Wordle: Creator of app with same name to donate profits after download boost

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A developer whose five-year-old app has suddenly received half a million downloads because it shares its name with a viral sensation puzzle game has vowed to give the profits away. Steven Cravotta, 24, developed word game Wordle when he was 18 and uploaded it to Apple’s App Store more than five years ago, but abandoned the project soon after and has not updated it since. “I saw 200,000 downloads to Wordle, a game I hadn’t touched in five years, and like previously, I was getting maybe like two or three downloads a day.” The web-based version of Wordle – created by British developer Josh Wardle – has been a huge hit over the last couple of months. “This is about doing something something great for the world and, you know, I’m just happy to have this opportunity.” Despite the confusion over the name, around 30% of people are returning to the app after downloading it to continue playing, Mr Cravotta said, adding it was “pretty good considering the fact that this isn’t really the app they’re looking”.