The New York Times’ Wordle puzzle continues its daily streak of brain-teasing challenges, with players worldwide tackling No. 1,709 on Sunday, February 22, 2026, and No. 1,711 on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. These recent entries highlight the game’s mix of moderate difficulty, clever word choices and the enduring appeal of its simple yet addictive format.

Wordle No. 1,709, released February 22, stumped many with its tropical theme. The answer was **GUAVA**, a noun referring to a yellowish, round or pear-shaped edible fruit native to tropical regions. According to The New York Times Wordle Review, testers averaged 4.6 guesses out of six, rating it moderately challenging. Hints focused on the repeated letter “A,” three vowels and the starting letter “G.” Many players noted the word’s uncommon usage in everyday English, though fruit lovers solved it quickly. Mashable called it “easy if you love a healthy snack,” while Forbes emphasized its consonant-heavy structure. The puzzle sparked discussions on Reddit’s r/wordle about tropical fruits and vowel placement strategies.

Today’s puzzle, Wordle No. 1,711 on February 24, proved similarly tricky, with an average of 4.6 guesses per NYT testers — again moderately challenging. The answer is **BUYER**, a noun meaning a person who purchases goods or services, often for a retail store or business. Webster’s New World College Dictionary defines it as someone whose work involves buying merchandise.

Hints for #1711 included: starts with “B,” ends with “R,” contains two vowels (U and E) and three consonants, no repeated letters, and a direct tie to purchasing or shopping. Subtle clues described it as “a consumer,” “opposite of seller,” or “like the curators at TJ Maxx.” No double letters appeared, making vowel placement key. Starting words like SLATE or CRATE left players with many possibilities initially, but vowel tests quickly narrowed options.

Mashable advised a subtle hint: “A consumer.” Tom’s Guide noted it contains two of the five most common Wordle letters and two vowels. CNET highlighted it refers to “a person who makes a purchase.” Parade suggested “like the curators at TJ Maxx,” while Forbes offered “a shipping and logistics job” and “this Wordle begins and ends with consonants.” The puzzle’s difficulty stemmed from its everyday term yet uncommon in casual puzzles, leading to varied solve times.

WordleBot analysis showed average solves around 4.5 in easy mode and 4.6 in hard mode. Community threads on Reddit’s r/wordle and r/wordlegame filled with grids, from three-guess wins to six-guess struggles. Players shared starting strategies — many favored words with common vowels like ADIEU or AUDIO early, then consonant tests.

The game’s viral nature persists in 2026, with millions playing daily since its 2021 launch and NYT acquisition. No major changes have occurred, preserving the six-guess limit, green/yellow/gray feedback and shareable grids. Variants like custom Wordles or alternate modes (e.g., Quordle) keep engagement high, but the core puzzle remains the draw.

Recent puzzles reflect NYT’s balance of accessibility and challenge. #1709’s GUAVA rewarded fruit knowledge or vowel spotting, while #1711’s BUYER tested commercial awareness and letter elimination. Both avoided obscure words, aligning with Wordle’s philosophy of fair, solvable terms.

As February ends, anticipation builds for March puzzles. Players can access Wordle free at nytimes.com/games/wordle, with archives for past solutions (though spoilers apply). Tips remain timeless: start with vowel-rich words, eliminate letters quickly and use hard mode for stricter play.

Wordle’s daily ritual fosters community, from family shares to online forums dissecting hints. Whether solving in three or six tries, the satisfaction of the green grid endures.

China added 20 companies to an export-control list that prohibits Chinese firms from selling them items such as machine tools, batteries and chip-making equipment.

Another 20 companies were added to a watchlist that means they can only receive such items if they satisfy China that they won’t be used in equipment sold to the Japanese military.

Many of the companies subject to export bans are defense-related subsidiaries of major industrial firms, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, IHI and NEC:

Shares of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries fell 3.1%, while shares of IHI and NEC slid 5.7% and 6.2%, respectively.

