Tips for Wordle-style word games, and good starting words
In a five-letter word game you get six tries to find a hidden word. Each guess shows which letters are right (green), in the word but in the wrong place (yellow), or not in the word (grey). A good first word and a simple plan make a big difference.
Pick a strong first word
Your first guess should test the most common letters. In English five-letter words, E, A, R, O, T, L, I, S and N turn up most. Words such as SLATE, CRANE, TRACE, RAISE and STARE each test five of them, with no letter repeated. Choose one and stick with it, so you get used to reading its results.
A simple plan for guesses 2 and 3
- Few hits on guess 1? Use guess 2 for five fresh common letters, for example DOING or MOUND after SLATE. Two guesses then test ten letters.
- Two or more hits? Start guessing real candidates that keep greens in place and move yellows somewhere new.
- A yellow letter rules out its current spot. Put it somewhere it hasn’t been.
Watch for these traps
- Double letters. Words like ELDER, GEESE or ROBOT repeat a letter. If you’re stuck, consider a repeat.
- Word families. _IGHT (light, might, night, sight, fight…) or _ATCH can eat all your guesses. When several words fit, guess one word that tests many of their first letters at once, even if it can’t be the answer.
- Common endings. -ER, -LY, -ED and S at the end are frequent, but many games avoid plain plurals as answers.
Practise with shorter and longer words. Four-letter rounds teach you to think about vowels, and six-letter rounds teach you to spot endings. Both make the daily five-letter puzzle easier.
Play wordl, the free daily word gameA daily five-letter word, then unlimited 4, 5 and 6 letter rounds. Keep your streak and share your grid.
More word games: Scramble (unscramble words, films and more), Bridgeword and Splitword.