# "Wordle," a strangely compelling word game (Part 2)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659
**Category:** The Game Room
**Tags:** board-card-word-game
**Created:** [March 25, 2023, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659 "2023-03-25T23:59:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 191
### Author:  [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3801 "2023-10-17T09:50:43Z")
Wordle 850 3/6\*
π§π¦β¬β¬β¬
π§β¬π¦π§β¬
π§π§π§π§π§
ALONE
APTLY
ADULT
And, out of curiosity:
> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> See StarvingButStrongβs post yesterday. It contains four words that contain 20 different letters, leaving out only J,Q,V,W,X, and Z, which are the six least common letters in Wordle solutions so far.
If U is confirmed, thatβs one thing β but if itβs ruled out, is Q?
---
### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3802 "2023-10-17T10:52:37Z")
Wordle 850 3/6
β¬π¨π¨β¬π© 18
β¬π¨π©π©π© 1
π©π©π©π©π©
SLANT
VAULT
ADULT
Guessed wrong at 2, but _cβest la vie_. There were also FAULT and VALET, but they had already been used.
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#):
>
> If U is confirmed, thatβs one thing β but if itβs ruled out, is Q?
Thatβs certainly my assumption, that Q appears only as part of a QU combination - and followed by another vowel, since the QU sound is similar to a KW sound, close enough anyway that it needs a following vowel.
So since QU[vowel] takes up a lot of room in a 5-letter word, you can always ask yourself if thereβs a way to fit all that into the solution, given the letters youβve already got. Very often you can eliminate Q after your first couple of guesses because there just isnβt enough room for the QU[vowel] combo anywhere.
---
### Author:  [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3803 "2023-10-17T11:37:39Z")
Wordle 850 4/6\*
\begin{aligned} &\bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt B} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt E} \bbox[yellow,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt A} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt R} \bbox[yellow,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt D} \\ &\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt A} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt D} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt M} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt I} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt T} \\ &\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt A} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt D} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt O} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt P} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt T} \\ &\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt A} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt D} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt U} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt L} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt T} \\ \end{aligned}
---
### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3804 "2023-10-17T12:05:14Z")
Wordle 850 3/6
β¬β¬π¨β¬π©
π©β¬β¬π¨π©
π©π©π©π©π©
HEART
ABOUT
ADULT
---
### Author:  [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3805 "2023-10-17T12:16:01Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#):
> >
> > If U is confirmed, thatβs one thing β but if itβs ruled out, is Q?
>
> Thatβs certainly my assumption, that Q appears only as part of a QU combination - and followed by another vowel, since the QU sound is similar to a KW sound, close enough anyway that it needs a following vowel.
>
> So since QU[vowel] takes up a lot of room in a 5-letter word, you can always ask yourself if thereβs a way to fit all that into the solution, given the letters youβve already got. Very often you can eliminate Q after your first couple of guesses because there just isnβt enough room for the QU[vowel] combo anywhere.
My assumption as well. And nice analysis, **RTF**. IIRC there have only been a handful of solutions with Q.
Added: according to this site, about 11 of them.
> **[Past Wordle answers: Archive of previous words](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wordle-past-answers)**
>
> If you want to check out which Wordle words have been used previously, you can use this archive to find out all previouβ¦
---
### Author:  [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3806 "2023-10-17T12:58:12Z")
Played late yesterday, to a noisy four:
Wordle 849 4/6
β¬π§π§β¬β¬
π¦π§π§β¬β¬
π§π§π§β¬π¦
π§π§π§π§π§
ORATE
PRANK
GRASP
GRAPH
Today:
Wordle 850 3/6
β¬β¬β¬β¬β¬
β¬π¦π¦π¦π§
π§π§π§π§π§
OVINE
SALUT
ADULT
Always nice to get a three after a strikeout. I wasnβt sure SALUT would be a valid guess, but it turned out to be a good one!
---
### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3807 "2023-10-17T13:23:05Z")
Thatβs right, Q has appeared only 11 times in Wordles 0-849. (Yes, there was a Wordle 0. The solution was CIGAR.)
