# "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:** 277
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5521 "2022-08-14T01:04:33Z")
Wordle 420 4/6 ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟨 ⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 OUTER QUACK SULKY HUNKY BUNKY, DUNKY, FUNKY, GUNKY, HUNKY, LUNKY, PUNKYβ€”all seemed colloquial and unlikely to be solutions. But β€œno C, but a K (and also no L)” really narrowed down the possibilities. I finally went with β€˜hunky’ as perhaps the least slangy of the options. Sorry about your experience today, @EllisDeeβ€”it’s only a game, but it still stings, I know. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5522 "2022-08-14T01:26:51Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > it still stings, I know. It doesn’t, actually, because it was my strategy failing, not me fucking up and doing something stupid. My main feeling is that it has added a new wrinkle for my strategy, which has never really addressed guesses after 3 before. (It’s designed to win in 3.) So now I know to come up with some rules for after the 3rd guess. First one is clear: Make H a high priority letter starting in word 4. I’m tossing N in that bucket as well, which I’d already been informally doing. If I had prioritized H, that would have turned this loss into no worse than a 5. Sort of like my β€œcheck either M or N (but not both) in the first two words.” rule. Which I will now extend to include β€œand check the other by word 4.” I do appreciate the sympathy, everyone. It was annoying that it totally took the wind out of my upcoming 200th game milestone, that’s for sure. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5523 "2022-08-14T02:24:07Z")
**Tomorrow’s Wordle, Today** Should’ve joined the army. Wordle 421 4/6 ⬜⬜🟩⬜🟨 🟨⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 > **Wordle 421** > > TRASH > HEAVY > CHAIN > KHAKI ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5524 "2022-08-14T04:42:17Z")
Wordle 421 5/6 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬›β¬› β¬›β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨β¬› πŸŸ©πŸŸ©πŸŸ©β¬›πŸŸ© 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 CLOPS TAMER AGAIN KHADI KHAKI Well here is a textbook demonstration of my new, modified strategy. Saved me tons of time. When I do a research word, I specifically never look at duplicate letters. The primary goal is to check as many desired letters as possible. When trying to win (guess 3) I’ll think about duplicates, like here guessing β€˜again’. Thanks to last night’s debacle I now have a fallback plan in this situation. When I see nothing after failing the guess at 3, I now look to guess a third research word checking (in order) M or N, H, K, then maybe something from WDG. So today I got to try that out, and just started plugging in all combinations of HKADI starting with a in the center and moving the i. I expected to replace the d with w and then g but didn’t even need to get that far, since apparently KHADI is a word. Sweet fourth guess word to have discovered for this strategy. Previously I would have just stared at \_\_A(I)\_ until I thought up something that fit and would actually be on the answer list, which khadi certainly isn’t. It would have taken me a long time to see khaki. I definitely envision having to break hard mode rules for my new research guess at 4, but will try to avoid it where possible. Khadi for the win today. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5525 "2022-08-14T07:25:36Z")
Wordle 421 5/6 β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬›πŸŸ¨ β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬›β¬› ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ©β¬›πŸŸ¨ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 EARTH LIONS DUMPY WHACK KHAKI ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5526 "2022-08-14T09:04:49Z")
Wordle 421 5/6 ⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜ 🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 RATIO INLAY ASIDE CHAMP KHAKI This one was super hard . At guess 3 I kept wanting to go with AMISS but decided on ABIDE to get more letters. I accidentally hit the S and realized that I preferred ASIDE After that it was either \_ I\_\_A or \_\_I\_A and of course the second made more sense but I could not come up with any words so I went hunting for letters and also confirmed the vowel placement. I’m actually proud of myself for getting it but it took up a lot of my limited brain power. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5527 "2022-08-14T11:39:04Z")
Wordle 421 3/6 ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 i did all of the words on other websites. This word stood out as the hardest for me to find the word. So, when I got to the β€œofficial” wordle and saw the results from the first two words I immediately knew the word. It was a fast and easy three, because of the struggle from months ago. CRANE TOILS KHAKI ---
