Microsoft OneDrive will soon let you take out your frustrations on those hated files

There may soon be a way to cleanse your Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint accounts of pesky large folders, freeing up much-needed storage space and decluttering your mind for good.

The company is working on a new update for its cloud storage service that will allow users to delete large folders on Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint Document Libraries on web.

The move will cover folders holding up to 10,000 items, meaning it could be the solution your overcrowded account needs to make some room for new items.

Microsoft OneDrive purge

The official entry on the Microsoft 365 roadmap notes that the feature is still in development for now, but should have a general release in March 2022. It is listed as being available to all Web users of OneDrive and SharePoint around the world.

With hybrid working now a common experience for most businesses, cloud-based services such as OneDrive have become pivotal to making sure organizations stay connected, wherever they may be located.

Microsoft recently revealed an update for OneDrive that will embed the cloud storage service more deeply into its productivity ecosystem by working more closely with its online collaboration app Microsoft Teams.

The idea is to use this heightened level of interoperability to make it as inconvenient as possible to break away from the Microsoft ecosystem, even if a company or individual has adopted just a small selection of services.

The company also recently made it easier for remote workers to ensure that important tasks don’t slip through the cracks with another OneDrive update that provides a dedicated feed to highlight recent activity associated with their files.

However, concerns were raised in a separate area of Windows recently when Microsoft was forced to admit that its data wiping tool didn't always completely clean everything it needed to.

Although data collected by TechRadar Pro suggests Google Drive is currently the most popular cloud storage service by some margin, Microsoft will hope OneDrive improvements like these will help capture a larger portion of the business market.

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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra isn’t a TikTok machine and I’m a little disappointed

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is not ready to be my TikTok creation platform.

That’s right, I TikTok. Don’t look at me like that. There are lots of middle-aged people lip-synching, dancing, showing off hacks, and demonstrating oddball skills on the wildly popular social media platform.

My channel is not filled with dances or songs. It’s mostly a hodgepodge of conversations with myself, visual tricks, tech stuff, and a lot of me experiencing the latest trending filter. Lately, I’ve been using a lot of filters, which rely on augmented reality to transform my face into animals, movie characters, optical illusions. They’re harmless fun.

While I can find filters that do work, some of the newest, coolest and maybe most sophisticated ones do not work on Samsung’s premier smartphone.

TikTok fail screens

TikTok filter fail screens on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Image credit: Future)

This came as something of a surprise to me. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is an excellent and powerful Android 12 phone. It has a great collection of powerful cameras, including two 10 MP telephotos, 108MP wide and 12Mp ultrawide on the back, and a 40MP camera on the front.

It’s that last camera that I rely on for TikTok work. It’s more than capable of shooting standard TikTok videos. However, every time I try to use a new, trending filter like Raindrop control (which lets you freeze raindrops by using hand motions), or SYMMETRY (which lets you see what you’d look like if both sides of your face were exactly the same – for me the answer was Voldemort), the app informs me, “This effect doesn’t work with this device.”

Even simple filters like the “Your Decade,” which guesses your birth decade theoretically based on how you look (though I think it may be random), don’t work.

Listen, I like to spend a portion of each evening losing myself in the TikTok stream. It’s mind-numbing, entertaining, and kind of relaxing. When I see a fun filter, I like to try it out. I don’t always post the often-embarrassing results, and my draft folder is filled with unpublished efforts.

There’s real joy in consuming TikTok video on the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s high-definition 6.8-inch AMOLED, 120Hz-capable display, which only intensifies the frustration when I can’t test drive a new filter.

But why?

From a technical perspective, this, at least on the surface, makes little sense. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 40MP front-facing camera is capable of some light AR work. There’s literally an AR Zone in the Camera app that lets me doodle in AR on my face, turn my whole head into an AR emoji, and do other AR-based tricks.

There are, when it comes to the front camera, limitations. In the AR Doodle, it will only support face doodles. Plus, even though the phone can plop a dinosaur head emoji on my body that can follow my head's movement and some facial expressions, it’s not that precise.

