Hello Wordle Sunday traveller – welcome to another day of gaming, and this time we're on #274. Where does the time go, eh?
After the debacle of yesterday's word – which stumped many, we're back with another tough one – it's not really fair this weekend, is it? Or maybe this is what Wordle is all about, offering something impossible to then be beaten. Or maybe it's too early on a Sunday to be thinking such thoughts and we should be making pancakes instead.
So, you can either take a look at the Wordle answer archive to see today's solution (do bookmark it) or read on for some full hints and insight to tackle puzzle #274.
Wordle March 19 hint
First up, the riddle:
Rip it all up and start again,
Make sure you extend things now and then.
Not good enough? How about these then?
There’s only one vowel today…
… but it’s twice
It takes the form CONSONANT, VOWEL, CONSONANT, VOWEL, CONSONANT.
Today’s Wordle answer #273
Look, we all know how easy it is to break the streak. You've got a lot on, and you're only on the second guess… before you know it, you've thrown your tea all down your front, the car won't start and you're on the sixth guess. You can't let this be the thing that breaks you. So, let's solve that: the Wordle answer for today is RENEW.
(Image credit: TechRadar / NY Times)
Today’s Wordle alternative
So you’ve done today’s Wordle. Well done. So each day we’re going to recommend one of the best Wordle alternatives so the joy train of daily puzzling isn’t over for you.
Today, lean back and get ready for a longer Wordle session…
Wordle Unlimited
(Image credit: Wordle Unlimited)
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.
One of the real highlights of Wordle Unlimited is you can create custom Wordle games to send to your friends. A versatile tool for trolling, not that we'd encourage that sort of behavior.
But it’s all about today, and we’re here to – first – bring you a hint to help save the streak, then it‘s straight to the answer.
And if you can't be bothered with even having to look at the hint, the just jump to the answer and get on with the weekend. We’ve all got better things to do, right?
Today’s Wordle hint and riddle
(Image credit: TechRadar)
We’re trialling this daily riddle format – is it working? Is it useful? Hard to say, but they’re fun to write… so do email in and let us know!
Today's Wordle riddle:
Give permission to achieve a goal, but be ready – this one starts with a vowel.
OK, ’goal’ and ‘vowel’ don’t technically rhyme. It’s assonance, which is a poetry word for ‘I can do what I want because poetry’. How about some hints to keep this party rolling?
There are two vowels today
It has a double letter
It ends with a W
Does that help? No? OK, fine… you can have the answer. BUT, do check out our Wordle solver tools below to see if they can help you instead – a quick scroll will jump you past the answer.
Today’s Wordle Answer #273
(Image credit: TechRadar / NY Times)
The Wordle answer for today is: ALLOW.
It’s already looking like a tricky one to start the weekend – and we often see this when a vowel is placed at the start of a word. A double letter as well… we can see this one running and running.
Google Trends suggests that this is proving to be the case – the UK saw a HUGE spike in Wordle Answer at midnight, although the usual 7AM follow up wasn’t there:
(Image credit: TechRadar / Google)
With nothing trending today in Wordle, we expect this article to be read by people stumped through the A at the front – and maybe the double letter.
Today’s Wordle alternative
So you’ve done today’s Wordle. Well done. So each day we’re going to recommend one of the best Wordle alternatives so the joy train of daily puzzling isn’t over for you.
Today, it’s time to get your calculator out…
Nerdle
(Image credit: Future)
Such a different game to Wordle, but it gives your brain a different workout. Consider Wordle your long, steady state run and then Nerdle being the HIIT workout you (inexplicably) do next.
You're asked to enter a sum of 8 numbers or symbols long… and apart from knowing it has to have some numbers and an equals in there, that's all you get.
It's a great play – plus there's an 'Instant Nerdle' that shows you one line of semi-correct entries in the wrong place… and it's up to you to get it. Lovely.
But it’s all about today, and we’re here to – first – bring you a hint to help save the streak, then it‘s straight to the answer.
And if you can't be bothered with even having to look at the hint, the just jump to the answer and get on with the weekend. We’ve all got better things to do, right?
Today’s Wordle hint and riddle
(Image credit: TechRadar)
We’re trialling this daily riddle format – is it working? Is it useful? Hard to say, but they’re fun to write… so do email in and let us know!
Today's Wordle riddle:
Give permission to achieve a goal, but be ready – this one starts with a vowel.
OK, ’goal’ and ‘vowel’ don’t technically rhyme. It’s assonance, which is a poetry word for ‘I can do what I want because poetry’. How about some hints to keep this party rolling?
