The origin
Josh Wardle built a web game giving players six attempts at a five-letter word, with coloured tiles marking correct letters and positions. One puzzle a day, the same for everyone.
How it spread
The share button emitted a spoiler-free grid of green, yellow and grey squares, and those grids filled timelines through early 2022.
What it means
A daily shared ritual in a feed that had stopped having any.
Follow the source
Short editorial summary written by Random Access Memes from the sources above; the wording is ours, not theirs. Every link was checked for a live response on September 13, 2026.