AR options in Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

AR options in Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Image credit: Future)

If I were to compare what’s possible with Apple’s TrueDepth Module on the front of its iPhone 13 line with what the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s single front-facing camera is capable of, I’d call the Samsung effort a 1.0 version.

Ever since Apple introduced that depth-sensing module, its front-facing camera’s AR capabilities have grown substantially. When the iPhone 13 Pro paints my face with Mardi Gras makeup, the effect is realistic and disturbing. As I’m sure you know the camera is fully capable of supporting all of TikTok’s latest filters and effects.

Need some answers

I’ve contacted Samsung for more details on why the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra doesn’t support all these filters and will update this post with the company’s response. Perhaps they’ll tell me it’s just a matter of a software update, but I doubt it. That lone camera can only do so much with software to understand the real-world depth and create a realistic marriage between artificial reality and my face.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s rear camera array includes a laser to assist with autofocus. It does that by reading the depth information of a subject and their environment. I’d have to assume that if Samsung had drilled one additional hole in the screen next to the 40MP front camera for a laser, it might also have brought that depth info to the front of the phone, and then better support all those TikTok filters.

So, while you’re passing harsh judgment on my TikTok activities, maybe spare some for a brand-new, innovative phone that somehow forgets to fully support the world’s most popular social media platform.

As for me, I guess I’ll stick to my iPhone 13 Pro in my unending quest to become TikTok famous.

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Torvalds admits he’s a bit worried about the next Linux build

The speed at which Linux developers are working on version 5.17 of the popular kernel has gotten the OS’ boss a bit worried.

In the weekly State of the kernel post, Linux creator (and the biggest developer)  Linus Torvalds, said he believed the progress (or lack thereof) wasn’t caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, or “whatever crazy things are going on in the world”, as these things “don't seem to have affected the kernel much.”

However, the number of known regressions that Torvalds is claiming have been out there since late January have affected the development cycle. Although these “don't seem all that big and scary”, Torvalds did stress that some of them were reported right after the rc1 release, meaning they’re getting somewhat stale. 

Linux “looks fine”

“I'd hate to have to delay 5.17 just because of them, and I'm starting to be a bit worried here. I think all the affected maintainers know who they are,” he concluded, before urging subsystem maintainers to make these regressions a priority. 

Torvalds also seems to be extra careful not to cause any panic, saying “but on the whole, things look fine. Just a few remaining warts is all. But the more testing to verify, the better.”

Linux, an operating system that, in its early days, couldn’t stand next to the likes of Windows, or macOS, has grown immensely popular with the proliferation of mobile devices and the Internet of Things (IoT). An open-source Unix-like operating system, based on the Linux kernel, the OS now powers Android, the world’s biggest and most popular mobile operating system.

Furthermore, many IoT manufacturers have deployed Linux on their devices, as well.

However, some manufacturers are also moving away from Linux. Google, for example, is developing an entirely new operating system for some of its IoT and smart home devices, called Fuchsia OS. This new OS, which is still in early development phase, is based on a new kernel named Zircon.

Via: The Register 

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How I solved Wordle #254 – spoilers for today’s puzzle

Welcome back to my weekday Wordle Solution Diary, where I take you step-by-step through my own Wordle puzzle efforts. Today, we're tackling Wordle #254.

For those unfamiliar with Wordle, The New York Times’ (recently-purchased) daily word game asks you to guess a five-letter word in six tries.  Simple right?

If you just want to skip to the Wordle answer for today, (and yes, we have a page to do just that), you can depart right now. But what would be the fun in that? 

You want to preserve your streak and, I believe, learn how to get better at Wordle, which means making smart choices and understanding the tactics that can take you from a “Winning in 5” to a “Solved in three” kind of Wordle player.

The guide below includes how I make my guesses and images of my work. When I make a mistake, you'll see it. Maybe it'll help you avoid some of your own.

Let's Wordle together.

Spoiler Alert: If you do not want to know today’s Wordle answer, STOP READING IMMEDIATELY.

Starting early

Showered and dressed, I feel ready to beat Wordle at its own game. I play today's Wordle on my desktop to ease the screen captures I'll use to help guide you. 