There are two vowels today
It has a double letter
It ends with a W
Does that help? No? OK, fine… you can have the answer. BUT, do check out our Wordle solver tools below to see if they can help you instead – a quick scroll will jump you past the answer.
Today’s Wordle Answer #273
(Image credit: TechRadar / NY Times)
The Wordle answer for today is: ALLOW.
It’s already looking like a tricky one to start the weekend – and we often see this when a vowel is placed at the start of a word. A double letter as well… we can see this one running and running.
Google Trends suggests that this is proving to be the case – the UK saw a HUGE spike in Wordle Answer at midnight, although the usual 7AM follow up wasn’t there:
(Image credit: TechRadar / Google)
With nothing trending today in Wordle, we expect this article to be read by people stumped through the A at the front – and maybe the double letter.
Today’s Wordle alternative
So you’ve done today’s Wordle. Well done. So each day we’re going to recommend one of the best Wordle alternatives so the joy train of daily puzzling isn’t over for you.
Today, it’s time to get your calculator out…
Nerdle
(Image credit: Future)
Such a different game to Wordle, but it gives your brain a different workout. Consider Wordle your long, steady state run and then Nerdle being the HIIT workout you (inexplicably) do next.
You're asked to enter a sum of 8 numbers or symbols long… and apart from knowing it has to have some numbers and an equals in there, that's all you get.
It's a great play – plus there's an 'Instant Nerdle' that shows you one line of semi-correct entries in the wrong place… and it's up to you to get it. Lovely.
Another day, another irksome Wordle conundrum. Like puzzle #265 before it, today’s Wordle is proving a particularly tricky beast for players around the world to reckon with – but not for the same reasons as its predecessor.
Once again, TechRadar spoke to Dr Matthew Voice, an Assistant Professor in Applied Linguistics at the UK’s University of Warwick, to find out the granular details behind puzzle #270. We also heard from Shaun Savage, Editor in Chief at Try Hard Games Guides, for more on today’s troublesome term.
Naturally, we’ll be divulging the solution to today’s puzzle below, so turn back now if you’re committed to weathering the latest Wordle alone.
So, ladies and gents, today’s Wordle answer is CATER. Granted, that’s decidedly more obscure than WATCH (puzzle #265), but it’s not exactly a term that demands you dig out a dictionary.
Dr Voice explained to us last week that WATCH was a prime example of an n-gram, i.e. a group of letters of a length (n) that commonly cluster together. Again, CATER is an n-gram with a length of four letters – a quadrigram – which presents similar problems, on top of some extra word-specific difficulty.
It's all in the morphology
“Looking back at Project Gutenberg's list of common n-grams,” Dr Voice tells us, “you can really see why getting some of today's letters in place isn't necessarily narrowing down the possibilities. ER is the fourth most common combination of any two letters in the whole of the English language, it seems, and TER the twelfth most common combination of three.”
“That said,” he adds, “I also think it's interesting to think about why 'cater' might not seem like an immediately obvious option to everyone who's got the point of finding _ATER. The answer to this might be to do with our expectations about morphology – the way we combine together different parts of language to make new words.”
Morphology. Right, we’re following.
“ER is a very common bigram partly because '-er' is a highly productive suffix in English. It can be added to the end of most verbs in order to make a new noun, usually to describe someone or something doing the original verb. So 'report' becomes 'reporter' and 'play' becomes 'player', for example.”
“So we might associate an '-er' ending with nouns in particular. The data for the eleven options to fill the last slot in _ATER bears this out, too: nine of them are nouns, with one adjective ('later') and our solution, 'cater', being the only verb in the group. Players caught thinking of 'verb + -er' words might have overlooked this exception.”
So there you have it, Wordle-ers. CATER is tricking you with its sneaky bigram, which is subsequently encouraging the mind to think of 'verb + -er’ words (which, of course, does not account for the existence of ‘cater’).
This is what we learned from Shaun Savage, Editor in Chief at Try Hard Games Guides, on the matter of puzzle #270’s internet infamy: “While we definitely see more traffic on days where people need help figuring out what possible words the answer could be – with _ATER, people have a few words that likely came to mind! – we have seen the answer post trend higher in these instances, same with 'watch' and 'dodge'.”
“This past week's words haven't been too offbeat,” Savage adds. “We have seen steady traffic, but no mega surges like we have for a few words (‘vivid’ comes to mind) that are harder to figure out. The situation with _ATER, though, is that there are lots of possibilities, and all of them fit without specifically trying to eliminate more consonants.”
