Introducing TongueTied Daily

Players have been pouncing on our weekly, one-minute TongueTied Challenges, and so we've decided to offer them more frequently, as the TongueTied Daily.

The format is unchanged: You'll have 60 seconds to unscramble the same word in six languages, after which you can share your performance with friends. But there are some differences, most important of which are that you needn't sign in to play, and that you have a range of languages to choose from. Sharing the game thus becomes less about bragging rights (although, go on, brag) and more about sharing a little of yourself (when did she get interested in Turkish?) and being curious about your friends (what languages does he know, or want to know?).

Please help us spread the word about the game by starting these conversations today. In other words, share this thing around! Post about it in your social media feeds! Accost people on the street!

And in the meantime, some Frequently Asked (or, rather, Anticipated) Questions:

What languages can I unscramble? Here's the complete, 38-language list as it stands.

Let us know if there's something you'd like added.

When I share the game, aren't we comparing apples and oranges if my friends choose different languages than mine? Sure, on some days solving a word in romance languages alone will require fewer moves than in Arabic, Russian or Swahili. But not always. And the tradeoff is letting people pick languages that are meaningful to them.

Do I need to sign in? No! Anyone can play for as many days as they like without ever making an account. There are some advantages to signing in, such as keeping your playing history across devices, but it's not essential.

Are there second tries? Your original score remains, but you can replay puzzles you played previously, helping cement new vocabulary.

How can I turn off notifications of new puzzles? As with all TongueTied emails and push notifications, you can control them from your settings page.

Is it just me or have the Challenges (now TongueTied Daily) been getting easier? We've been trying to keep the difficulty level in flux, so while EGG may have been a cinch compared with BALL, don't assume that trend will continue. Similarly, if you only manage to unscramble one language today, don't give up: Tomorrow may be easier.

What's a good score? Some people are getting through all six of their languages in under 20 seconds, the product (presumably) of multilingualism, fast fingers, and luck. But we think unscrambling a word in even just one foreign language is a huge accomplishment, since if you don't already know it, you have to work it out from roots, patterns and guesswork. No shame in a 2/6, in other words.

Are you just trying to copy Wordle's success? Obviously! But we're also scratching an itch other games don't. TongueTied and the TongueTied Daily might feel like puzzles you'd find elsewhere, but unlike at, say, the New York Times, they peep out over the parapet of English. Words cross borders, why shouldn't word games?

What's the relationship between the original TongueTied game and TongueTied Daily? Beyond the shared philosophy outlined above, the games diverge quickly: one is multi-player, the other single-player (though with a strong impetus to share); one takes place asynchronously over days or even weeks, the other is by definition done in 60 seconds; one starts when you or your opponent sends an invitation, the other opens just after midnight in your timezone and closes 24 hours later. And, we would argue, one tests the number of languages in which you can order breakfast (let's call it polyglotism) while the other rewards knowing more than one language in depth (let's call that multilingualism). You can be good at both, but the relationship isn't straightforward – which makes it all the more interesting to try each and see where you excel.

Have you got unanswered questions? Or suggestions? Please write to us. And even more, please share the game with friends, family, on social media, through direct messages, and more. These games live or die by word of mouth – appropriately enough, given our name. Thanks!