‘Wordle’ Today #1,277 Answer, Hints and Clues for Tuesday, December 17 Game

If you’ve yet to solve today’s Wordle, Newsweek is here to help you with some tips and tricks.

The word-based game was invented by Josh Wardle, a New York-based engineer who made it for his puzzle-loving girlfriend. He decided to release Wordle to the public in October 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a much-needed distraction from the challenges of lockdown.

The game quickly gained hundreds of thousands of players and was later bought by The New York Times for an undisclosed seven-figure sum.

In Wordle, players must guess a secret five-letter word within six tries. The game offers color-coded feedback: green tiles indicate the correct letter in the right position; yellow means the letter is in the word but in the wrong place; and gray signals that the letter is not in the word.

“I really like that Wordle has a simplistic nature, which makes it widely accessible to players of all ages. It also has a daily variety of challenges, which is perhaps another reason that it continues to be so popular,” Linguistics expert and Babbel Live teacher Noël Wolf told Newsweek in October. “Wordle’s shareability across various social media platforms fosters a sense of belonging and common ground that can transcend cultures and borders. Friends and family members who live far apart, or even in different countries, can use it to stay connected.”

The game elicits “daily conversations” amongst players and “offers a daily break from our high-paced lives,” Wolf added.

“The small victories that Wordle provides may also contribute to a feeling of achievement over time. Wordle keeps things simple and interactive, allowing users to learn almost without realizing it,” she said.

Newsweek has provided some clues below for today’s puzzle. The answer will be revealed at the end of this article, so please scroll down with caution if you want to work it out for yourself.

Wordle #1,277, Clues for Tuesday, December 17

Hint #1: Today’s answer is a noun and a verb.

Hint #2: There are no repeated letters.

Hint #3: It contains one vowel.

Hint #4: Synonyms include “glower” and “grimace.”

Hint #5: There is no “I” in team. The same applies to today’s puzzle.

Wordle #1,277, Answer for Tuesday, December 17

The answer to today’s Wordle is “scowl.”

According to Merriam-Webster, the noun is defined as “a facial expression of displeasure.” The verb definition is not too dissimilar, as it is described as “to contract the brow in an expression of displeasure” and “to exhibit a threatening aspect.”

Well, that was a fun one! Did you get the right answer? If so, congratulations, but please don’t worry if not. Wordle updates every day at midnight in your local time zone, at which point the next puzzle becomes available. Newsweek will be back with another round of hints and tips for each new game.

Players who would like something to keep themselves busy while they wait can have a go at other word-based puzzles such as Typochondria and Spellspire.