# "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:** 232
**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:** [July 1, 2022, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4621 "2022-07-01T11:52:59Z")
Wordle 377 4/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩⬜🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 HEART TOILS PIVOT PINTO ---
**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:** [July 1, 2022, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4622 "2022-07-01T12:11:54Z")
Wordle 377 3/6 ⬛⬛⬛🟩⬛ ⬛🟩🟨🟨⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 EARTH LIONS PINTO ---
**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:** [July 1, 2022, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4623 "2022-07-01T12:21:29Z")
Wordle 377 3/6\* ⬛🟩⬛⬛🟨 🟨🟩⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Eight Tiara Pinto ---
**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:** [July 1, 2022, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4624 "2022-07-01T14:25:10Z")
Wordle 377 5/6\* ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨 🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟨🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 BEARD QUILT OPTIC PITON PINTO ---
**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:** [July 1, 2022, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4625 "2022-07-01T14:44:19Z")
As I may be offline for a few days, I’ve done **tomorrow’s** very early. I can already imagine @Terminus_Est’s hint. Wordle 378 5/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟩🟩⬜ 🟨⬜🟩🟩🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4626 "2022-07-01T15:02:18Z")
Wordle 377 5/6\* 🟨⬛⬛🟩⬛ ⬛⬛🟨🟩⬛ ⬛🟩⬛🟩⬛ ⬛🟩⬛🟩⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 IRATE BLITZ MISTY WIDTH PINTO Yeesh. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4627 "2022-07-01T15:21:33Z")
Wordle 377 3/6\* 🟩🟨🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩⬜🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ---
**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:** [July 1, 2022, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4628 "2022-07-01T15:22:39Z")
Wordle 377 4/6\* 🟩⬜⬜🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 PLAIN PINCH PINKY PINTO ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4629 "2022-07-01T15:34:13Z")
Now I can’t stop thinking about Blazing Saddles. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4630 "2022-07-01T16:21:06Z")
Wordle 377 4/6 ⬛⬛🟦🟦⬛ 🟦🟦🟦⬛⬛ 🟦🟦🟦⬛🟧 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 ALONE NOISY INTRO PINTO A satisfying par; I didn’t have any brain farts for a change. Kind of funny that I considered PITON at three but rejected it. Wouldn’t have changed the outcome though. No regrets trying R before P. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2022, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4631 "2022-07-01T17:22:28Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Now I can’t stop thinking about Blazing Saddles. LOL! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/G5aJROe1nyw/hqdefault.jpg "They are so dumb.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5aJROe1nyw) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4632 "2022-07-01T19:39:00Z")
#377 4/6 SLANT CHORE TOXIN PINTO After the first two, my third guess was literally the only word that came to mind. And after my third guess, I really had the devil of a time coming up with ANY word that would fit for my fourth guess. I must’ve played around for 20 minutes with pen and paper before it came to mind. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4633 "2022-07-01T19:41:55Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Now I can’t stop thinking about Blazing Saddles. I assume that’s not a complaint. 😀 ---
**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:** [July 1, 2022, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4634 "2022-07-01T20:11:17Z")
Is anyone else tempted to just order a cheapo Scrabble set from Amazon just to have letters to play around with? And now that I took the time to compose this post I took the time to check Amazon. $8 for 300 pieces with one day delivery. Sold! 300 Wooden Tiles. Scrabble Classic Original Board Game Letters. Wood Gift Decoration & Scrabble Crossword Games. Deluxe scabble for Adults and Children. (300 Pieces) [https://a.co/d/2z5bLnU](https://a.co/d/2z5bLnU) You can switch it to just 100 pieces for $7, which I would have done if I’d noticed before I ordered. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4635 "2022-07-01T21:33:44Z")
LOL, no, not a complaint. Funny where Wordle takes us, though! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4636 "2022-07-01T21:51:05Z")
I just use a pad of paper. Take the messiest scenario: you know 3 of the letters, but don’t know where they belong. But of course you know one position where each of them _doesn’t_ belong. Absent that last part, there’d be P(5,3) = 5_4_3 = 60 possible ways to arrange those 3 letters in the 5 places they can go. But the locations they don’t belong will take out roughly half of those possibilities. It varies a little, but generally you’ll have in the close neighborhood of 30 possible arrangements. It takes a few minutes, max, to write them all down. That’s not saying you shouldn’t get those Scrabble pieces from Amazon - whatever helps you visualize things best is what you ought to do. (And like I keep saying, it’s a _game!_ Do what makes it fun for you.) And getting away from whatever screen you’re looking at is a plus IMHO, once you’re to the point where playing with Scrabble pieces, or pen and paper, would be helpful. Because if you’ve got a few of those yellow/tan/whatever squares, it’s highlighting the places where the letters are now, but _won’t_ be in the solution, and I usually think more clearly when I’m not looking at the board pointing me in the wrong direction. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2022, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4637 "2022-07-01T22:14:06Z")
It’s mainly for the second word for me. I try to play the 10 letters that make up ‘clamp store’ with my first two words. Exactly those letters, although substituting N for M is acceptable. How I get there is largely irrelevant, though I do have some minor preferences. (A or O in the middle, E at the end, CL or CR to start, etc…) The problem is the feedback from the first guess limits how many new letters I can check in the second. This is where being able to move letters around would really help me. I’ll know the five letters I want to use, or possibly six if I haven’t used M or N yet, but sometimes they’re really hard to see. So it may just be me. EDIT: Just remembered that somebody checked the word talon recently, which combined with salon is another excellent ‘second word’ option for my strategy. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2022, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4638 "2022-07-01T23:40:48Z")
Wordle 377 5/6 ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟩🟩⬜🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 STARE TOUCH OVOID PILOT PINTO Took way too long. > [@Aspenglow](#): > > Now I can’t stop thinking about Blazing Saddles. For me it was exploding cars. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4639 "2022-07-02T00:01:59Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > The problem is the feedback from the first guess limits how many new letters I can check in the second. This is where being able to move letters around would really help me. I’ll know the five letters I want to use, or possibly six if I haven’t used M or N yet, but sometimes they’re really hard to see. Now that’s something I hadn’t thought of! Fortunately, we already have a Scrabble set in my house… ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/4640 "2022-07-02T00:07:47Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > P(5,3) = 5_4_3 = 60 That was supposed to be 5x4x3, only as is the norm, I used \* as my multiplication sign. So the way Discourse works, it simply italicized the 4, and disappeared the multiplication operator. Grrr. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604.md?page=231) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604.md?page=233)