# "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:** 363
**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:** [November 9, 2022, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7241 "2022-11-09T18:15:37Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > We could start seeing such verbs. I hope not, as it makes it way more difficult to solve. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2022, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7242 "2022-11-09T20:38:05Z")
Hmmm… The Times’ stated policy specifically mentioned nouns, but one would assume the same would apply to verb forms ending in S. Anyway, I ignored all the S words when I posted my above comment, figuring they were not valid. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2022, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7243 "2022-11-09T21:10:09Z")
How funny, a day for 2s!! Wordle 508 2/6\* 🟨🟨🟨⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 IRATE RAINY I was just playing around with combinations of the first 3 letters I’d gotten and hit on RAINY. Since I like to eliminate ‘N’ and ‘Y’ quick, the word was a natural to try. Apparently, I’m not the only one! ---
**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:** [November 9, 2022, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7244 "2022-11-09T23:27:15Z")
Wordle 507 3/6 🟩🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟩⬜🟩🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 SLANT SHELF SPELL Same start word as Rufus (for #507), with similar reasoning and result. > Wordle 508 4/6 ⬜🟩🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟨⬜🟨 ⬜🟩🟩🟨🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 EARTH MAYOR FAIRY RAINY After guess 3, it was clearly “RAI\_Y”–and if we are going with reasonably-familiar words, RAINY was it. > [@RTFirefly](#): > > Maybe they haven’t updated Wordlebot yet to conform with stated NYT policies. Or perhaps Wordlebot is simply a sadistic jokester. At any rate, I’m not happy about the ‘now may use solutions that have already been solutions in the past’ change. Being able to eliminate “used” words was a definite advantage, and to my mind a fair one. I suppose at some point they’ll do “PINEY” five days in a row, just to mess with us… ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7245 "2022-11-09T23:41:06Z")
> **Wordle 508 3/6\* 11/9/2022** > > ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ > ⬜🟨🟨🟨🟨 > 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 > > SPELL → Clean whiff. At least E, L & S are KOed > T_RAIN_ → When I saw this, I tried desperately to get “RAIN” out of my head, reasoning that the solution must be a word with those letters jumbled about (plus one more letter, of course). So, it took me a while to realize that the solution still had “RAIN” in it… > **RAINY** > > A neat little 3. > [@Sherrerd](#): > > I suppose at some point they’ll do “PINEY” five days in a row, just to mess with us… That would be great! I’ll take four 1s like a shot. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7246 "2022-11-09T23:42:23Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I suppose at some point they’ll do “PINEY” five days in a row, just to mess with us… I look forward to the day when they reuse ‘PARER’ and skunk me again. /s ---
**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:** [November 9, 2022, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7247 "2022-11-09T23:46:52Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I look forward to the day when they reuse ‘PARER’ and skunk me again. /s I really wouldn’t put it past them. > [@SunUp](#): > > > **Wordle 508 3/6\* 11/9/2022** > > > > ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ > > ⬜🟨🟨🟨🟨 > > 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 > > > > SPELL → Clean whiff. At least E, L & S are KOed > > T_RAIN_ → When I saw this, I tried desperately to get “RAIN” out of my head, reasoning that the solution must be a word with those letters jumbled about (plus one more letter, of course). So, it took me a while to realize that the solution still had “RAIN” in it… > > **RAINY** > > > > A neat little 3. > > > [@Sherrerd](#): > > > > I suppose at some point they’ll do “PINEY” five days in a row, just to mess with us… > > That would be great! I’ll take four 1s like a shot. Oh, but they would sense your plan and make it PINEY every _other_ day for ten days… ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2022, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7248 "2022-11-10T00:32:54Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > At any rate, I’m not happy about the ‘now may use solutions that have already been solutions in the past’ change. We don’t know yet when they’ll start repeating words. Obviously since Wardle’s list of solutions had ‘only’ ~2700 words on it, at some point they’d have had to start repeating solutions or bring the game to an end. Would they have gone halfway through the list before repeating? Two-thirds? No way to know. Now that the NYT is no longer using Wardle’s list, who knows how it works now, or what the rules for repetitions are, or even whether there’s a way to ask them these questions. So we don’t know if they’re already open to repeating past solutions, or whether there’s some exclusion period, or what. In the absence of such information, I’d personally keep using my list and avoiding past solutions until we hit the first repeat. > [@Sherrerd](#): > > Or perhaps Wordlebot is simply a sadistic jokester. Gotta admit, I got a laugh out of that. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2022, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7249 "2022-11-10T01:24:49Z")
Wordle 508 4/6\* 🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟨🟩⬜🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 AISLE BRAIN NADIR RAINY ---
