# "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:** 38
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/741 "2022-01-20T16:32:50Z")
It’s a fun and compelling game. I most commonly get it in four guesses. One hard word took six (whew). Barely over half the time I have got it in two or three guesses. I have not yet felt I could have done a better job on a particular word. But I do not use a set strategy that absolutely maximizes predicted frequencies, preferring to just try something that seems good. **My goal is not to repeat the same initial word.** ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/742 "2022-01-20T16:53:17Z")
RATIO ROUTE ROBOT The animation when you’ve entered a word is different today for me, slower and more chunky. Is it just me? It’s annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/743 "2022-01-20T17:11:00Z")
Wordle 215 3/6\* β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬› πŸŸ¨πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬› 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Kind of lucky with guess 3, particularly with the double letter. ---
**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 20, 2022, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/744 "2022-01-20T21:24:09Z")
I actually included a clue when I posted puzzle no.215. Anyway, I really didn’t do well with my first two guesses here: Wordle 216 4/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟨🟨🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ---
**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:** [January 21, 2022, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/745 "2022-01-21T01:33:46Z")
Wordle 215 2/6 ⬜⬜🟩⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 HABIT ROBOT ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/746 "2022-01-21T01:57:28Z")
Impressive! ---
**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:** [January 21, 2022, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/747 "2022-01-21T02:02:36Z")
Lucky. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/748 "2022-01-21T02:27:30Z")
Wordle 215 6/6 🟨⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟨🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟨🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 I got very lucky with my fifth guess, which gave me the fourth letter. TIGER CARPS LOVES NORTH ROTOR ROBOT ---
**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:** [January 21, 2022, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/749 "2022-01-21T03:38:04Z")
Couldn’t play until late tonight, but: Wordle 215 3/6\* β¬›β¬›β¬›β¬›πŸŸ© β¬›β¬›β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ© 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/750 "2022-01-21T05:33:57Z")
You’re right, I was far to short and snippy with that post and I apologize. I just got annoyed at how many recent posts either were not protected by spoilers and needed mod attention, or if they were spoiler tagged, the poster didn’t think to tell us which day’s puzzle was hidden behind the spoiler tags. The spoilers and the possibility of repeated letters were all things we had already covered ad nauseam earlier in the thread. > **Wordle 216 4/6\* Jan 21st** > > β¬›β¬›β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬› > β¬›πŸŸ©β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬› > β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ©πŸŸ©πŸŸ© > 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 STO_R_E D **R** A_I_N B **RICK** **PRICK** I first thought of BRAIN for my second guess but then thought β€œNope, D is more common, I should rule that out first.” Shoulda gone with my first instinct which would have excluded me wanting to try BRICK and would have gotten it in 3. ---
**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 21, 2022, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/751 "2022-01-21T05:37:43Z")
Tough day at the office. Wordle (ES) #15 5/6 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜🟩🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟨 🟨🟩🟨⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 WORDLEπŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ 354 5/6 ⬜🟨🟨🟨⬜ ⬜🟩🟨⬜🟨 🟨🟩⬜🟩⬜ ⬜🟩🟩🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Wordle 216 4/6\* ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜🟨⬜ 🟨🟩🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Also, someone introduced a version that does five digit prime numbers, which is of course absurd. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you… Primel 19 5/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟨⬜🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Primel 20 5/6 🟨🟩⬜🟨⬜ 🟨🟩🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟨🟩🟩 🟩🟩⬜🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/752 "2022-01-21T05:52:55Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > someone introduced a version that does five digit prime numbers, which is of course absurd. That’s not absurd at all! I have the list of 5-digit primes almost completely memorized, and playing this variant will help my memory skills! 😝 I found the last 2 lines in your color blocks for puzzle #19 interesting, I wonder how common β€œprime rhymes” which share the last N-1 digits are. That might make a good Numberphile video starring James Grime. πŸ˜‰ ---
**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 21, 2022, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/753 "2022-01-21T05:55:59Z")
> [@Ponderoid](#): > > That’s not absurd at all! I have the list of 5-digit primes almost completely memorized, and playing this variant will help my memory skills! 😝 > > I found the last 2 lines in your color blocks interesting, I wonder how common β€œprime rhymes” which share the last N-1 digits are. Nice! Here’s the link then. [Primel](https://converged.yt/primel/) Yes, I was totally surprised when it accepted it as a prime but was not the right digit. πŸ™‚ ETA forgot the French Le Mot (@WordleFR) #12 5/6 β¬›β¬›β¬›πŸŸ©β¬› β¬›β¬›β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ© β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ© πŸŸ©β¬›β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ© 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/754 "2022-01-21T05:57:09Z")
Argh, so much green but so many options! Wordle 216 4/6 🟩🟩⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 PRONE PRIVY PRISM PRICK ---
**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 21, 2022, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/755 "2022-01-21T08:06:13Z")
Wordle 216 5/6 πŸŸ¨πŸŸ©β¬›β¬›β¬› πŸŸ©πŸŸ©πŸŸ©β¬›β¬› πŸŸ©πŸŸ©πŸŸ©β¬›β¬› β¬›β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬› 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ---
**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 21, 2022, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/756 "2022-01-21T08:06:59Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Argh, so much green but so many options! > > Wordle 216 4/6 > > 🟩🟩⬜⬜⬜ > 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜ > 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜ > 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 > > PRONE > PRIVY > PRISM > PRICK I guessed your second word too, as my third word. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/757 "2022-01-21T09:11:02Z")
Wordle 216 4/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 LOSER RACES WRACK PRICK ---
**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 21, 2022, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/758 "2022-01-21T09:11:57Z")
Wordle 216 5/6\* ⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜ 🟨⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 At guess 4: surely they wouldn’t…better go for the safer option…nope, they did… AIERY ROIST GRIND BRICK PRICK ---
**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 21, 2022, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/759 "2022-01-21T10:09:06Z")
Wordle 216 3/6\* 🟩🟩⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Proud Price Prick As the second word reveal was happening I thought for sure I had it in 2. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604/760 "2022-01-21T11:12:32Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > surely they wouldn’t…better go for the safer option…nope, they did… β€œIf you prick us, do we not bleed?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604.md?page=37) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-1/956604.md?page=39)