Wordle Guesses

The Wordle start screen (Image credit: Future)

The first word

Your biggest leap will always be that first word. I can choose any five-letter word but, generally, dismiss anything with double letters, as per our guide on how to win at Wordle

There are two goals: Get as many correct letters in the right spots as possible and miraculously guess the word on the first try. Thus far, I've never accomplished the latter.

I chose “PLACE” because of its attractive mix of vowels and consonants. Look at all those vowels. How can I miss with this word?

First word

(Image credit: Future)

Mixed results

I've seen worse first results (see #251). The “E” at the end (right letter and right place) is a nice anchor to start with. I'm not surprised to see the “C” in there; so many five-letter words include a “C.”

One thing I do not do at any stage in my process is Google words that include “C” and/or “E.” It just feels like cheating. Come on, we can do this the old-fashioned way.

First word result

(Image credit: Future)

The second guess

As happy as I am that I now have two-out-of-five letters, this is not enough raw material to construct a word. As a result, I'm going with my tried-and-true strategy of a second word that uses a completely new collection of letters. You know what I want: To solve this Wordle in three.

(Yes, I know those of you that love Wordle's Hard Mode will look down upon me. But the stats show that I'm in the majority of people playing the game, so I'm OK with it.)

Obviously, “Rough” is not the word, but I'm hoping a few of those letters are winners.  As I prepare to hit enter, it occurs to me I'm doing all this before my first cup of coffee. That may be a mistake.

Second word guess

(Image credit: Future)

Double the fun

Look at me, picking up two new letters. Four-fifths of the way there to all the letters I need and a Wordle solution. My next guess is crucial. I can't rush things. I really want to solve this in three.

Second word result

(Image credit: Future)

Three's the charm?

With four letters, I plan to spend a few minutes trying different letter combinations in my head and on the Wordle board before committing (hitting “Enter”). I need strategy, inspiration, and luck.

Two vowels and two consonants make me think this isn't one of those oddball words or one where people might accuse The New York Times of making the game harder.

One hurdle: Only one letter is in the right place but I think old friends “C” and “H” might be paired together at the start of the Wordle answer.

I have the tiniest epiphany. An open vowel, like “O,” has to go after “CH.” If that's the case, there's really only one choice for what can go between “CHO” and the “E” that we know does belong at the end.

Still wishing I was holding a cup of coffee in my hand, I hit enter.

Third word

(Image credit: Future)

Wait, what?

Third word result

(Image credit: Future)

Not gonna lie, I am shocked. I really thought “CHOSE” was the answer. It's a great five-letter word, and S is one of the most popular letters. I'm honestly bummed that I missed out on solving Wordle in three. 

In a situation like this, where four of the correct letters are also in their correct places, the task becomes relatively simple: go through the remaining letters in your head, slotting each one into the open spot.

The only obvious answer is what just happened to me a moment ago. 

Fourth word

(Image credit: Future)

Success

I can't really blame myself for first choosing “CHOSE” over “CHOKE.” I'm generally positive, totally non-violent, and I'm not into sports. The word simply never occurred to me. 

I also consider myself lucky – CHORE is a word using the more popular R in the space there, and that could have seen me do this in five attempts, despite a strong strategy.

In the end, this is a pretty good result and Wordle credits me with a “Splendid” for my efforts. How did you do?

Fourth word result

(Image credit: Future)

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Zendesk’s plan to acquire SurveyMonkey is officially dead

Zendesk's billion-dollar plan to acquire Momentive, which runs the popular SurveyMonkey tool, has failed after its own shareholders rejected the proposal. 

The deal was worth around $ 4.1 billion, with the news coming just days after the CRM giant turned down a $ 16 billion offer to be acquired by a consortium of private equity firms. 

“While we were excited by the potential of this transaction to transform the customer experience and create stockholder value, we respect and appreciate the perspectives of our stockholders,” said Zendesk CEO Mikkel Svanek. 

Foiled bid

In a blog post, Svanek explained a little more about what made Momentive an attractive target and Zendesk's future plans. Zendesk's business is sound, he said, but could've been augmented by Momentive. 

