Wait, what the hell is 'Wordle' hard mode?

Are you a Wordle fanatic? Do bears do their ablutions in woodland areas? Why, yes!

Well, you've come to the right place.

If you eat, sleep, breathe all things Wordle related, then you might be interested to learn about something called "hard mode."

Hard mode is not just what everyone thought Wordle became after the New York Times bought it, but is really a setting you can activate to alter your game experience.

So, have we been playing Wordle on easy mode this entire time? Technically yes, but hard mode might actually make the game easier for you to play in the long run.

How to get 'hard mode'?

It's pretty straightforward, tbh. Next time you're about to play Wordle, tap the settings icon in the top right corner of the page. Simply toggle hard mode and you're off and away.

Credit: Screenshot: Wordle / New York Times

What does 'hard mode' do?

Good question. So, hard mode — in my opinion, at least — doesn't make Wordle harder. It just prevents you from making silly mistakes.

In short: it makes sure any revealed hints are used in subsequent guesses. If you enter a word that doesn't contain the hints you've gathered, you'll get a little pop up to inform you of the errors of your ways. And crucially, it prevents you from submitting that incorrect word. So, basically it means you don't waste a try guessing a word that doesn't contain a green or yellow letter.

Handy!

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.