How Does Michigan Rank Against Wordle Players in Other States?

If you think you're really, really good at Wordle, hold the phone. (Well obviously you're probably already holding the phone to play Wordle.) The point is, we, as proud Michiganders, aren't really all that good at the daily word puzzle that has become a part of so many of our daily routines.

First, a Little Bragging

(There are a few spoiler alerts from previous days' Wordle puzzles below - be aware if you're playing the Wordle archive.)

I solved Monday's puzzle (#261, 3/7) in about 15 seconds. My favorite starting words are 'Unite' and 'Radio' because they each have three vowels. I used 'Radio' Monday, which gave me a running start in order to help me figure out (in just three tries) that 'Hoard' was the answer to that puzzle.

But They're Not All That Easy

What ones have you struggled with? I've been defeated by a few puzzles along the way, not solving 'Helix,' 'Wooer,' and 'Error.' (Those words with double letters like 'Error' really kick my but.

And there have been some real head-scratchers along the way, haven't there? 'Feign,' and 'Rupee' come to mind as words that seem less than common. 'Rupee?' Really? What the hell, New York TImes?

So How Do Michigan Players Do?

Sorry, Michigan, your Wordle skills are somewhere in the middle of the pack. According to Fortune, North Dakota is the US state that solves the daily puzzle in the fewest attempts. North Dakota players come to a solution in just 3.65 tries on average while Michiganians take an average of 3.97 attempts.

We do, however, manage to outrank states like Nevada, Alaska, and Nebraska whose players usually take more than four attempts to get it right.

Take a look at this graphic which shows each state's score.

There is one bright spot for Michigan, though. Folks in Ann Arbor are pretty darn good at the daily puzzle, taking an average of just 3.59 tries each day, putting them at number three in the country just behind St. Paul, MN and Reading, PA.

Wordle Archive

By the way, if you're coming late to the party and want to play past Wordle puzzles, click here for the Wordle archive.

Meet the Flint Area Folks Who've Competed for Real Money on TV Game Shows

Jeopardy, Wheel, Millionaire, you name it, Flint-area folks have been on it.

Over the last several decades, we've seen lots of people from our area competing for and sometimes even winning big money.

Our list includes a former Grand Blanc resident whose Jeopardy strategy is still used today and is reputed to be a maneuver that Alex Trebek hated.

And we even have one gentleman from Flint who's considered a game show expert, appearing on five different shows over the years.

A Look Back at What Happened to Michigan's Popular Sugar Loaf Ski Resort

The once-popular northern Michigan ski resort was finally demolished in November of 202. Before its final demise, it lay in ruins for years. Considered at one time to be one of the best ski resorts around, the lodge would see 3,000 to 4,000 skiers a day and was once the largest employer in Leelanau County. Take a look at the creepy shambles Sugar Loaf was left in for years.