Well then, that's two tricky terms in the space of five days. Come on, Wordle, give us and our broken streaks a break…
Wordle, your favorite daily word-guessing game, is a solitary exercise, but it doesn't have to be. You can do it with us and our Wordle hints, which should make solving the daily brain-frustrater all the more palatable.
We won't give you the answer right upfront, of course. Instead, we'll walk you through our solution with key tips to solving it on your own along the way.
Get ready to solve Wordle #262 together with everything you need to shake you out of that letter-based fug.
A couple of quick reminders about how Wordle, which is owned by The New York Times, works. The game asks you to guess a five-letter word in six tries. Correct letter guesses appear as orange. Correct letters in their correct spot appear as green. Unless you play in “Hard Mode,” you don't have to use guessed letters in subsequent attempts.
Spoiler Alert: If you do not want to know today’s Wordle answer, STOP READING IMMEDIATELY.
Tip: More letters in a single word
Never start Wordle with a double-letter word (more on that here: How to win at Wordle. ). Even if you had a dream telling you the correct answer is “FOOLS,” don't do it.
First, it's rare to guess the word on the first try (too many options), and second, you can't afford to give up valuable letter real estate. A word like “GRAND,” gives you five letter options.
Tip: Vowels and Consonants
Virtually all words have a mix of vowels, “AEIOU and sometimes Y” and consonants (all the other letters). A lot of words start with consonants like “G” but not all. Do you best, though, to mix it up. We suggest a minimum of two vowels in your first guess, but also encourage going with your first best word guess, which might only have one.
(Image credit: Future)
Tip: Don't panic
Zero right letters is not cause for panic. Remember, you've now ruled out five letters, three of which are key consonants. The answer possibilities have just narrowed significantly.
(Image credit: Future)
Tip: Always be ready with a new word
There are two moments in Wordle when it's time to consider a completely new word. The first is when you get zero letters right and the second is when you decide you need to collect more correct letters (or rule more out) to get much closer to the Wordle solution.
Tip: Don't reuse dead letters
Conjure all the letter combinations you can think of, but whatever you do, do not reuse one of those dismissed letters. You need a new word, preferably one with a nice mix of consonants and vowels from the remaining letter list.
Tip: Look for common letter combination
While we have no correct letters to choose from, the remainders are quite useful. Having “TH” opens a few tantalizing Wordle possibilities: “THEME” and “THOSE.” Just remember the loss of an “A” also cuts away far more possible words. Always focus on what you have.
Tip: When it's early, take the leap
Getting Wordle in two guesses will always be more a product of luck than skill. Do not waste more than a few minutes trying to guess the exact right Wordle answer. Step two is almost always a building block and should position you to guess in three – if you're lucky.
(Image credit: Future)
Tip: Really pay attention to what you have
The odds are that the second guess will give your at least two letters (or three, as you see here) to play with. Your third guess is not the place to rush it.
Tip: It really does matter where letters don't belong
The great thing about Wordle is that it really is telling you something when you get it wrong. An orange letter is both the right letter, but it's also telling you that it belongs anywhere but that space. Subsequent guesses about placement will give you more insight. Knowing where things don't belong is more than half the Wordle battle.
(Image credit: Future)
Tip: It's okay to double up in three
There have been many double letter word answers in Wordle, and in the third guess, trying a double letter is a worthwhile risk.
It's also a calculated one because letters and positions that have been excluded narrow the possibilities. In this case, the “T” can no longer sit at the front of the word. We know “S” is in there and it's a fairly common start letter. We've also lost the vowels “A” and “O,” which again tightens the focus on E.
Tip: Don't forget common letter combinations
We talked about “TH” above, which we lost when “H” was moved off the board. There's still an “E” and an “I.” These two letters which often appear as “IE” but not always, could sit in the middle of your word. Try out the combinations in your head.
(Image credit: Future)
Tip: Always make progress
Do your best to build on successes and let letter failures guide you as well. Starting over after three guesses is almost never the way to go.
(Image credit: Future)
Tip: Three or more correct letters means you solve offline, first
Three correct Wordle letters in the right place is your golden opportunity to solve in four. Never rush to answer. Try letter combinations in your head and on the board. Just don't hit enter until you are at least 90% certain.
Tip: Embrace the educated guess
It's always worth going through all your remaining letters to ensure they cannot fit in your open spaces. There are often two or more viable Wordle answers. In this case, because we still have “L” and “W” to choose from, “SWEEP” or “SLEEP” would work.
The choice between the two words is difficult. Going with our gut, says, “SLEEP.”
