Wordle TV show coming to NBC with Savannah Guthrie

NBC officially greenlit a Wordle television adaptation, bringing the New York Times' cultural phenomenon word game to primetime. Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie will host the primetime game show, produced by Jimmy Fallon's Electric Hot Dog production company in partnership with The Times.

The show challenges contestants to solve five-letter word puzzles in what NBC describes as "a supersised battle of smarts, speed and fun." The adaptation builds on Wordle's social sharing culture the daily ritual millions use to post scores and debate solving strategies translating that community engagement into competitive television format.

The Times acquired Wordle in 2022 after the free daily puzzle became a cultural phenomenon attracting millions of players globally. The acquisition extended The Times' gaming portfolio alongside crosswords and letter-boxed puzzles.

Leadership confirmed the company had long considered Wordle's television potential, with the NBC partnership representing the ideal creative fit.

The Times Executive Editorial Director of film and TV Caitlin Roper praised the collaboration stating, "Teaming up with Jimmy Fallon to develop the game for NBC was a perfect fit. We wanted to honor the specific thrill of Wordle, the way people play and share their scores with each other, but also make something new for TV."

"It's strange to get up and do the 'Today' show every day, and it's strange to say that I'm going to do a game show when your heart is broken," she told The Times. "But I'm determined to put one foot in front of the other. And this is a joyous thing."