Who is the Creator of Quordle?
Quordle was created by Freddie Meyer but the game originated from a prototype developed by engineer David Mah. Mah initially came up with the idea, which Meyer described as stemming from "a moment of evil and genius.” Meyer then refined the concept and turned Mah's early version into the polished game released in 2022.
Initially a passion project with no plans for monetization, Quordle quickly gained traction and became a widely popular word game across the internet. That eventually led to Merriam-Webster acquiring the game in January 2023. Since then, Quordle has been integrated into Merriam-Webster’s website, with the renowned website adding new features since acquiring the game.
How Quordle Was Inspired by Wordle
Quordle builds on the success of Wordle but ups the complexity fourfold. Created by Freddie Meyer and launched in early 2022, it takes Wordle’s single-word guessing format and turns it into a four-word challenge. The game's origin traces back to an initial prototype by engineer David Mah, who was inspired by both Wordle and Dordle, which Meyer refined into the version players now enjoy.
Like Wordle, Quordle requires players to guess five-letter words using the same color-coded feedback as Wordle: green for letters in the correct spot, yellow for correct letters in the wrong spot, and gray for incorrect letters. However, Quordle raises the stakes by making players solve four words at once within nine attempts, making it much more complex than its inspiration.
Quordle’s interface also mirrors Wordle’s simplicity, with four grids representing the different word puzzles. Furthermore, it also offers a daily challenge like Wordle, and includes a practice mode for those wanting to improve their skills. However, one of the many ways it differs, is that, unlike Wordle's curated word list, Quordle relies on a larger, more randomized selection, making it harder for puzzlers
Acquisition of Quordle
Merriam-Webster acquired Quordle in January 2023 in a very low-key affair. The announcement was made discreetly by Quordle’s creator, Freddie Meyer, in the game’s tutorial section, with no details shared about the financial terms of the deal. This came after Quordle had quickly gained popularity following its early 2022 launch, with the game hitting one million players in two months.
The deal also came at a time when the interest in word games was at an all-time high thanks to Wordle's massive success. After the acquisition, Quordle became part of Merriam-Webster’s digital platform and this fit with Merriam-Webster’s efforts to expand its website beyond traditional dictionary services, adding to its range of word games and quizzes aimed at language lovers.
Greg Barlow, President of Merriam-Webster, expressed excitement about bringing Quordle into their lineup, noting that it was already a favorite among their editorial team. He emphasized how Quordle’s challenging gameplay fits well with their existing games and expected it to engage the millions of players who log in daily.
For Freddie Meyer, the acquisition marked an ideal outcome for a game that had started as a personal project with no initial intention of monetization. He praised Merriam-Webster as the perfect home for Quordle and hinted at new features and improvements to come under its new ownership.
This acquisition also reflected broader trends in the word game industry, following other high-profile deals like The New York Times buying Wordle and Spotify acquiring Heardle.
Other Projects by the Quordle Creator
Freddie Meyer is best recognized for his work on Quordle, the widely popular word puzzle game. His journey in the word game space began as part of a group of Wordle enthusiasts, including engineer David Mah. From there, inspired by both Wordle and Dordle, the duo developed Quordle.
Thus while Quordle stands out as his most prominent project, details about Meyer's other projects are scarce in the public domain. However, according to his website, Meyer states that he is "currently building games and working on personal projects." This suggests that he is still building other games and possibly exploring new ideas or innovations beyond Quordle, even if specific information is not available.
