It’s a wonderful day in the neighborhood, a wonderful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine?

Would you be mine?

But no, seriously, it’s lovely out right now. A gentle rain. Everywhere petrichor. The air and land, baptized. Fresh and alive. Rain makes green grass greener. It even makes pavement nicer to look at.

Then again, I live in the high mountain desert, so rain is always like mana from heaven. I’m not sure I’d be quite so fond of it if I lived where it rained all the time and you start to take it for granted, or even resent the never-ending wetness.

In any case, let’s not fret about all that. Let’s do this Wordle!

The Hint: The worst kind of people.

The Clue: This word has a double letter.

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Not a great day as far as guessing goes, though at least I didn’t end up getting it in 6 or—gulp—missing it altogether! Five isn’t great, but it could be worse . . . .

It didn’t help that viral was a crappy opening word. I knew it would be, but I went with it anyways. 194 possible solutions remained.

Granted, I slashed that number down considerably with youth, but my third guess was lousy. Well, it was lumpy, which was lousy, only eliminating another three words.

Even bulky left me with 2 choices after my fourth guess. I think I’m tired. Clearly. Fortunately, I got the Wordle on guess #5 with bully. I didn’t even know there was another option at that point, so lucky me!

Wordle Bot beat me with four guesses today which means I lose 1 point for guessing in 5 and 1 point for losing to the Bot for a deeply disappointing -2 today. Boo!

The word "bully" has an interesting etymology that has evolved over time. Its current meaning of a person who uses strength or power to intimidate or dominate others is relatively recent compared to its earlier meanings.

The word "bully" originated in the 16th century and was originally used as a term of endearment or familiarity. It was derived from the Dutch word "boel," which meant "lover" or "brother." This usage was more like calling someone a good friend or companion.

However, by the 17th century, the word began to take on a more negative connotation, shifting towards the meaning we associate with it today. It started to be used to describe a person who engaged in aggressive or intimidating behavior. This transformation might have been influenced by the word's similarity in sound to the Middle Dutch word "bullen," which meant "to bluster" or "to swagger."

Over time, the term "bully" evolved into its current meaning, referring to someone who uses strength, influence, or intimidation to control or harm others. This transformation in meaning showcases how language can change and adapt over centuries.

I’ve been playing a cutthroat game of PvP Wordle against my nemesis Wordle But. Now you should play against me! I can be your nemesis! (And your helpful Wordle guide, of course). You can also play against the Bot if you have a New York Times subscription.

You can either keep a running tally of your score if that’s your jam or just play day-to-day if you prefer.

I’d love it if you gave me a follow on Twitter or Facebook dearest Wordlers. Have a lovely day!

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