(Image credit: Future)
Tip: Pay attention
A dumb mistake, like missing the fact that the “P” is out and the “T” is in can cost you a turn and lead you to incorrect guess.
[Author's note: This was totally done to show you a worst-case scenario. You're welcome.]
(Image credit: Future)
Tip: Go with the obvious
The options here are limited to, essentially “SKEET” and “SWEET.” They both real and viable words, but “SKEET” is less common (how many people still skeet shoot?) and, well, we all know “sweet.”
Worlde is a fun word game, but it isn't necessarily easy. Sometimes, we need a little help. Consider me your Wordle Yoda. I want to help you solve the Wordle answer #261.
What follows is a hint-based guide that can help you get off to a good Wordle start, get unstuck, or take you all the way to an early win. How you use my hints and tips is up to you.
Wordle, which is now owned by The New York Times, asks you to guess a five-letter word in six tries. Correct letter guesses appear as orange. Correct letters in their correct spot appear as green. Unless you play in “Hard Mode,” you don't have to use guessed letters in subsequent attempts.
For those who don't want my help – just answers – you can check out today's Wordle answer. I bet, though, you return here for more of my sage guidance.
What I teach here is not the one method for every Wordle win. Instead, we'll build a toolkit. Part of your training is understanding the difference between vowels and consonants, and why certain combinations of the two make more sense (or less) than others.
I'll teach you how to look, with more of an analytical eye, at what you've gained and lost in each turn. Remember, every guess matters – even the bad ones.
Feel free to share this guidance with others – if you want them to beat you at Wordle.
Spoiler Alert: If you do not want to know today’s Wordle answer, STOP READING IMMEDIATELY.
A fresh start
Over the weekend, I only Wordled on Saturday (solved in four), trying to preserve my brain strength for a strong start today. I also learned that my wife starts her games almost the same way as I do: with a word that “just comes to me.”
She's struggled with some of the same words as I have but has been known to “solve-in-three,” more frequently than me. Perhaps she should be writing this diary.
If learned anything last week (#258 “AHEAD), it's to slow down and, relax. I can get pretty tense when solving a Wordle, especially as I try to give you a play-by-play.
The mantra for today is deep breaths.
(Image credit: Future)
1. Choosing the right 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.
While I want to practice patience and not leap to any word choice conclusions, I do have a start word ready to go: WEIRD. I know, why that word?
1) It popped into my head
2) It has two vowels (“E” and “I”)
3) I like the “D,” it has potential
4) I don't often try “W”
5) It's as good as any other word
(Image credit: Future)
2. RD is in the right place
Not terrible. It's not often I get two letters correct and in the correct position on the first guess. On the other hand, there are A LOT of words that end with “RD.”
I may have my work cut out for me.
If I decide to go with Wordle's Hard Mode restrictions (I'm not officially playing in that mode), I'd have to use “RD” in my next guess. Knowing which letters are now excluded, though – “WEI” – I might attempt a full-blown guess.
(Image credit: Future)
3. It's time to consider new vowels
I feel like I'm in a great position here. The two letters at the end give me a solid direction, as does the exclusion of two vowels and that “W.”
I scan my remaining letters for a couple of minutes and spot the “B.” Almost immediately a word pops into my head: BOARD. It's a good choice because it's all-new letters and even if I'm wrong, I've excluded one-to-three more letters and am in a better position for my third guess.
I hit “Enter.”
(Image credit: Future)
4. _OARD is nearly there
You would think having four letters in the right spot would be a golden ticket to “solved-in-three.” it should be, but there may be more than a few words that look like this: _OARD.
(Image credit: Future)
5. It has to start with a consonant… but which?
I quickly realize that there aren't that many options here. I try to follow my new mantra of pausing, taking a breath, and not leaping to any conclusions. I want this done in three.
The start letter must be a consonant. I have quite a few to choose from – “P,” “S,” “F,” “G,” and more. As you might've noticed, none of them work. “H” does.
I type in “HOARD” and confidently hit “Enter.”
(Image credit: Future)
Done in three… or four
Look, I'm not gonna lie. Getting Wordle #261 in three was equal parts savvy and luck. I started off strong and had an excellent second guess. Basically, I was a letter away from getting it in the mythical two.
Welcome back to my weekday Wordle Answer Diary, where I take you step-by-step through my own Wordle puzzle efforts. In this entry, we're tackling today's Wordle #258.
If you just want to skip to today's Wordle answer, (and yes, we have a page to do just that), you can depart right now. But what would be the fun in that?
