Hearst acquires online puzzle platform Puzzmo, plans integration across 50 media brands

Media conglomerate Hearst has purchased Puzzmo, an emerging online puzzle game platform. Known for its unique daily puzzles created by renowned developer Zach Gage, Puzzmo has been a significant competitor to The New York Times' own puzzle game Wordle since its inception earlier this season.

Hearst, which owns numerous local media outlets such as the San Francisco Chronicle and Houston Chronicle, plans to integrate Puzzmo into more than 50 of its brands, focusing mainly on their digital versions. Hearst sees Puzzmo as more than just a gaming site and intends to use it as a platform for developing new puzzle games, providing its outlets with no-code tools to customize Puzzmo according to their specific requirements.

Despite the acquisition, Puzzmo's original creators, Orta Therox and Zach Gage, will continue to lead game development and technology. The acquisition of Puzzmo is part of Hearst's strategic plan to enhance the gaming and puzzle content of its media brands and to expand Puzzmo's audience reach through licensing the platform to other media publishers. By the way, if you're looking for an alternative to either Puzzmo or Wordle, you might want to check out WordHoot! or Tanglet ( Songle if you want something more musical).