NBC is betting that a mobile app word game could become a broadcast hit.<\/p>\n
The network said on Monday that it planned to produce a game show based on Wordle, the puzzle game published by The New York Times that challenges players to deduce a five-letter word in six guesses or fewer.<\/p>\n
The series, hosted by the \u201cToday\u201d show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is set to begin airing in NBC prime time next year. The Times will serve as a production partner, alongside Jimmy Fallon, the host of \u201cThe Tonight Show.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWordle\u201d \u2014 the TV show, that is \u2014 is the first instance of The Times associating itself with a prime-time entertainment program on a major broadcaster. The company previously collaborated with cable and streaming channels on documentary series based on its journalism as well as adaptations of long-running features like Modern Love.<\/p>\n
That The Times is co-producing a half-hour game show where contestants compete for a cash prize reflects in part the company\u2019s diversification in recent years. Its Games app, which includes the Crossword, Spelling Bee and Wordle, is among its most popular products.<\/p>\n
The TV series will be filmed in Manchester, England, and is expected to replicate the Wordle typeface and color scheme. Representatives for The Times and NBC declined to say how much the network would pay The Times.<\/p>\n
Wordle, which The Times acquired in 2022 for a low seven-figure sum<\/a>, has made cameos on the small screen before. A 2024 episode<\/a> of \u201cCurb Your Enthusiasm\u201d explored the practice of spoiling Wordle answers out of spite. (\u201cI\u2019m a Wordle wizard,\u201d Richard Lewis bragged to Larry David.)<\/p>\n Ms. Guthrie said in an interview that she was an avid fan of the game who shared her scores with friends on multiple group texts. One, called \u201cWordle Nerdle,\u201d includes her co-host Carson Daly and his wife.<\/p>\n