Wordle
Wordle is a popular and addictive puzzle game you can play in your browser. The goal is to find the hidden dictionary word in six tries, all while receiving clues about the letters used.
It came as no surprise that the NY Times, with a popular crossword, acquired the rights to the game and the name for “low seven figures.”
The best part: there was no domain.
That did not stop others from either replicating the game, creating apps by the same name, or simply registering Wordle domains.
But now, the NY Times steps in to protect its multi-million dollar investment, by applying for the registration of the WORDLE mark at the USPTO:
Entertainment services, namely, providing a website featuring games and puzzles; Entertainment services, namely, providing an on-line computer game; Providing an on-line computer game in the field of word games, spelling, and word puzzles. FIRST USE: 20211000. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20211000
By using October 2021 as the date of first use of the mark in ceommerce, the NY Times attempts to jump ahead of several other Wordle mark applications.
Do you have any Wordle domain names?
We would not be surprised if the NY Times, that promised to keep the game available for free, attempted to claim them via the UDRP process. Unless you registered Wordle.com a long time ago, that is.
