The game, which consists of guessing one five-letter word a day in just six tries, was bought by the paper last month after it skyrocketed in popularity around the world.

After the NYT bought the simple but captivating game from creator Josh Wardle, internet sleuths noticed it had begun removing words from the list of possible solutions.

The website Boingboing.net reported that words such as “whore,” “slave” and “wench” had been removed, while more obscure terms “pupal” and “agora” had also been axed.

“We are updating the word list over time to remove obscure words to keep the puzzle accessible to more people, as well as insensitive or offensive words,” NYT spokesman Jordan Cohen told AFP.

Wordle now has millions of users around the world, and versions have sprung up in many different languages.

The NYT said it bought the game for an “undisclosed price in the low seven figures” as it seeks to win new subscribers through non-news offerings.