If you want to preserve your streak and learn how to get better at Wordle, you'll need to make smart choices and understand the tactics that can take you from a “Winning in Five” 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.
Begin again
A reader asked me this week if I always start with the same word or do I “mix it up?” As evidenced by yesterday's dream-inspired opening, I mix it up any way I can. Inspiration can come from dreams, conversations, something I read, really anywhere where the lingua franca includes five-letter English words.
Getting “MOURN” in four (Wordle #257) felt splendid. I still yearn for the solved-in-three or genius-level “got-it-in-two,” but I know I used best practices to whittle down my options to a sad-sounding answer.
(Image credit: Future)
Seeing the words
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.
Getting ready for work, I start preparing to think of my first word when one pops into my head: ALIGN. It's not a special five-letter term, but has my favored balance of two vowels and three consonants.
I don't even hesitate, typing it in and hitting “Enter” in six, quick strokes.
(Image credit: Future)
One at a time
It's a little early to start cursing in the morning, but what the heck? One letter? Fine, it's an “A” properly placed in position one, but one letter means it would be a miracle if I guessed the right word in this next round.
At this point, I'm so desperate for more letters that I will probably try a new set of five. Remember, if I were playing in Wordle's Hard Mode I would have to use the “A.”
(Image credit: Future)
Making choices
I know, I planned on using all new letters, but I had a tiny inspiration and, even if I do reuse the “A,” I get four new letter options, anyway. This way, if I happen to guess right with “ATOMS”, I get Wordle in two! Listen, a Wordler can dream.
There is a risk, though, in using “ATOMS.” I do not recall Wordle liking plural words, certainly not over singulars that do not rely on the “S” to make it to five letters.
I pause and rethink this strategy. “APPLE,” I realize is another solid possibility. It even has that double letter Wordle so loves. So does “AWAKE,” but it separates the “A's.”
I also realize that Wordle might've used one of these words already, but if I search on Google for those answers, I might accidentally see today's Wordle answer. I just can't risk it.
It takes me a few beats to realize that “APPLE” is impossible. I already ruled out “L” as an included letter.
Time to commit to “ATOMS.” I hit “Enter.”
(Image credit: Future)
Smaller result than an Atom
Uh oh. That was bad. On the bright side, I've now ruled out eight letters, six consonants, and two vowels. I've made little progress on the board but do have more information to work with. Having the correct letter upfront is a big help.
(Image credit: Future)
A is still the key
It's pretty much a lock that the next letter after “A” is a consonant, and we have a lot of choices. “AWAKE” fits but I really worry it's been used in a previous Wordle game. If I'm wrong, it's not a great guess because I wasted a second “A” on a new letter space.
Having just two vowels left – “E” and “I” – limits my choices. There is the sometimes-vowel “Y” and that could sit neatly in the middle or end of this word.
Every once in a while, Wordle goes crazy with a double-double, meaning a word with two sets of double letters. I'm thinking of “ARRAY.”
AWAKE or ARRAY, which way do I go?
In the end, I try ARRAY.
[Enter]
(Image credit: Future)
Middling result
Clearly, I have no idea what I'm doing. I've got two “A's” but only managed to eliminate “R” and “Y.”
(Image credit: Future)
Slow it down
Rushing is not working. I've decided to take a quick break to think about what I have.
I highly recommend virtually Wordling in the shower. It's the perfect place to play out possible word combinations. On the other hand, I still have no idea what word to enter.
Clearly, I'm looking for a consonant right after that initial “A,” but the combination of “PH” is not going to work. “APHA” goes nowhere.
“AQUA” combination seems promising, but there's no remaining letter that will make an English language word. Even “APEA” gets me nowhere without that “R” to place at the end.
I need more letters and realize it's time for a new word so I can collect more letters and eliminate some, as well. There is no way I'm getting this in less than five now.
I resort to making a word that has four new letters and one eliminated one. It also reflects how I feel.
(Image credit: Future)
Seriously?
Four guesses in and I have three letters (“A” counts twice). Can you spell “disaster?”
(Image credit: Future)
The word
Of course, the answer smacks me right between the eyes. I'm pretty sure there isn't another word that can accommodate “AH_A_” when you have only one other vowel left, “E,” and ten consonants to choose from.
I move “AHEAD” with my guess.
(Image credit: Future)
Yes, right, “Great!” Maybe that should've been obvious to me sooner but sometimes you just can't see it.
Welcome back to my weekday Wordle Answer Diary, where I take you step-by-step through my own Wordle puzzle efforts. In this entry, we're tackling today's Wordle #257.