“We planned to acquire Momentive as a way to accelerate our ability to deliver the future of customer intelligence,” he wrote. “While we will not be moving forward with that acquisition, we remain as committed as ever to helping our customers get more value out of their data.” 

Investor hostility 

The deal was sunk largely by activist shareholders who opposed it. The Wall Street Journal reported that Jana Partners, which owns 3%, and Janus Henderson, which owns 5%, both opposed the deal. Jana called it a “reactive and impulsive decision”. 

Faced with scepticism from its own shareholders, spending $ 4.1 billion is an impossible ask. Shareholders voted against the deal on February 25. 

For Momentive, the decision is not ideal. “While we are disappointed that Zendesk stockholders did not vote to approve the transaction, we are confident in our go-forward strategy,” said Monentive CEO Zander Laurie. 

It remains to be seen what direction the two companies take but with intense pressure in the CRM market, Zendesk needs to find a bold new plan. 

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Windows 11 Start menu is disappearing for some people in new update

Windows 11's February feature update is causing issues for some users, where the Start menu disappears as soon as you hover over to it, thanks to a conflict with widgets trying to appear at the same time.

The update brought a preview option for Android apps on the Microsoft Store, alongside dark mode in Notepad, the return of Windows Media Player, and more.

But there's a growing number of users who are reporting issues with the Start menu, where it looks to be conflicting with the widgets in the Taskbar.

In our tests, we also found the same issue, while pressing the Windows key to keep the menu from disappearing, instead of using the mouse to click on the Start menu icon, seemed to fix the problem.


Analysis: a glaring bug that should have been fixed before release

It's certainly a frustrating bug, and it raises the question of why wasn't this fixed before the February update landed? The Taskbar and the Start menu have both seen polarizing changes since Windows 11 was announced in June 2021.

This bug won't help matters for – to have the Start menu disappear, especially when you want to quickly launch an app or a document, is going to frustrate many people.

But Microsoft is aware of the bug, according to Windows Latest, so we may not have to wait long for the next fix to arrive. But, in a time when a big change to a feature that's been in Windows for almost thirty years is rendered useless because of a bug, it isn't going to be a good advert for Windows 11.

So the company has to act fast here and make sure that something like this doesn't appear in the release update for all users in the future. But if you're also experiencing the same or other issues, let Microsoft know in the Feedback Hub.

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Google Chrome is removing its data saving mode on Android – lets celebrate

When version 100 of Google's Chrome browser is available to download, it will be without the Lite mode that enables less mobile data to be used on Android devices when browsing the web, and I couldn't be happier.

In a blog post, the company explained that it doesn't see the need for a feature to minimize data used in its web browser, when the amount of cellular data has increased, while the cost has stayed the same.

The feature arrived back in 2014 as a way to load webpages with less data being used, which could be useful for those on a small data plan for their smartphone. 

Having sold phones and data plans to customers in a previous career, the end of this feature is only good news for me, but mainly for the customer who reads their content from Chrome on a mobile device every day.

When does Chrome 100 arrive?

According to Google's Roadmap status page for Chrome, version 100 will arrive on March 29, with a beta arriving around March 3.

This will apply to all versions of Chrome – from its mobile versions to the desktop on PC, Mac and Chromebook.

But with the Data Saver feature only on Android versions, it's not going to be something that's missed by many users, especially as there's data saving features built into Android 12 for all apps anyway, by going to Settings > Cellular Data.

Having worked at a phone store for years before switching careers to be a writer, helping customers with their phones and the data they would use, would be a common task for me. Some would come in, asking me why they had received a text stating they were at 80% of their monthly data usage.

Looking at how much data apps would be used, a web browser would usually reign supreme at the top of this list. But this was in a time where 2GB of data a month would be normal to see, not the 150GB a month or unlimited plans we all see advertised.

Google Chrome logo

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

But when a 'lite' mode would appear on a browser or a social media app like Facebook, it would degrade the experience. I remember pixelated images loading instead, or certain content removed so the text would be all over the place.