**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:** [November 10, 2022, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7250 "2022-11-10T04:52:23Z")
**Wordle 508 4/6** ⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜ 🟨⬜⬜🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟨⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 CRATE ADORN RANGY RAINY I had to work a bit for today’s puzzle…just wasn’t seeing much, until I _finally_ thought to play the R first, but no idea why I didn’t see the answer word over Rangy, which seems a more likely word, but I’ll take the 4. I forgot to play yesterday, but when I came in to see what the word was, I saw the convos about the repeated answer words idea…I actually like the idea of eliminating choices, and I feel repeated answers would leave the playing field way too open. I don’t always check the previous answer lists when I play, but I sometimes do, and it really helps, especially if you are in a jam. Has NYT mentioned they may do this? ---
**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:** [November 10, 2022, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7251 "2022-11-10T05:07:57Z")
Wordle 509 5/6 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟨⬛⬛⬛🟩 ⬛⬛🟩🟩🟩 ⬛🟨🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 CLAMS TROPE WHITE QUITE UNITE Second 5 in a row, again on an easy word. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2022, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7252 "2022-11-10T05:09:21Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > since Wardle’s list of solutions had ‘only’ ~2700 words on it, at some point they’d have had to start repeating solutions or bring the game to an end. Would they have gone halfway through the list before repeating? Two-thirds? No way to know. They could do the entire list without repeats, then shuffle and start it all over again. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2022, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7253 "2022-11-10T06:06:41Z")
Wordle 509 6/6 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ 🟨🟨⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟨🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 RATIO TILED SPITE WHITE QUITE UNITE I deserved this after the luck yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2022, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7254 "2022-11-10T08:08:55Z")
Got it in three today. Wordle 509 3/6 🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜🟨🟨🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 TRANS LOUIE UNITE ---
**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:** [November 10, 2022, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7255 "2022-11-10T08:24:52Z")
Wordle 509 4/6 🟨⬛⬛🟩⬛ ⬛🟨⬛🟨⬛ ⬛🟨⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 EARTH LIONS DUMPY UNITE ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2022, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7256 "2022-11-10T10:31:26Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > They could do the entire list without repeats, then shuffle and start it all over again. They could, but by the time they got near the end of the list, practically all of the more common 5-letter words would have been picked already, which would make for a weird game. Some statistical surveys I’m familiar with use something called an exclusion period: once an address has been in sample, it gets excluded from the possibility of selection for X years. (We do this to minimize respondent burden and redundancy of data.) This concept could be applied to whatever sort of list or algorithm the NYT comes up with now: they could exclude the last thousand solutions, for instance, from being the next solution. I have no idea whether anyone at the NYT has even considered this notion. Probably not, is my guess. Just saying it would be a good approach. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2022, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7257 "2022-11-10T10:56:22Z")
Anyway, back to the game: Wordle 509 3/6 SLA_NT_ CHOR **E** **UNITE** Could’ve also been TINGE. Didn’t think YENTE was likely. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2022, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7258 "2022-11-10T11:29:27Z")
Wordle 509 3/6 ⬜⬜⬜🟨🟩 ⬜🟨🟨🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 CRANE LINTS UNITE - I think it’s the only possible word. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2022, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7259 "2022-11-10T11:56:53Z")
Wordle 509 5/6\* ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜🟩 ⬜⬜🟩🟨🟩 ⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 BEARD SLIME WHINE KNIFE UNITE ---
**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:** [November 10, 2022, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/7260 "2022-11-10T12:37:03Z")
Wordle 509 3/6\* ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟩 ⬜🟨🟩⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 PAUSE GUIDE UNITE [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604.md?page=362) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604.md?page=364)