If you just want to skip to today's Wordle answer, (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 learn how to get better at Wordle, which means making smart choices and understanding the tactics that can take you from a “Winning in Five” to a “Solved in Tree” 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.
All bets are off
Yesterday's Wordle (Wordle #256) was nasty. No, I mean the answer was “NASTY,” but the process of solving it was relatively straightforward. I didn't have any big, “What have I done?” moments.
It would be nice to get today's game in three, though. To do so, I may have to abandon the strategy of guessing a completely new word (all new letters) in the second round. That will require me making a much, much better first guess.
So just how deep am I into this Weekday Wordle Diary? I woke up thinking of five-letter words. They just appeared in m mind, unbidden. Before long, I'll be speaking in nothing but five-letter words.
(Image credit: Future)
Dreaming of the right words
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.
As I mentioned above, I had a few start words in mind when I got out of bed: “ORGAN,” “DIRTY,” and “FLICK.” They almost all lean heavily on the consonant side, which is never my preference, but at least there are no repeating letters.
I settle on “ORGAN” for the “O” and “A” possibilities.
(Image credit: Future)
Hat trick
Maybe I should sleep on Wordle more often. Three letters on the first guess is a pretty good result, and one of them is even in the right place.
With just two letters left, you might think I was in a prime position to guess Wordle in two. Maybe. It's enough material that I wonder if I can make an educated guess here and not resort to a letter collection/letter dismissal guess.
As I like to remind you, I couldn't even consider trying a word with all new letters if I were playing in Wordle's Hard Mode. This time, though, I want to see if I can cook up the right word on try two.
(Image credit: Future)
Making choices
While I'd like to believe that “O” and “R” automatically move from the first to spots to the second two, nestling up against that “I found my home” “N,” but I know that's probably not right. My solution could start with the consonant “R” or the vowel “O” could move to the second slot.
These are good letter options, though. How many five-letter words have “O,” “R,” and “N” in them?
In my head, I start word-wheeling through “RO”_ _”N” combinations. Rather quickly, I land on “ROBIN.”
I can't recall if Worlde has ever had an animal answer. Is the name of a bird type the kind of word Wordle would accept, like “CHAIR?” Maybe, maybe not, but it is a word that will both eliminate two more letters and give me a better clue about where “R” and “O” belong.
(Image credit: Future)
A flightless bird
That did not go well. Zero new letters. At least I know the location of the “O” and have eliminated one more sport for the wandering “R.” Still, that was a tough blow, as I don't think I made much progress.
Maybe I went too fast on that guess. I have three letters and a lot of thinking to do. Here's what I don't know: The first letter of the word. What I do know is that its selection is driven by the O. That vowel needs a strong consonant in front of it.
When I think of words, it's always nice to realize that most English word pronunciations (but not all – looking at you, silent vowels) make sense and will be something you can easily say in a normal conversation.
(Image credit: Future)
A guess that goes nowhere
I find myself back at “T.” A lot of words start with “T,” pairing it with the “O” makes sense. I quickly type in “TOKEN” and like how it looks. “Has that word been used before?”
Maybe it has, but guess what? It doesn't have an “R” in it. I'm more tired than I think.
“TORUN” is a word meaning grandchild, granddaughter, grandson, but that's just the kind of obscure word The New York Times scrubbed from Wordle when they bought it. Still, I am much further from a solution than I thought and may need to use it to get the answer in four.
Turns out even Wordle doesn't recognize it as a word. The whole board shakes to indicate the rejection. I still have a chance at three.
Not a real word (Image credit: Future)
Stuck at three
I am convinced that a hard consonant sits in the middle of this word. It's driving all my guesses. Also realizing that a vowel must come before the “N” at the end. With only a handful of vowels left, I'm struggling to figure this one out in three. But I refuse to give up.
[Time passes]
I shaved, took a shower, and returned to this problem-child word. I think it's time to try a different word with all new letters. I need a spark and doing a billion letter combos in my head and those I put in Wordle but do not commit to with an “Enter” is not working. It seems the “R” in space 3 or 4 is what's really throwing me.
Feeling slightly defeated, I go with “SERUM.” It has the benefit of new letters, but also the answer to exactly where “R” belongs. Bye, guess number 3.
(Image credit: Future)
All the letters
This worked out better than I thought. Not only do I now know the “R” must be in the fourth spot, but I collected the final two letters, “U” and “M.”
Because I know where “O,” “R,” and “N” must be, the answer is obvious: “MOURN.”