However, it's finally time to see the back of these features – they only hinder, not help the experience if you're trying to search for something or read the latest news in Chrome on your Samsung S22.

As Google Chrome hits a century of a version number, it's great to see this disappear, and instead, enrich the content that's available for your interests across the spectrum of the web.

However, Firefox is also approaching version 100, so there's a chance that we may see a landmark feature arrive from Mozilla as well. March is looking to be an eventful time for web browsers on many devices, and I'm here for it.

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Why MSN Messenger, Google Wave, and Vesper should return in 2022

There are some apps that are abandoned through no fault of their own. The team responsible could have moved on to other projects, or a new, redesigned app may have appeared to take its place.

If you go trawling through YouTube or even find an old PC in the family office, you can find yourself transported back to a time when the only way you could use the internet was by being sat down in front of a desk, waiting for a dial-up modem to connect.

But we're also heading into an era with the App Store and Google Play Store, where  users are longing for deleted apps to make a comeback, regardless of how they may look or operate in today's world.

There’s a growing nostalgia for the apps we used to use every day. Whether it's to feel like we're back at school, or just because the app was so good that we’d like to use them again for our new Windows 11 and iPhone 13 devices in 2022. Windows Media Player coming back is a great example of this, and it's why there should be more comebacks for depreciated apps.

With this in mind, here are three apps that should see a return and a remake for 2022 to take advantage of the devices we use every day.

Vesper

Vesper app on macOS

(Image credit: Q Branch)

This is a note-taking app that set itself apart from the rest in the productivity category at the time. 

Created by Q Branch, involving Brent Simmons, Dave Wiskus, and John Gruber, the app was launched in 2013 and then discontinued in 2016. But thanks to the ability to redownload apps that have disappeared from the App Store, Vesper can still be used in 2022.

Vesper’s design is classically inspired by Apple's Notes app from 2013, but in a modern vibe that still looks good in 2022.

The app's purpose is simple – to take notes. But you can also tag these notes, similar to a feature that Apple brought to its own Notes app only in 2021. You can swipe to the left to archive any notes that you don't need, and you can re-arrange them to order the notes in a way that suits your needs.

For some reason, we weren't able to redownload it for iPhone, but on an M1 Mac we could, and it still works great, even with a janky way to resize the window in only two ways.

You can't sync notes to different devices as that was shut down when Vesper shut its doors, but it's a great app to use locally on your device if you're creating one or two projects.

Since its discontinuation, the source code has been available on GitHub for someone else to make their own interpretation of the app. Using this app in 2022, we can't help but wonder if one last hurrah should occur for Vesper. One more version where the band gets back together, much like James Bond in the mid-nineties, to be relevant again but for a new civilized age.

Even in a world where we have note apps that work similarly to WhatsApp, there's still room for a Vesper, especially in an app world where we use to-do lists and collaborative efforts to jot things down for those personal projects.

To see a new, final Vesper with Widgets, a web version variant, iCloud sync, alongside the proverbial dark mode option, could be a great way for Q Branch to sign off and raise a glass to, and have it work for our modern iPhones again.

MSN Messenger

MSN Messenger in Windows 11

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Between 1999 and 2009, Microsoft's messaging app was everywhere. You'd finish school and go straight to your parents' PC to log on to MSN Messenger, to either continue a conversation from earlier or to arrange something for later that evening.

You would log in and be greeted with a list of the contacts you've added, with many showcasing using waves of emojis and symbols placed on either side to their name for effect.

You could 'nudge' and 'wink' a friend who would be online, and you could exchange images if you wanted.

Eventually, the ability to play games with one another, alongside webcam support would be available to use, taking a strain on the 120Kbps broadband that would have been the average common internet speeds in 2003.

MSN Messenger was also arguably the first dating app before Tinder and Bumble. A small rainbow or heart next to a name would be a not-so-subtle hint on someone's name, yet it could initiate something more in the playground the next day. Messenger had something for everyone during those times, but ironically it didn't move to where apps were going.

Due to the rise of the iPhone and the App Store in 2008, Windows Live Messenger, as it was renamed to, dropped in usage, as everyone was starting to use WhatsApp, Facebook, FaceTime, and iMessage to communicate with one another, and Messenger was discontinued in 2014.

