C-e-a-s-e and desist: 'The New York Times' goes after Wordle spinoffs

The word game Wordle is shown on a mobile phone in 2022. The New York Times is accusing some Wordle clone creators of copyright infringement violations. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

The New York Times has sent takedown notices to "hundreds" of coders who've made clones of the popular word game, Wordle.

Wordle is a hit online sensation where players have to guess a five-letter word in six tries. Since the newspaper bought it in 2022 from creator Welsh software engineer Josh Wardle, the word game has spawned a litany of spinoffs, from the more complex Quordle to the irreverent Sweardle.