Shares in Subaru, which was added to the watchlist, dropped 3.5%. The carmaker has an aerospace unit that supplies the Japanese military.

FIRST ON FOX— Controversial online dating service Ashley Madison, long known for catering to married people with the slogan “Life is short. Have an affair,” is ditching its focus on infidelity and adultery as part of a major rebrand. 

Ashley Madison has been the premier dating site for married people looking to cheat for over 20 years, and the scandalous strategy helped the company thrive despite objections to assisting people seeking extramarital affairs. But Ashley Madison has seen a stunning shift in recent years, and 57% of all new members are now actually single. 

“What that told us is that people are coming to our site for a different reason, for discretion. And so, today, Ashley Madison is shedding its adulterous past and launching a new category of discreet dating,” Ashley Madison Chief Strategy Officer Paul Keable told Fox News Digital. 

ASHLEY MADISON HONCHO SAYS SCANDALOUS COMPANY THRIVING DESPITE DOCUSERIES SHOWING MISSTEPS

Ashley Madison, long known for catering to married people with the slogan “Life is short. Have an affair,” is ditching its focus on infidelity and adultery as part of a major rebrand. (Ashley Madison )

The fundamental shift in Ashley Madison’s business model moves the platform away from “married dating” and will include the new tagline “Where Desire Meets Discretion.” Keable said the shift reflects the company’s changing membership, along with a cultural shift prioritizing discretion and privacy. 

“We know people are looking for a range of intimate connections. And ultimately, we’ve lived the past 20-plus years in the social media era where everything we’ve done has been curated and placed online. And people are fatigued and tired. More than roughly 30% of online daters are feeling constant pressure to swipe and message, and they’re not getting the outcomes they want,” Keable said. 

“Worse, they’re having to go back into the office and people who they’re not interested in are seeing their profiles on these traditional dating apps and they feel as though it’s not the experience they’re looking for. So, people are now coming to Ashley Madison to connect with people for the same reasons, but ultimately, we at Ashley Madison are not going to ask you about whether you’re married or not,” he continued. “We’re going to ask very little about your information, other than why you value discretion and enable you to match with the people you want to match because your business ultimately is yours and it’s nobody else’s.”

ADULTERERS ON ASHLEY MADISON REVEAL WHAT THEY ARE FAITHFUL TO, 87% WOULD CHEAT ON THEIR PARTNER BEFORE TAXES

Ashley Madison isn’t just for people seeking to have an extramarital affair anymore. (Ashley Madison)

A recent Ashley Madison member survey found that 49% of respondents said they seek out additional relationships in addition to their primary one during more stressful times, indicating that the service will still enable adultery. The same survey found that 41% of total member respondents believe that having multiple partners who offer a variety of positive attributes would better help them through a difficult time.

Keable is well aware that Ashley Madison has attracted “a multitude of criticisms” over the years but has long maintained that people would cheat whether the service existed or not. Regardless, he says the rebrand isn’t being done for moral or ethical reasons, but rather to serve its customers. 

“This shift that we’re taking is a realization that people want to continue to date, they want to connect, but under their own terms,” he said. “So, our choice really is less about what we desire. It’s our members telling us what they wanted and why they’re coming to Ashley Madison.”

ASHLEY MADISON REVEALS TOP 20 AMERICAN CITIES FOR ADULTEROUS BEHAVIOR: ‘SOMETHING IS GOING ON IN THE MIDWEST’

Ashley Madison has seen a stunning shift over the past few years, as 57% of all new members are actually single. (Ashley Madison)

Keable said the shift to “discreet dating” is about delivering on expectations of members and creating a place where they can conduct their dating under their own management without everybody watching it.

“We’re launching a brand-new marketing campaign called Blessed Are the Discreet, which really celebrates those who are looking for intimate connections on their own terms… not out of guilt or shame, but simply out of an idea that ‘my business is mine.’ And until you’re lucky enough to get invited into it, you’re just going to have to wait on the outside,” Keable said. 

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