**Author:** ![QMatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/aeb1de/32.png) [@QMatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QMatic)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5528 "2022-08-14T11:43:11Z")
Wordle 421 5/6\* ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜ 🟨⬜🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 PIOUS TRIAL CABIN IMAGE KHAKI That was a struggle. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5529 "2022-08-14T11:48:16Z")
> [@QMatic](#): > > That was a struggle. I hear ya. Wordle 421 5/6 ⬜⬜🟩🟨⬜ 🟨⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜🟩 ⬜🟨🟩⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 DRAIN IMAGE BIALI OKAPI KHAKI ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5530 "2022-08-14T12:42:16Z")
Wordle 421 4/6\* ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 BEARD CHANT SHAKY … very long pause … KHAKI ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5531 "2022-08-14T13:18:44Z")
Wordle 421 3/6 🟨⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 HEART SHAKY KHAKI ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5532 "2022-08-14T13:38:18Z")
Finally, a three. Wordle 421 3/6\* πŸŸ¨β¬›πŸŸ©β¬›β¬› β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨β¬› 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 IRATE CHAIN KHAKI ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5533 "2022-08-14T13:56:19Z")
Wordle 421 4/6 SLANT CRIMP DUCHY KHAKI This one was a challenge. The hard part was coming up with _any_ word for my 4th guess that was consistent with what I’d learned from the first three. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5534 "2022-08-14T14:14:18Z")
Wordle 421 4/6\* ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ β¬›β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨β¬› β¬›β¬›πŸŸ©β¬›πŸŸ© 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Screw Plait Umami Khaki ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5535 "2022-08-14T14:49:42Z")
Wordle 421 4/6 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ β¬›β¬›πŸŸ§πŸŸ¦β¬› β¬›β¬›πŸŸ§β¬›πŸŸ§ 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 LOUPE TRAIN SWAMI KHAKI After a couple minutes trying to place the I, I decided it must be in the fifth spot. I felt weirdly confident about SWAMI; at least I was right about the I. KHAKI followed shortly thereafter. I feel good about how I played this one. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5536 "2022-08-14T18:03:43Z")
I enjoyed this one. Wordle 421 3/6 ⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩⬜🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 SHARE THANK KHAKI ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5537 "2022-08-14T18:10:06Z")
Wordle 421 4/6\* ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜🟨🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 FEIGN ACRID MIASM KHAKI ---
**Author:** ![SeaSun](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seasun/32/14820_2.png) [@SeaSun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaSun)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5538 "2022-08-14T20:47:22Z")
**Wordle 421 5/6** ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜ ⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜ 🟨🟩🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 SPORE CABIN TIDAL AHIGH KHAKI I had to really work hard for this one! After my 3rd word, I tried so many combos of letters to try and make a word…wasn’t sure if AHIGH would be an answer word, but went with it. Nope, but that gave me the H in green in the 2nd spot. But with all letters that usually go in front of an H ruled out, I was stumped. Just didn’t consider the K! _Finally_ it clicked though. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2022, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5539 "2022-08-14T20:57:46Z")
**Tomorrow’s** is another one I was certain had been done before. Wordle 422 4/6 ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟨⬜🟨 🟨🟩🟨🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/5540 "2022-08-14T21:39:56Z")
> **Wordle 421 3/6\* 8/14/2022** > > 🟨⬜⬜🟩⬜ > ⬜🟩🟩🟩⬜ > 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 > > _H_UN **K** Y β†’ Odd start. Need more common letters. Is the H in _second_? > S **HAK** E β†’ Yes. But not preceded by S, and I can’t think of any words CHAK? or THAK? [IOA]HAK? also don’t scan. (looks down, sees pants) Oh. > **KHAKI** > > Good thing this was a Sunday Wordle. I was actually dressed decently. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604.md?page=276) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604.md?page=278)