# What's your Wordle approach? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** board-card-word-game\ **Created:** [January 7, 2022, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372 "2022-01-07T14:08:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2022, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/1 "2022-01-07T14:08:36Z")
Continuing the discussion from ["Wordle," a strangely compelling word game](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game/956604): I’m splitting this off because I feel like discussion will get buried in people sharing their results. I’m curious about how y’all approach Wordle. Do you play normal mode or hard? Do you always start with a word like ‘ratio’ or ‘stare’ to hit common letters, or do you pick at random? Do you have any self-imposed rules? I saw one poster mention always using the previous day’s answer as the next day’s starting guess. I think it’s an awesome idea, but I keep forgetting to do it. My approach: - Hard mode. - Different starting words each day, usually the first decent one to pop into my head. - After that I try to eliminate the most common letters, with one prohibition: - I generally don’t reuse letters unless I’m absolutely stumped, even if it would be the most efficient play. ---
**Author:** ![SoToasty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sotoasty/32/2803_2.png) [@SoToasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoToasty)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2022, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/2 "2022-01-07T14:11:28Z")
See the post above mine. That is usually how I do it. 🙂 First word that pops into head. Next word to use as many more letters as I can. Repeat. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2022, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/3 "2022-01-07T14:29:24Z")
I’ve only done three games, but I pretty much immediately went for: - Hard mode, even before I knew that was something you could turn on - Pick a starting word with three different common vowels - Try to form the next word with common, unused letters ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2022, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/4 "2022-01-07T15:58:04Z")
Play in hard mode. Lately I’ve been using SPLIT. It has 3 of the most common used consonants in the RSTLN list. Usually can get it in 3-4 tries but had to use 5 tries for the first time this week. Have only been playing about three weeks. (actually, looking at the consonant list I may start using SNARL as a first guess.) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2022, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/5 "2022-01-07T16:25:22Z")
Play in hard mode, because why not? I go with the ETAOIN SHRLDU method - I start with a word that contains five of those letters (STARE seems to work pretty well) and then aim to use other letters from that group in the next round to replace the ones that didn’t hit, until I have enough context to actually make an educated guess. This seems to give me the right answer in four tries, +/-1. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2022, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/6 "2022-01-07T17:31:03Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > I saw one poster mention always using the previous day’s answer as the next day’s starting guess. That was me. I think it actually makes the game harder; I just thought it would be an interesting limitation to set for myself. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/7 "2022-01-07T18:41:04Z")
I didn’t know there was a hard mode, but I try to play that way anyway. If I’d been in hard mode I would’ve got today’s one quicker as I forgot to use a letter. My first words are SIREN and/or OCTAL which covers ten of the most common letters and knocks out four vowels (not my idea, I saw it mentioned on some YouTube channel). ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2022, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/8 "2022-01-07T21:50:28Z")
I do hard mode, because I was doing hard mode before I knew what hard mode was or that it existed. It just seemed logical to use known good letters in my attempt to solve the word. I’ve been starting with RATIO because it contains 3 vowels and two of the most common consonants in the English language. Then with each guess I reuse what I know is good, and avoid what I know is bad. I’m also attempting to first use what I know to be the most common letters (based on previous experience with cryptograms, Scrabble, watching Wheel of Fortune, etc.) in a format that makes a common word, moving around letters in a logical way if they are correct but in the wrong position. So far, I believe the worst I’ve done is 5 guesses, I usually get it in 3 or 4. I think I once got it in 2 guesses. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2022, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/9 "2022-01-08T04:22:47Z")
- Not in hard mode. - First two guesses, I try to think of words that use up all the vowels. - Keep guessing till I win. Not really a strategy so much as just boringly playing the game as you’d expect. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2022, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/10 "2022-01-08T17:20:33Z")
I always play in hard mode, and start with STARE or STERN or RATIO. Then I want to get the first letter right, so of my yellow letters if any, I’ll put one in the starting position if that seems plausible, and start thinking of words that cover the bases. Repeat as necessary. This has got me a win in 3, 4, or 5 tries (about equally); once got it in 2 and once it took 6. Yesterday’s game “SLUMP” was pretty satisfying: STARE (gave me green S but nothing else, so I want to try words with I, O, or U plus other common letters that are not T or R.) SINUS came to mind. Now we’ve got a “U” but it’s in the wrong position. I figured maybe another S-consonant combination (but not ST\_\_\_), and with U most likely in the center position, so my guess can be “SLU\_\_”. It can’t be “SLUMS” or “SLUSH” because SINUS ruled those out, so SLUMP it was. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2022, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/11 "2022-01-08T17:41:31Z")
I didn’t have it set to Hard Mode (I do now) but that’s how I’ve been playing anyway. I’ve had pretty good luck with using SPARE as my starting word. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2022, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/12 "2022-01-08T19:49:23Z")
I started with both SIREN and OCTAL which gave me S and L and ruled out all vowels other than U. Then I went for SUMPS (forgot about the L and don’t have hard mode set), SLUMP was the obvious follow up. I think I would’ve got SLUMP in three if I’d remembered the L. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2022, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/13 "2022-01-08T21:39:23Z")
READY BOGUS then I figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2022, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/14 "2022-01-08T22:51:53Z")
I always start with TRAMS or MARTS or SMART. no particular reason, I think it’s the one I used on the first puzzle, and I’ve just stuck with it since. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2022, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/15 "2022-01-08T23:16:50Z")
I start with ADIEU and STROP. That usually gets me to guess the word by #3 or #4. I’ve only played a half dozen games, and none have gone farther than that. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2022, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/16 "2022-01-11T20:20:40Z")
I start with STAIN. I think that only missed all 5 letters once, so then I tried HORDE. Haven’t failed to guess one so far. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2022, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/17 "2022-01-11T20:28:26Z")
I start with IRATE LOCUS HYMEN GAPED and pivot from any of those words depending on the results. From those 4 words, there are 17 different letters. Only E and A are repeated. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2022, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/18 "2022-01-11T20:43:36Z")
Thanks for tip on hard mode. Because that’s how I play anyway I consider this easy mode as it will make sure I don’t miss anything. Today’s effort: ⬛⬛🟨⬛🟨 🟨⬛⬛🟨⬛ ⬛🟩⬛⬛🟩 ⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2022, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/19 "2022-01-12T08:29:42Z")
I feel a bit ripped off by today’s Wordle, particularly considering it’s hosted at a .uk domain. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2022, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372/20 "2022-01-12T08:59:32Z")
Yes I think this is the first time, at least within the last 20 words. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-wordle-approach/957372.md?page=2)