While you can install a version of the app in Windows 11, you can only get as far as the login screen, as the server to connect to the Hotmail server has long been depreciated.

In hindsight, Microsoft didn't know what it had – it rode a wave that the company hasn't had in the messaging category since. Especially when you consider how Zoom soared in use during the pandemic while Skype was left as an afterthought.

But nostalgia is starting to seep through to apps – Windows Media Player has returned to Windows 11, and currently, there are two apps by Microsoft, Teams, and Skype that both do the same function, but not as well as Zoom.

Rebooting MSN Messenger as a service for everyone, but with business features for work, could be a big boon to many.

Imagine MSN Messenger as an app for iOS and Android, alongside Windows 11, macOS, and Chromebooks. With Microsoft's aim of making apps available on as many systems as possible Messenger is the next logical step.

One that can bring back the nudges, the winks, and themes to bring the look of 2022 back, could be appealing to many, while the features are useful to others.

Microsoft is in a bind with Skype and Teams. Making a fresh start with an app that users have nostalgia for, but rebuilt for 2022, could be something that could appeal to everyone, and clear the deck of confusion that the company has carried with the two apps for a number of years now.

Google Wave

This effort by Google in 2009 was a direct precursor to the Slacks and Microsoft Teams of apps that you probably use every day in 2022.  The main theme of Google Wave was collaboration, with an effort to help with projects that involve many users without having to use Skype or a messaging app from back in the day, in order to collaborate in a Google Docs file.

Wave only lasted for three years between 2009 and 2012, but it’s still missed by plenty of users. It was a time when Google would try out different products almost every six months, but if it didn't quite hit the mark there’s a good chance you’re not able to use it anymore.

Google Wave worked differently from other apps, as you would have to be referred in order for your Google account to have access to Wave giving it an exclusive feel. Eventually, in 2010 it was available to everyone, so you could invite someone to a project without having to find a referral link.

This would combine Google Mail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and your contact list into one app, where you could collaborate on different projects. 

While the user interface in the video department left a lot to be desired due to so much going on, it had a knack for introducing each feature and interface option in steps. After an hour or so, you'd be able to use it with ease.

But Google pulled the plug on Wave in 2011, with its reasons being that too few users were using the service, even though there were signs that it was about to grow, due to the increase in social network usage at the time.

As it is with Google's stance on abandoned projects, there's no way of trying out a remade version of Wave in 2022 – you can only be reminded through screenshots and videos. But in a way, you're already using them through Slack, Teams, and Google Docs collaborations.

But it's a service that should come back, as it could work well alongside Slack integration and app versions on iOS and Android.

But with Google's focus on mobile and content, it's 50/50 as to whether it would consider a return for Wave.

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Today’s Wordle answer #251 (Feb 25) – with hints to help you avoid cheating first

We at TechRadar have been wondering about how we should cover the massive Wordle trend that’s been taking over the globe – after all, just giving away the answer feels a little bit too simple – although, don’t worry, today’s Wordle answer for puzzle #251 (Feb 25) is below, and you can scroll straight to it if you want.

But wait! The whole beauty of Wordle, in our eyes, is the learning that comes with trying to figure out the word. The way it forces you to dredge up old words, to think strategically about how words are made, and learning new ones when you fail.

So we’ve come up with a double-pronged strategy: we’ll update this page with the Wordle answer every day (so do give it a bookmark) but we’ve also enlisted one of our best, most-seasoned writers in Lance Ulanoff to run a daily diary giving tips on how to win at Wordle each and every (week)day.

Today’s Wordle hint from Lance

Wordle Guesses

(Image credit: Future)

If you’re getting stumped on today’s word, remember the hidden rule of Wordle: a single letter can appear more than once.

And so can another.

If you want to follow along further to find another route to the Wordle answer, then follow Lance’s Daily Diary – How I solved Wordle #251 (obviously, spoilers for today's answer)

Other ways to find Wordle’s 5 letter words

Look, we’re going to make one final plea before we give you the answer – why not try a 5 letter word generator? There are loads of great tools online that can help you learn a bit more about the world of Wordle and how to get the right letters first – how about you check one of those out?

