It\u2019s called simply Emoji Game, and each day you\u2019re presented with three phrases, which have some letters filled in, but are mostly blank. There\u2019s a partial hint as to what the word or phrase is that you\u2019re trying to complete, and then a whole bunch of emoji at the bottom. The idea is to take the words or sounds the emoji represent and use them to fill in the blanks. So \u2014 and this is just an example I made up, so it\u2019s not a spoiler \u2014 you might be presented with SH_ _ _, and an emoji of an elf. Stick it in there and you have a \u201cshelf.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a novel twist on word games, which have become ubiquitous online over the last three years. It\u2019s really forced me to use my brain in a different way, though I\u2019m not sure if I enjoy it just yet. Maybe once it becomes a routine. That said, it\u2019s nice that there doesn\u2019t appear to be a fail state; when you guess wrong there\u2019s no real punishment, though the game does count the number of moves it takes you to complete each puzzle, so there is a competitive element. The most recent few puzzles are also free to play, so you can get a feel for it even if you don\u2019t currently have an Apple News Plus subscription. (It\u2019s currently available only in the US and Canada.)<\/p>\n
The Emoji Game is a small daily diversion, and one that points to the fascinating innovation and experimentation happening in the word game space. After Wordle and the subsequent rush of clones, there hasn\u2019t really been a word game that has gone viral in the same way, and so designers are crafting interesting new twists on the formula to stand out. The idea is that you don\u2019t necessarily need one blockbuster hit, but instead a varied collection that will keep folks coming back daily. Puzzmo, for instance, has steadily grown since it launched, with everything from an accessible crossword to a weather-based take on sudoku<\/a>. It just launched an experimental word game called Missing Link that\u2019s like an elevated take on word search puzzles.<\/p>\n