# "Wordle," a strangely compelling word game (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** board-card-word-game\ **Created:** [December 24, 2021, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604 "2021-12-24T21:12:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 106
**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:** [March 13, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2101 "2022-03-13T16:34:56Z")
Wordle 267 4/6\* β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬› πŸŸ¨β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬› β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨πŸŸ©β¬› 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Turns out I had a bit of a nautical theme going today. BURST SPUME BOSUN (accidental repeat on the B) FOCUS ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2102 "2022-03-13T21:16:00Z")
Wordle 267 4/6\* ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 BEARD QUILT CHUNK FOCUS ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2103 "2022-03-13T23:55:52Z")
Wordle 267 4/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜ 🟨🟩🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 TRAIN, SCOLD, COUCH, FOCUS ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2104 "2022-03-14T04:41:13Z")
Wordle 268 3/6 β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬› πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 CLOTH STALE SMELT The only two possible words I could see were SMELT and SPELT, but the latter is British, not American. Even still, I wasn’t confident in SMELT and was relieved when it came back all greens. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2105 "2022-03-14T04:54:38Z")
Wordle 268 3/6\* ⬜🟨🟩⬜🟩 🟩⬜🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ALERT SPELT SMELT ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2106 "2022-03-14T04:57:40Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > The only two possible words I could see were SMELT and SPELT, but the latter is British, not American. [Spelt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelt) is also a kind of grain. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2107 "2022-03-14T05:07:12Z")
Wordle 268 4/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟩🟨🟩⬜⬜ 🟩⬜🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 > **Wordle 268** > > FOCUS > STEAD > SPELT > SMELT > > I knew what spelt was, so I went with that first, to my detriment. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2108 "2022-03-14T05:44:52Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > [Spelt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelt) is also a kind of grain. Not common enough, I don’t think. Valid word to guess, sure, but I’d bet a dollar it’s not in the answer list. ---
**Author:** ![QMatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/aeb1de/32.png) [@QMatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QMatic)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2109 "2022-03-14T06:14:50Z")
Wordle 268 3/6\* ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 GRIEF CHEAP SMELT Having had what I thought was a poor start i was still just chasing letters. Very surprised to see it go all green. ---
**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:** [March 14, 2022, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2110 "2022-03-14T07:16:15Z")
I don’t think the words are necessarily American variants, the creator is Welsh after all. I think American spelling of words like Humor and Rumor are in because they are five letter words. If we lived in a world where the British spelling was Humor and Rumor then it would’ve been the British spelling in the game. ---
**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:** [March 14, 2022, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2111 "2022-03-14T07:18:15Z")
It is in the answer list (I had to look quickly then glance away so I didn’t see the date and surrounding words πŸ˜‰ ). ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2112 "2022-03-14T10:16:51Z")
Thought I had it in four but couldn’t share it, grr Wordle 268 5/6\* πŸŸ©β¬›β¬›β¬›β¬› πŸŸ©β¬›β¬›β¬›πŸŸ¨ πŸŸ©β¬›πŸŸ©β¬›β¬› πŸŸ©πŸŸ©πŸŸ©πŸŸ©β¬› 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Sugar Swipe Sheen Smell Smelt ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2113 "2022-03-14T10:53:42Z")
Wordle 268 4/6\* β¬›β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬› β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›πŸŸ¨πŸŸ¨ πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨πŸŸ©β¬›πŸŸ¨ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 RATIO FLUTE STEEL SMELT The connection between my 3rd and 4th guesses is funny. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2114 "2022-03-14T11:07:19Z")
Wordle 268 4/6 πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬›πŸŸ¨ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬› 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 I, too, was surprised this was on the answer list. But it was the only thing i could guess. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2115 "2022-03-14T11:20:38Z")
Wordle 268 4/6 🟨⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬜🟨🟩🟨🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 TRACE NOTED BLEST SMELT ---
**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:** [March 14, 2022, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2116 "2022-03-14T11:45:48Z")
Wordle 268 3/6\* πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬›πŸŸ¨ πŸŸ©β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ©πŸŸ© 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Like others, I used SPELT. Could’ve gotten it in two if I’d considered a more likely alternative. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2117 "2022-03-14T12:19:27Z")
Wordle 268 3/6 ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩 ⬜🟨🟩⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 HEART CLEFT SMELT ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2118 "2022-03-14T13:33:21Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > I don’t think the words are necessarily American variants, the creator is Welsh after all. I think American spelling of words like Humor and Rumor are in because they are five letter words. If we lived in a world where the British spelling was Humor and Rumor then it would’ve been the British spelling in the game. I don’t think this is correct. Wardle is β€œbased in” New York City – whatever that means – and Wordle using American instead of British spelling was already a story last month. > **[β€˜That’s not how you spell it’: Wordle users baffled as game uses American...](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/wordle-american-spelling-twitter-b2011324.html)** > > β€˜Blaming this on the Americans,’ one user said > [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > It is in the answer list (I had to look quickly then glance away so I didn’t see the date and surrounding words πŸ˜‰ ). I’m quite surprised to read this. You sure it was the shorter 2000+ word answer list and not the longer 8000+ guess list that you checked? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2119 "2022-03-14T14:05:00Z")
Wordle 268 5/6\* ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟩🟨⬜⬜🟨 🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ASPIC TRUSS STOVE SWEET SMELT ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/2120 "2022-03-14T14:50:09Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > It is in the answer list (I had to look quickly then glance away so I didn’t see the date and surrounding words I took the list and removed the dates. It’s in alphabetical order. And based on this comment, I will probably make another list with the words in random order. Then I can search for a word and not see similar words next to it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604.md?page=105) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604.md?page=107)