One of our favorites is WordFinderX, which allows you to put in letters at the start and the end if you know them and, crucially: allows you to enter any letters that don’t fit.

WordFinderX - game for beating Wordle home page

(Image credit: WordFinderX)

Started to take advantage of the Words with Friends craze, this website has blatantly had a huge rise in traffic of late, but it really does do the job.

We won’t lie – if you’ve entered two words already in Wordle, you’ll quite quickly be left with only a few words to try – so it’s pretty close to getting the day’s Wordle answer. 

Speaking of which…

Today’s Wordle Answer #251 (Feb 25)

Wordle Guesses

(Image credit: Future)

OK, today’s answer if you want it: VIVID. 

A right ol’ crafty answer today, using the same letter twice… twice. Many people are going to get stumped by this one, we feel – although it’s still one of the better-known words out there.

Meaning 'an intensely deep or bright color' or 'powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind', the definition of vivid is pretty… well, vivid in itself.

How did you do yesterday?

If you’ve been playing regularly and keeping that ol’ streak extended, then you’ve probably already worked out yesterday’s answer, which was BLOKE (a superbly British word that’s slang for man).

But, thanks to the genius WordleStats Twitter feed, you can now see how you stacked up against everyone else. And if you got it in under 4 attempts then kudos – you’re officially a Good Wordler.

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Love a bit of Wordle but annoyed it only lasts one day? Well, why don't you try Wordle Unlimited, the hugely unofficial game where you can play as many times as you like – and we've got all you need to know on how to use and play Wordle Unlimted ready for you.

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How I solved Wordle #251 – spoilers for today’s answer

Winning at Wordle every day is a daily goal, but the reality is a once-a-day effort to solve a five-letter puzzle that can feel equal parts exhausting and exhilarating. Oh, those rare, solved in three, miraculous solved in two, or incredibly lucky one-and-done. It’s the four, five, and six guesses that really get you – but it’s also those journeys that teach us the most.

For those unfamiliar with Wordle (but then why are you here?), The New York Times’ (recently-purchased) daily word game asks you to guess a five-letter word in six tries.  Simple right?

Well, while we could just tell you the Wordle answer for today, that wouldn't be much use, would it? Even if it preserves your streak, it's a hollow victory – this is a game where you're only cheating yourself out of learning.

What starts today is a daily (weekdays) diary of how I, someone whose very existence is predicated on a playing with and using words, solved Wordle. 

Come with me on a journey of how to pick a first word (was I packing vowels or constants?), and what crucial choices I made along the way to winnow out useless letters, collect accurate ones, and then compose them into one seemingly simple five-letter word.

I'll also do my best to share images of my work. Including all the embarrassing mistakes. Come, let’s learn how to Wordle like a pro, together, so you no longer need to grab the answer.

Spoiler Alert: If you do not want to know today’s Wordle answer, STOP READING IMMEDIATELY.

A mid-day break

Today, I'm playing Wordle on my desktop. I figure it’ll make capturing screenshots of my successes and failures a little easier. On a whim, I ask Siri to play The Beatles’ Abbey Road. The classic album should put me in a good headspace for puzzle work.

Wordle Guesses

The Wordle start screen (Image credit: Future)

The first word

I choose quickly, going with FRAME. It’s a little heavy on the consonant side, but the solid anchors of A and E vowels make me confident I should have at least two correct letter hits.

Wordle Guesses

This seemed like a good place to start. (Image credit: Future)

Disaster

In all my weeks of playing, this is the first time I have ever had a zero letters result on Row 1. On the bright side, I have now eliminated five letters from consideration. But now I'm in the unusual position of having to start from scratch. This means I'll once again begin with a word that has a decent mix of vowels and letters. Putting on a brave face, I dive back in.

Wordle Guesses

Not the result I expected. (Image credit: Future)

The second guess

What’s interesting is that the calculation here is already different because key letters like A and E are no longer available to me. This cuts out a significant number of potential five-letter words.

