The creators of a Shetland dialect version of the popular online word game Wordle have been instructed to take it down following a legal threat from the New York Times, the copyright owner of Wordle. The Shetland dialect version, named Wirdle, was launched by the language group I Hear Dee approximately two years ago and has garnered more than 20,000 unique users from 113 different countries. However, it is now being removed due to the legal action.

I Hear Dee expressed their belief that free and non-profit versions of Wordle in languages other than English, particularly endangered languages, do not infringe on the New York Times game. The group cited their lack of resources to challenge the publisher. Prof Viveka Velupillai, a linguistics expert associated with I Hear Dee, highlighted the impact on numerous minority language versions of the game, emphasizing that the use of offshoots of Wordle always acknowledged the original source, thus enhancing the New York Times Wordle’s inclusivity and inspiration. However, this perception has now been reversed.

The New York Times stated that it had taken legal action against a software developer and others responsible for sharing a code that led to the proliferation of ‘knock-off’ versions of the game on numerous websites. The publication clarified that the legal action was aimed at safeguarding its intellectual property rights in Wordle and indicated that the developer had been given opportunities to modify their code. A spokesperson for the New York Times emphasized that the publication does not object to individuals creating similar word games that do not infringe on their Wordle trademarks or copyrighted gameplay.

This development has sparked discussions about the implications of copyright enforcement on language diversity and the availability of games in minority languages. It also raises questions about the balance between protecting intellectual property rights and fostering linguistic inclusivity in the digital space.

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