'Wordle' today: Here's the answer, hints for May 9

UPDATE 12:34am ET: We recommend you refresh your Wordle page before playing today, as the infamous double-answer glitch has reared its head again. In an extra twist, the original word for today was unexpectedly topical. In a rare move, the New York Times issued a note to players just after midnight explaining that the timing is pure coincidence, and that while they've swapped it out for another, more innocuous word, some solvers might still see the original puzzle due to how the tech behind Wordle works. We've noted the original word down the bottom of the post as well.

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, and there's a new Wordle for me... and you! We're here to help you out with the May 9 Wordle, game #324, and that means tips, clues, and today's Wordle answer, which you can find way down the bottom of the page.

In case you're new here: Wordle was invented by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his puzzle-loving partner, and it went super-viral in late 2021. His original game was bought by the Times for their Puzzle section earlier this year in a seven-figure deal. 

Is the New York Times making Wordle harder now, you might have wondered? If anything, they've made it easier. It's the same old Wordle, with some "harder" words given the boot. But if you're not feeling challenged enough, you can always switch on Hard Mode, which means you can't make any guesses that don't have previously confirmed letters in them. (Yes, you've been playing on Easy Mode.)

Not the Wordle answer you're after? Here are the Wordle answer and hints for May 8.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

Working that out definitively requires actual math, and we're not here for math — but fortunately, other people have worked it out for us. There are loads of options.

What's a Heardle? Quordle?? Dordle?!

If you just want more Wordle, all at once, try Dordle and Quordle and the bigger numbers that lie beyond. (It's the Jazz + Jazz = Jazz of Wordle.) If you want to capitalize on your years of Star Wars or Taylor Swift expertise, try these fandom-inspired versions, or test your ears (and your nostalgia) with the music guessing game Heardle.

Here's how to play old Wordles from the archive

One a day not enough? The whole archive of past Wordles is available to play online.

Why are there sometimes two different Wordle answers on the same day?

As we've previously reported, this is down to some changes the New York Times has made to creator Josh Wardle's original word list to remove obscure, potentially offensive, or confusing words.

Here's a hint for the May 9 Wordle answer:

It has to do with light.

Wordle 324 is a 5-letter word that starts with...

The letter S!

What's the answer to the May 9 Wordle?

Want the answer to Wordle #324? It's...

SHINE.

As noted above, some players who haven't refreshed recently might get a different word today: FETUS. The New York Times swapped the word out due to the recent leak of a draft Supreme Court decision which suggests that a majority of the justices may soon vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 court decision that protected the right to terminate a pregnancy. "At New York Times Games, we take our role seriously as a place to entertain and escape, and we want Wordle to remain distinct from the news," the Times said in a note about the glitch.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Amanda Yeo, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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