Wordle is taking a shot at prime time. NBC is developing a TV game show based on the wildly popular word puzzle, with Jimmy Fallon producing and Today anchor Savannah Guthrie set to host, Variety reports. The pilot is now filming in the UK, though NBC is staying quiet about the project's details.
Wordle, created by software engineer Josh Wardle in 2021, grew into a pandemic-era viral obsession, attracting millions of daily players. The game's simple format—six tries to guess a five-letter word using colored tiles as clues—caught on quickly. The New York Times snapped up the hit puzzle in early 2022 for a price reportedly in the seven figures, and says it racked up 5.3 billion plays in 2024 alone. That's up from 4.8 billion the year prior, Deadline reports.
This isn't Fallon's first foray into game show territory; he's behind several NBC programs, including a Password reboot and That's My Jam. Guthrie, meanwhile, brings more than a decade of experience at NBC, where she's worn hats from Today co-host to chief legal analyst and even a cameo appearance as herself on 30 Rock.
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The Wordle pilot is produced by Fallon's Electric Hot Dog label and Universal Television Alternative Studio. While it's unclear what tweaks might be made for TV, Fallon (who has said he's "addicted" to the game) has already played a version of the game on the Tonight Show with Questlove, hinting at some interactive possibilities.
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