(Image credit: Future)
Buried this one
Yes, I'm a little sad I couldn't solve this in three tries, but nothing I had lit up my brain. Had I not tried a new word combo, but with that key “R” letter, ” I might've wasted a guess on a completely wrong answer that included the letters I had, but with the wrong letter companions.
Welcome back to my weekday Wordle Answer Diary, where I take you step-by-step through my own Wordle puzzle efforts. In this entry, we're tackling Today's Wordle #256.
If you just want to skip to the today's Wordle answer, (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 learn how to get better at Wordle, which means making smart choices and understanding the tactics that can take you from a “Winning in Five” to a “Solved in Tree” 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.
All bets are off
This game is increasingly starting to feel like a daily edition of “Is that even a word?”
Four tries to solve Wordle is respectable, but where did they even get yesterday's solution of RUPEE (Wordle 255)?
Still, if there's one thing I've learned about Wordle over these months is that it's not Groundhog Day, a banal repetition that ends in the same result. Every day is literally a different word.
They might start the same (your favorite opening word) but it will wildly veer off the path after that. It's why I still love Wordle.
Chastened by a rough go of it yesterday, I head back to the board, ready to guide you and me through what I hope will be a better Wordle journey.
The Wordle start screen (Image credit: Future)
The first word and a good start
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.
A word pops into my head: “RACES.” I know, it's perilously close to “FACES,” but I like that not only do I get a pair of decent vowels, there are three really solid consonants in there that could start a word, fill its middle, or anchor the end.
Since this is the jump-off point, I'll get right to the result.
Two letters always sting of defeat, but that one of them is in the right spot (green!) cheers me. That “A” is like a strong root that goes deep in the Wordle ground. We now know the Wordle solution is an open-sounding word, likely with a plosive consonant right before it. On the other hand, that correct “S” doesn't belong there and could slide right to the front.
(Image credit: Future)
Solve or build
If you're like me, your second Wordle attempt is an important fork in the road. Two letters, especially one in the right spot, is a decent foundation, but if we're being honest here, it's not enough to make even an educated guess.
Seriously, I want to guess. One word that popped into my head is “TASKS.” Wordle's penchant for double letters is well known, but a simple pluralization does feel out of character.
So this is the choice we face: Make a guess or gather more letters with something completely different (a tactic not possible in Wordle's Hard Mode, which forces you to use letters guessed accurately in subsequent guesses).
In the end, I go with WOUND to collect one or two more letters and try for the “done in three” guess.
(Image credit: Future)
Little progress
Gathering just a single letter in the wrong spot is somewhat crushing.
I know have “A,” “S,” and “N” to work with. Glad I didn't go with 'TASKS.”
The word in question could start with an “S,” but with the “A” locked in that second slot, all the “ST” words are out of the running. I still have a feeling about “T” and that it belongs at the start. If that's the case, though, we have something that sounds like “TANS…” And that's not adding up to much of a word.
This is, as always, the moment for deep thought and off-board word-jumbles. I may start typing a letter combo on the Wordle board but won't commit until I feel confident I'm one “Enter” away from winning.
By the way, yes, I see the “SANTA” possibility, but Wordle generally doesn't use proper names as solutions.
(Image credit: Future)
Deep breaths
Here I go with another double-letter word combo. “NASAL.”
There is a reason to fear the double letter attempt: You use up a valuable letter-learning position. Still I have a feeling.
(Image credit: Future)
Good news, bad news
It's rare to guess three letters in the correct positions and still fail to solve Today's Wordle. I should be pleased, but feel defeated. It's been so long since I've “Solved in Three.”
Double letters are now less likely, and I am glad I didn't follow my “T” start heart. However, the notion of a “T” puts another five-letter word in my head: “NASTY.”
It's a good word, right? But before I commit, I work through other possible letter combinations. “NAS” significantly cuts down the permutations, especially since I no longer have the whole alphabet to work with.
After a couple of minutes, though, I see that nothing else really makes sense.
I hit “Enter.”
(Image credit: Future)
A calculated win
Well, look at that, I was right about “T” all along.
This is how it should go. Sure, some may criticize me because I couldn't Wordle in Three, but I know that I took the right path. An earlier solution would've been more luck than skill, right?
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 #255.
If you just want to skip to the Today's Wordle answer, (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.
Feeling strong
Even though it took me four attempts, yesterday's solution (Wordle #254) in four strengthened my confidence. Seeing the “CH” combination reminds me that all those decades of writing might, in fact, count for something.
