In the New York Times’ daily Wordle, you have six guesses to find a hidden five-letter word. Each guess returns color clues: green means the letter is in the right spot, yellow means it is in the answer but in a different spot, and gray means that guessed occurrence is not needed. Use those clues to narrow the next guess rather than relying on a supposedly unbeatable starting word.
How Wordle works
Enter a valid five-letter word, then submit it to see how its letters compare with the hidden answer. You get up to six guesses. The daily answer comes from a curated list, according to The Washington Post’s 2022 account of the game.
- Green: This letter is in the answer and in the correct position.
- Yellow: This letter is in the answer, but not in the position you guessed.
- Gray: This guessed occurrence is not needed in the answer.
Be careful with repeated letters: a gray tile for one copy does not necessarily rule out a matching green or yellow copy elsewhere. Read the clues tile by tile instead of automatically eliminating the letter everywhere.
How to choose a first guess
A useful opener checks several common letters, giving you information to work with on the next turn. Examples include SLATE, CRANE, TRACE and CRATE. Vowel-heavy openers such as AUDIO or ADIEU test vowels but cover fewer common consonants. These are examples, not guaranteed winners or a definitive ranking; the best follow-up depends on the colors you see.
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How to use the clues on each turn
- Keep green letters in place. A green tile confirms both the letter and its position.
- Move yellow letters. Try them in positions not already ruled out by your clues.
- Use gray clues cautiously. Avoid relying on gray letters, but account for the possibility of repeated letters.
- Choose between solving and testing. If a likely answer fits, submit it; otherwise, use a plausible word to test letters that could help distinguish remaining answers.
- Use later guesses to narrow the board. As you learn more, focus on placing known letters into plausible words instead of repeating broad exploration.
No opening word guarantees a win. The NYT’s curated answer list is not simply a fixed, timeless dictionary rule, as the 2022 Washington Post report explains.
Standard play and Hard Mode
Hard Mode requires you to reuse revealed green or yellow letters in subsequent guesses. That constraint can keep guesses aligned with known clues, but it can also limit attempts to test unrelated letters. Start with standard play if you want more freedom to explore; choose Hard Mode if you prefer each guess to follow the clues you have already uncovered.
Rank #2
- Wordle Experience in a Board Game – Love Wordle? Boardle brings the same addictive 5-letter word challenge to your table, no screens required. Compete in real life word-guessing duels that capture the fun of the online game in a social, face-to-face format. (This game is unaffiliated with NYT/Hasbro Wordle.)
- Head-to-Head 2-Player Word Duel – Challenge a friend or partner in a battle of wits. Boardle is a 2-player board game where each player takes turns secretly writing a 5-letter word while their partner deciphers the other’s word through strategic guesses. It’s perfect for couples’ game nights or a quick round of competitive fun with a buddy.
- Fun for Family Game Night & Parties – Bring family and friends together with this fast-paced word puzzle game. Play one-on-one or form teams for group play. Boardle spices up parties, classrooms, and family game nights by getting everyone thinking and laughing as they race to crack the code.
- Build Vocabulary & Brainpower – More than just a game, Boardle is an educational word puzzle that helps expand vocabulary and sharpen spelling skills. Great for English learners and word enthusiasts, it’s an engaging tool for teachers or parents to make learning fun. (Screen-free brain teaser!)
- Premium Quality & Complete Set – Boardle comes with a durable game board, letter tiles, color-coded clue pegs, and even a sand timer for timed rounds – everything you need for endless play. High-quality components ensure longevity, and the sleek design makes it a great gift for puzzle lovers. (Ages 14+)
| Mode | What it asks of you | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | You can choose guesses more freely. | More freedom to test new letters. |
| Hard Mode | Reuse revealed green or yellow letters in subsequent guesses. | Less freedom to test unrelated letters. |
What strategy statistics do—and don’t—tell you
A 2022 arXiv preprint tested strategies in a simulator against a set of 2,315 answers. It reported an average of 4.078 guesses, with 1.77% of answers requiring more than six trials; its best tested strategy averaged 3.674 guesses and had a 0.65% failure rate. Those are results for the paper’s algorithms and test set, not typical human performance, an official NYT benchmark or a promise of what a player will achieve. Read the 2022 strategy paper on arXiv.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Statistics, leaderboards and playing with other people
The daily puzzle’s core game is separate from optional app features. The NYT Games app’s Me tab provides Wordle statistics and streaks, while its Friends tab offers leaderboards that track guesses, according to the NYT Games app help page. That page also describes limited access for some non-subscribers; check the current official offer for access details.
Rank #3
- Guess the Secret Word: Inspired by the most popular online word game that broke the internet, 5-Letter Wordlet is the wordle style party game families and friends can enjoy together.
- Play All Day: With 5-Letter Wordlet, the fun never ends, as players aren't limited to one word puzzle a day like the online version. Unlimited play with dry erase guessing boards and markers means unlimited fun!
- Grab and Go Game: 5-Letter Wordlet's game boards are specifically designed to pick up and hold.
- Party Game Night: Make it a party game night with 5-Letter Wordlet, the wordle based game that is great for evenings with friends and family, game nights, or date nights.
- What's Inside: The 5-Letter Wordlet Word Party Game is loaded with 3 Dry Erase Guessing Boards, 3 Dry Erase Markers, 90 Guessing Chips, 200 Secret Words, and Instructions to get your game night started in five minutes or less
There is also a physical group-play adaptation, Wordle: The Party Game, developed by Hasbro and The New York Times and released in 2022, according to The Washington Post. It is a separate offline format, not the one-player daily puzzle. NYT spokesperson Jordan Cohen told the paper, “What solvers choose to use as guess words is their private choice,” in the context of the game’s valid-guess dictionary.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- PLAY WORDLE IN REAL LIFE WITH FRIENDS: Inspired by the popular digital version, Wordle: The Party Game features the same gameplay fans love, but players compete in real life to solve the Wordle
- THE WORD IS … PARTY: Swap solo play for social with this analog version of the Wordle game. Players take turns writing down a 5-letter Secret Word. The others try to guess it in the fewest tries to win
- UNLIMITED PLAY WITH DRY-ERASE BOARDS: No more waiting for a new Wordle game. Use the Wordle dry-erase boards and markers to play as many rounds as there are players. Replay again and again
- 4 WAYS TO WORDLE: Try the classic play or 3 variations. In fast mode, players race to solve the Wordle first. In timed mode, beat the clock—or receive more points. Or compete in groups with team mode
- FRIENDS & FAMILY GAME NIGHT: Break out this fun game for evenings with friends or family game nights. For ages 14 and up, it’s a great gift for adults, teens, Wordle fans, and word puzzle lovers
Rank #4
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