It definitely feels like Wordle is getting harder, but I think that's just because so many people are sharing hints and strategies now that everyone ups their game. Like, back when I started, literally no one knew about "good starting words" or anything, so you just guessed whatever popped in your head and hoped for the best. Now it's almost like people expect to nail it in three tries since they're using all these tips from articles and TikTok.

Wordle itself isn't actually tougher—the Mashable guide even says it only shifts difficulty if you turn on Hard Mode, which I've tried, and wow, that can be next-level stressful. But what's changed is that there's way more pressure to do well because you see everyone else getting "lucky" with hints. Honestly, it can take some of the chill out of it if you let it get to you. I think it's still just as fun, but don't let all the strategies freak you out—play how you want, and ignore the hype if it makes it stressful.