---
### Author:  [@chiliwillybing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiliwillybing)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3808 "2023-10-17T13:29:30Z")
Wordle 850 3/6
β¬π¨β¬β¬β¬
π©β¬β¬π¨π©
π©π©π©π©π©
RAISE
ABOUT
ADULT
---
### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3809 "2023-10-17T14:57:38Z")
Wordle 850 3/6
β¬π¦π¦π¦β¬
π§π¦β¬π§β¬
π§π§π§π§π§
SLATE
ATOLL
ADULT
---
### Author:  [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3810 "2023-10-17T15:29:40Z")
> **Wordle 850 5/6\* 10/17/2023**
>
> β¬β¬π¨β¬β¬
> β¬π¨π¨β¬β¬
> π©π¨β¬β¬β¬
> π©β¬β¬π¨π¨
> π©π©π©π©π©
>
> GR_A_PH β Bit of a slow start. Comcons and another vowel - or should I try two? Kinda wish I had six letters for guessing
> S_AL_ON β Not bad, but still need to place the A. Itβs time to guess two vowels, and since Wordle doesnβt like ALITE Iβll try
> **A** _L_IKE β Placed the A, otherwise a whiff. Thereβs gotta be a U in there - and only two places left for the L. I donβt feel great about todayβs puzzle, so
> **A** WF_UL_ - At least I know where the L goes. Oh, must be
> **ADULT**
>
> I canβt believe I couldnβt find a good word to check the letter T before the end.
---
### Author:  [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3811 "2023-10-17T15:53:22Z")
In Scrabble, there are valid five-letter words that contain Q without U (_tranq_ and _faqir_ are the only ones I can think of). The complete list of Wordle solutions (past and future) does not contain any such words. Some such words are allowed as guesses in Wordle (including _tranq_), but will not be solutions.
---
### Author:  [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3812 "2023-10-17T18:24:44Z")
Iβve always played the game without checking past answers. Only recently I checked that list in the link I shared earlier. But usually I donβt look at it. I just play.
---
### Author:  [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3813 "2023-10-17T18:31:07Z")
Hah! My turn for an undeserved 2!
Wordle 850 2/6\*
β¬β¬π¨π¨β¬
π©π©π©π©π©
IRATE
ADULT
According to WordleBot, there were 64 possible answers after my opening. So this one was pure luck. Also a pretty apt description of my state of mind this morning, for various reasons.
---
### Author:  [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3814 "2023-10-17T19:55:56Z")
Wordle 850 3/6\*
β¬β¬β¬β¬β¬
β¬π¨β¬β¬π©
π©π©π©π©π©
BROKE
FLINT
ADULT
---
### Author:  [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3815 "2023-10-17T19:59:15Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#):
>
> Also a pretty apt description of my state of mind this morning, for various reasons.
Also mine, as insinuated in my first word.
---
### Author:  [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2023, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3816 "2023-10-18T00:54:34Z")
My 500th in a row!
Wordle 850 3/6
β¬β¬π©β¬π©
π©β¬β¬π¨β¬
π©π©π©π©π©
COURT
ASIDE
ADULT
---
### Author:  [@SeaSun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaSun)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2023, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3817 "2023-10-18T03:09:48Z")
**Wordle 850 4/6**
β¬π¨π¨π¨β¬
π¨β¬β¬π¨π¨
β¬π¨π©π©π©
π©π©π©π©π©
SLATE
TOTAL
VAULT
ADULT
Just saw two words it could be after my second guessβ¦I couldnβt decide between the two, so I tossed a coin to decide my fate. Canβt be mad at a coin, can I? π
---
### Author:  [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2023, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3818 "2023-10-18T04:01:44Z")
Wordle 850 3/6\*
π©β¬β¬β¬β¬
π©β¬π¨π©β¬
π©π©π©π©π©
ARISE
APTLY
ADULT
---
### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2023, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3819 "2023-10-18T04:12:28Z")
**Wednesday, October 18th**
Wordle 851 4/6
β¬β¬β¬β¬β¬
β¬π¨β¬π¨π¨
π¨β¬π¨β¬π¨
π©π©π©π©π©
PLANT
SCORE
CHEER
MERCY
Felt good about cheer, but I canβt complain about saving par when the opener blanks.
---
### Author:  [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2023, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-2/981659/3820 "2023-10-18T04:41:51Z")
Wordle 851 4/6
π¨β¬β¬β¬β¬
π¨π¨β¬β¬π¨
β¬π©π©π©β¬
π©π©π©π©π©
RATIO
CRUDE
PERCH
MERCY
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