Wordle Answers That Upset Me More Than FETUS

In a somewhat cryptic note to Wordle fans posted at 12:01 a.m. this morning, the New York Times's Everdeen Mason apologized in advance that "some users may see an outdated answer that seems closely connected to a major recent news event." Mason stressed that this five-letter word was "unintentional and a coincidence—today’s original answer was loaded into Wordle last year."

She continued: "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."

But what was the offending word that Times puzzle editors believed was so objectionable as to require a midnight apologia, and one that led to what I imagine was a frantic behind-the-scenes effort to unsuccessfully remove the word from today's Wordle for all users?

FETUS.

Sadly, censorship has arrived for Wordle. [INSERT JOKE ABOUT THE NEW YORK TIMES ABORTING A FETUS.]

Let's all laugh before we cry and donate to an abortion fund.

But let's address the more pressing issue—and that is the utter TRASH words that are at times anointed as answers. Take last week, where I almost heaved my phone against the wall in a red mist of pure rage, when we were presented with MIDST.

MIDST, are you serious???

Before MIDST, there was HOMER, which, why?

And who can forget COMMA. (I'll grant that one perhaps irrationally made me upset. But I was upset!)

Come on, Wordle. Do better.