The NYT bought Wordle, but you can make it yours by simply downloading it

Right click, download. OK it's not that simple but it's simple.
By
Stan Schroeder
 on 
Wordle
It even works offline. Credit: NurPhoto / GettyImages

Wordle, the deceptively simple word game that captured our minds and spawned a thousand clones, has another interesting property you may not have considered: it runs entirely client-side.

What that means is that the game's entire code, and all of the puzzles, are there in your browser when you open it at www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/. And if you go to File - Save Page As (in Chrome, but all browsers offer this functionality), and save it somewhere, you can open that file and continue to play. Yes, even if you're offline.

Even better, all of the game's options like Dark Theme or Hard Mode, will work in this downloaded version of the game. Your progress, however, will not be saved.

Mashable Light Speed
Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?
Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter.
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!

This was never really a secret, but it's safe to assume that most people didn't know it until it was shared by Aaron Rieke (via The Verge) on Twitter. As he points out, you don't even have to download the page; you can go to a mirror of the Wordle website — like those kept on the Internet Archive — and play the game there.

This is good news given that Wordle was recently sold to The New York Times, which keeps most of its content behind a paywall. And even though the Times said the game would initially remain free, if that changes sometime in the future, you'll always have the "old" Wordle.

And just a heads up, this could be a grey copyright area, so don't use it for commercial gain.

Stan Schroeder
Stan Schroeder
Senior Editor

Stan is a Senior Editor at Mashable, where he has worked since 2007. He's got more battery-powered gadgets and band t-shirts than you. He writes about the next groundbreaking thing. Typically, this is a phone, a coin, or a car. His ultimate goal is to know something about everything.


Recommended For You
NYT Strands hints, answers for January 9
A game being played on a smartphone.

NYT Strands hints, answers for January 10
A game being played on a smartphone.

NYT Strands hints, answers for January 11
A game being played on a smartphone.

NYT Strands hints, answers for January 12
A game being played on a smartphone.

NYT Strands hints, answers for January 13
A game being played on a smartphone.

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 9, 2025
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 9, 2025
Wordle game on a smartphone

Why are read receipts so triggering?
Illustration of a smartphone on purple background with text bubbles showing a message conversation

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 8, 2025
Connections game on a smartphone

'White Lotus' Season 3 was a disaster. Here's why.
'White Lotus' actor Jason Isaacs in a scene from the third season.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!