I've used POUND on many previous Wordles. It leans heavily on consonants but also represents the framework of many other five-letter words. In general, it’s always smart to use words that, with one or two changed letters, could be a different five-letter word.

Feeling unexpectedly confident, I hit enter.

Wordle Guesses

This is… going well. (Image credit: Future)

Uh-oh

Things are not going well. Wordle has clearly dug deeper than normal for this quintuple configuration. I got one letter – just the D. At least it’s in the right position. That, in and of itself, helps narrow the list of potential words to an even greater degree. Still, I have very few materials to work with here. Instead of relying on what I have to make the next guess, I must focus on what’s been excluded.

Making a new choice

I never use a scratchpad when Wordling, but I do work out letter configurations in my head before putting them on the Wordle game board. I may also start typing in potential letter combinations in Worlde to see if they spark a word idea. I can do this a dozen or more times before committing.

I also look at letters to identify possible starting letters and what I consider more obvious middle letters. These can be vowels or consonants, but the choices are usually driven by letters I’ve solved for the beginning or end of the word. In this case, all I have is that D.

Looking at what’s left, I notice I have just one vowel (I) left. Y, the sometimes vowel, is still there, but I’m convinced that if it’s in the mix, it’ll be the first letter. That “I”, though. I feel like it has to be used (hard to have a word without a vowel) and has to be in the middle.

Third time’s the charm?

Wordle Guesses

With Wordle, you learn new words every day. (Image credit: Future)

I start by just typing in a few letters to see if they spark full, five-letter inspiration. “HIT,” though, does not.

The work is also full of “is this a word?” guesses. The good news is that Wordle never penalizes you for guessing with words that don’t exist. It just shudders in a rather judgy way to let you know that that simply won’t do.

Guess what, “BILED” is apparently a word, meaning, “Containing, possessing, or having an application of bile.”

Fourth round

I now know two letters, and, somewhat surprisingly, I have them both in the right place. As I guessed, the “I” belonged near the middle. By using an “E” again – even though I know it's not part of the final word – I wasted an opportunity to guess at another letter. In my defense, I really thought “BILED” was not a real word.

I need to take a beat and really analyze what’s left. So many consonants. What could that Wordle be?

In my head, I’m putting every remaining letter ahead of “I” and ending with an “ed” sound just to try and spark some insight. I try a letter combo but don't commit because, as is often the case, my idea doesn’t fit in the allotted five letters.

Stuck, I remind myself that there is a possibility that one or more letters could repeat. I don't see the “I’ doing that, but there could be another “D” in the middle. My brain feels like mush.

Wordle Guesses

You try lots of letter combinations and words or non-words along the way, without committing to any of them. (Image credit: Future)

Starting over, again

At this stage, I can keep grinding away at my available letters or try a word that pulls in as many unused letters as possible to try and pick up one or two more correct letters. Solving this with two, even in the right place seems next to impossible.

In the end, I decide against this method. My problem is that I have too few vowels. The lack of an “E” before the “D” is concerning. Perhaps it’s a “Y” before the “D.”

I change my mind again and go with a word that has the benefit of using four new letters. I’m praying “SIGHT” gets me at least one or two new letters.

Wordle Guesses

Trying a different tactic. (Image credit: Future)

What’s left

Not even remotely what I expected. Only “I” is left standing as “S,” “G,” “H,” and “T” are not in the correct word.

Wordle Guesses

Getting nowhere, fast. (Image credit: Future)

A moment of inspiration

I look at the “V” and start thinking it’s a great letter to go before “I.” Then inspiration hits.

As I noted earlier, I have to leave open the possibility that the word would repeat one or more letters. I enter “VIVID.”

The excitement builds before I hit “Enter.” There’s so much promise in this guess. It’s educated (what’s left to choose, really?) but also a leap.

Wordle Guesses

Could it be? (Image credit: Future)

Success

Wordle Guesses

What a relief. (Image credit: Future)

Wordle awards me a “Great!”. It’s not much of a compliment. It knows I could’ve done better. I’ll take it, though. Just happy to be through this one.

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