this day in history. Here are a handful of historical events that took place across the years on August 20th:
- 636 – Battle of Yarmouk: The Rashidun Caliphate, led by Khalid ibn al-Walid, decisively defeats the Byzantine Empire’s army in the Levant. This battle marks a significant turning point in the Muslim conquests.
- 1858 – Charles Darwin first presents his theory of evolution through natural selection to the Linnean Society in London.
- 1882 – Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” debuts in Moscow, Russia.
- 1940 – During World War II, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill pays tribute to the Royal Air Force in a famous speech, stating “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”
- 1953 – The Soviet Union publicly acknowledges testing a hydrogen bomb, escalating the arms race during the Cold War.
- 1960 – Senegal and Madagascar gain independence from France.
- 1977 – The United States launches Voyager 2, a spacecraft with a mission to study the outer planets and beyond.
- 1989 – The pleasure boat Marchioness sinks on the River Thames in London, resulting in the deaths of 51 people.
- 1991 – Estonia declares its independence from the Soviet Union.
- 2012 – The Curiosity rover successfully lands on Mars, beginning its mission to explore the planet’s surface.
- 2018 – Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s death is announced. He was a prominent figure in the fight against the long-standing rule of Robert Mugabe.
Alright, let’s do this Wordle!
How To Solve Today’s Wordle
The Hint: A heroic adventure.
The Clue: This word does not begin or end with a vowel.
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Today’s Wordle
See yesterday’s Wordle #791 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. Today I had a super lucky opening guess, but still couldn’t quite nab the dang thing in two.
Louse got me down to just three remaining solutions (and what a word to be so lucky!) but I didn’t know if the answer would be guess, guest or quest. Basically, no matter what I chose, I knew that I’d know the answer for guess 3. I chose guest but I really should have chosen the more exciting word: quest.
Still, I’m happy with three!
Today’s Score
A great day for your humble narrator! I get 1 point for guessing in three and 1 for beating the Bot, who guessed in four. 2 points! Huzzah!
Can you solve today’s phrase?
Today’s Wordle Etymology
The word “quest” has its origins in Old English and Middle English. It comes from the Old English word “cwest” or “cwist,” which means “search, inquiry, trial.” This Old English word is believed to have been derived from the Old Norse word “kveða,” meaning “to say, declare, announce.” The connection between “kveða” and “quest” is thought to have occurred due to the sense of seeking or asking about something.
Over time, the word “quest” evolved in Middle English to refer specifically to a search or pursuit, often of a heroic or adventurous nature. It was commonly used in medieval literature to describe the central mission or journey undertaken by a knight or hero to achieve a particular goal, such as finding a treasure or rescuing a damsel in distress.
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.
I’d love it if you gave me a follow on Twitter or Facebook dearest Wordlers. Have a lovely day!
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