It’s Christmas Eve Eve! Sure, that’s not a real thing, but it’s true . . . we are on the eve of Christmas Eve, and soon we’ll be on the eve of Christmas itself. I admit, I’ve always preferred Christmas Eve ever since I was a kid, but I should probably talk about that tomorrow when it’s actually the day in question.
Also, it’s officially winter now. Some people say the season starts on December 1st, but officially it begins on the Winter Solstice, which was this past Thursday (and slipped my notice, as it was a lovely day!) Friday was the first full day of winter and we got some snow, though mostly rain. Lots of rain!
I don’t know about you, but I have presents to wrap, shopping to finish up, movies to watch with the kiddos and so much more to get done with so little time it’s not even funny! If you’re looking for movies or shows to watch this fine, winter weekend check out my streaming guide right here.
Let’s Wordle!
How To Solve Today’s Word
The Hint: Something you hit in the winter, especially if you’re into outdoor sports.
The Clue: This word ends with a vowel.
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See yesterday’s Wordle #916 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.
Not a bad day, but I would have been in a much better position if I’d guessed Wordle Bot’s favorite opener, slate. I think that’s almost always the case, but I stubbornly refuse to guess the same damn thing every day. It’s too boring!
So I went with saint as in Old Saint Nick and that got me a green ‘S’ but quite a few remaining possible solutions. My second guess was all new letters just to rule as many out as possible. That was smart. Chore left me with three options.
At this point, my gut said to go with slope—it’s just so seasonally appropriate!—but two of the words had a ‘K’ in them, and if I guessed slope and it was wrong, I’d be left with a coin toss. Guessing smoke—as in chimney smoke from your cozy Yuletide fire—would for sure leave me with only 1 remaining possibility. Alas, it was wrong and my gut was right. C’est la vie!
Today’s Competitive Wordle Score
I get 0 points for guessing in four and -1 for losing to the Bot, who got it in three. Bah humbug!
Today’s Wordle Etymology
The etymology of the word “slope” traces back to multiple historical languages and influences. It originates from the Middle English word “slope” or “slop,” which in turn possibly derived from the Old English “aslopen,” meaning “to slip away” or “to escape.” This Old English term is believed to be a past participle of the verb “aslūpan,” which means “to slip.”
Further back, the Old English verb “aslūpan” is linked to the Proto-Germanic root “*slupan,” which also means “to slip.” This Proto-Germanic root is related to the Middle Low German word “slupen” and the Middle Dutch word “slūpen,” both carrying a similar meaning of slipping or sliding.
Moreover, “slope” is connected to the Old Norse word “slopa,” meaning “to slide” or “to slither.” This illustrates the common Germanic lineage of the term, which predominantly conveys the idea of slipping or sliding, a concept closely related to the current meaning of “slope” as an inclined surface.
The evolution of the word reflects the typical linguistic process where a term’s meaning broadens or shifts over time, while still retaining its core concept. In modern English, “slope” primarily refers to ground that has a natural incline, as opposed to a level surface.
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.
Read the full article here