I'm so cocky that now I'm ready to Wordle from the train. I'm still using my laptop, though. I'm convinced the big screen is helping me focus.
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.
This morning, I make a slight change in tactics and look up a massive list of five-letter words to help jog my memory. I'm no dummy but I'm also not a dictionary. I can't start every Wordle with “FACES” (though I do love that as a starting point).
I spot “BREAD” and immediately fall in love (who doesn't love bread?). This word has everything: Two key vowels, “E” and “A” and excellent consonants that can live anywhere in a five-letter word. Can you imagine if this is the moment I get Wordle in one?
Could've been worse
Surprise, doing this on a train with a spotty mobile broadband connection is as risky as starting your Wordle with a word that repeats two letters. Sadly, I lost the original 'BREAD” entry image, but can present the middling results here.
Getting two letters in the wrong spots on the first attempt isn't exactly a success story, but I like to focus not only on what I got but what's been permanently excluded.
I hate to see “A” go. There are so many good “A” words like “CHAIR” and “FAITH.”
The “R” is useful and knowing that it's not the second letter makes me think it could start or end the word.
Even so, with just two letters to work with, I think I will stick with my tried and true strategy of pulling in an entirely new set of letters. I need more material to work with.
(Image credit: Future)
Wild guess
I go wild and drop “YOUTH” in there like the risk-taker I am. It's a solid word with another pair of vowels and three consonants that all could work well with the “R” or “E.” I'm especially excited about the “R” possibilities. It could work right next to that “T” or at the end of a “Y” word.
Please don't judge me because I still refuse to use Wordle's Hard Mode. It's not that I don't think I could work each word with previously-guessed letters but it's that I know the majority of you are not playing in Hard Mode. Maybe someday.
(Image credit: Future)
Slow climb
Grabbing one more letter is, if we're being honest here, not a great result. Two chances in and I have three letters. There are a lot of words you could make with “R,” “E,” and “U.” It's actually good news that none of them are in the right place.
I always take my time on the third turn. No sense in rushing to try a new word. I want to win in three. Can I see any obvious word combinations?
(Image credit: Future)
A long think
Having no “O” to go with the “U” or “A” to go with the “E” is throwing me a bit. I start thinking about “S” and “R” and where they might take me.
I always recommend putting letters into the Wordle game board to see how they look and if they work and fit in the five letters before committing (hitting Enter).
This is the trial and error phase of the game.
As I'm thinking through word and letter combos, I start considering “P,” an excellent way to start a five letter words. I know that “R” won't follow “P” (it's been excluded from that position) but having a “U” and an “E”…I stop thinking.
The best parts of Wordle are those moments of pure inspiration. Literally “PURE” is where it started. I needed one more letter and my old friend “S” seemed like the perfect fit.
I type in “PURSE.” nNever have I believed in a word or Wordle guess more.
I hit enter.
(Image credit: Future)
Hubris, you are thy enemy
(Image credit: Future)
In my defense, I cooked up “PURSE” on the train as we were pulling into the station. I then had to run uptown with the guess in my head, which only led to me believing even more feverently that I was about to solve Wordle in three.
Looking on the bright side, we now have four letters “P,” “U,” “R,” and “E,” but with only two of them in the right place. My love affair with “S” temporarily suspended, I look to see what raw materials I'm working with.
These are good letters and I believe there aren't too many combinations. At this juncture, it's critical to take stock of not only the letters you have but, based on previous work, where they can and cannot live on the board.
“P” cannot live in the first, second, or fifth spot, which “E” now owns.
“R” can't live in the second, third, or fifth spot.
This should be simple but I am now in one of those terrible Wordle loops where no configuration of the four letters leads to recognition.
I have a meeting in five minutes. I often tell people when they're Wordle stumped to take a break. Thinks might make sense in 10 or 15 minutes.
I try 'ERUPT” because that's what I'm about to do. It's a perfectly fine five-letter word, but I don't hit enter because that “T” simply cannot be there. “E” owns the last spot.
(Image credit: Future)
Monetary gains
I'm not sure why I've chosen “RUPEE.” There's the double letter attempt (“R,” “P,” and “E” are all double-letter candidates) but with a truly oddball word that few would ever guess.
My confidence level right now is low. If I hit “Enter” and I'm wrong, I stumble into fifth attempt territory.
(Image credit: Future)
Son of a gun
I am more than a little surprised that “RUPEE” was the Wordle result. That guess managed to save me from Wordle in 5 or Wordle in 6 purgatory.
Just another reminder to always think outside the box and DO NOT FORGET DOUBLE-LETTER WORDS.
