# "Wordle," a strangely compelling word game (Part 3)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [November 19, 2024, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451 "2024-11-19T10:57:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 319

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**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6361 "2026-01-12T05:25:15Z")

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Wordle 1,668 3/6

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜  
🟩🟨🟨🟨⬜  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

RATIO  
TIARA  
TRIAL

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [January 12, 2026, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6362 "2026-01-12T09:28:34Z")

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Wordle 1,668 2/6\*

\begin{aligned} &\bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt H} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt O} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt I} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt S} \bbox[yellow,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt T} \\ &\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt T} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt R} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt I} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt A} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt L} \\ \end{aligned}

😮

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [January 12, 2026, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6363 "2026-01-12T11:24:03Z")

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Wordle 1,668 2/6\*

🟨🟨🟩⬛⬛  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Alibi  
Trial

Got a badge for that one.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gordon\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Gordon\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_G)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6364 "2026-01-12T12:19:26Z")

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Wordle 1,668 2/6 MONDAY

⬜🟨🟨🟨⬜  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

SLATE  
TRIAL  
I came up with five words that were not already used. These included  
Tubal (slightly obscure) and Talky (not a Wordle word). _Assuming_ the secret word  
was one of these five, various sleuth words, e.g. Tarot, would guarantee a 3.  
Trial (or Tonal but not Fatal) would guarantee 2 or 3 unless it was Tubal. I got lucky.

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**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6365 "2026-01-12T12:39:48Z")

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Wordle 1,668 4/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨  
⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜  
🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

BUYER  
VIRGO  
TRIAC  
TRIAL

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6366 "2026-01-12T12:58:24Z")

</div>

Wordle 1,668 3/6

🟨🟨⬛🟨⬛  
⬛🟨🟨🟩🟩  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

RADIO  
VIRAL  
TRIAL

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MacDoc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/macdoc/32/18696_2.png) [@MacDoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacDoc)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6367 "2026-01-12T14:34:14Z")

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Wordle 1,6 **69** 5/6  
⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜  
🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜  
🟨⬜🟨⬜🟨  
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🤪 😇 no Ai 🦘  
Very strange 🧐

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [January 12, 2026, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6368 "2026-01-12T15:46:54Z")

</div>

Wordle 1,668 4/6

⬜⬜🟨🟨🟨  
⬜🟨🟨🟩⬜  
⬜🟨🟨🟩🟨  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

HEART  
STRAP  
ALTAR  
TRIAL

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [January 12, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6369 "2026-01-12T16:15:59Z")

</div>

Wordle 1,668 3/6

⬜🟧🟦⬜⬜  
⬜⬜🟧⬜🟦  
🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

CRANE  
HOIST  
TRIAL

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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 12, 2026, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6370 "2026-01-12T16:53:54Z")

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**Wordle 1,669 5/6 — 2026-01-13 Tue**  
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛  
🟨🟨🟨⬛⬛  
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛  
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩  
{Day 30 of 31 from the Philippines}

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6371 "2026-01-12T16:59:03Z")

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Wordle 1,668 2/6\*

⬜🟨⬜🟩🟩  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

STEAL  
TRIAL

Wishful thinking on my part, due to the political climate. Someday it will happen!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6372 "2026-01-12T17:58:19Z")

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> **Wordle 1,668 4/6\* 1/12/2026**
>
> ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜  
> 🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜  
> 🟩⬜🟨🟩🟨  
> 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
> 
> QU_AR_K → Well, that’s something. Two more WoFcons and an E, stat!  
> _RAT_ES → One out of three ain’t bad, but I had hopes to place a letter here. Let’s see, if I add O & L to the mix, and start going through bogus words, it turns out Wordle is OK with  
> **T** O_L_ **A** _R_ → So with L at the end - TARAL? TRAAL? Naw, I’d be surprised if NYT had heard of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast. So it must be  
> **TRIAL**
> 
> It would be interesting to analyze my scores according to the vowels present - I’ll often leave I to the last, and it may have cost me here. My second guess does not rate high with Scoredle, which has it as 100/999. My third (bogus) was 21/29, so overall I was lucky, I guess, even if it left me with a tap-in. Though Scoredle also makes a par, and needs to convert a 50-50 for that, so I guess I worked out in the end.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6373 "2026-01-12T19:42:01Z")

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Wordle 1668 3/6

⬜🟨🟨⬜🟨  
🟨🟨🟨⬜🟨  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

SLANT  
LATER  
TRIAL

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6374 "2026-01-13T04:44:03Z")

</div>

Wordle 1,669 2/6 **TUESDAY**

⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

AUDIO  
GUMBO

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6375 "2026-01-13T05:21:05Z")

</div>

Wordle 1,669 3/6

⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩  
🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6376 "2026-01-13T05:21:25Z")

</div>

CURIO  
GUSTO  
GUMBO

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [January 13, 2026, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6377 "2026-01-13T05:39:25Z")

</div>

Wordle 1,668 3/6

⬛🟦⬛⬛⬛  
🟧🟧🟦🟦⬛  
🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

BLOCK  
TRAIN  
TRIAL

Almost forgot to play today!  
My favorite second word narrowed the possibilities from 1,416 down to 1. Nice.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6378 "2026-01-13T06:15:23Z")

</div>

Wordle 1,669 2/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

RATIO  
GUMBO

Surprisingly few options for a second guess even without using the prior word list.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gordon\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Gordon\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_G)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6379 "2026-01-13T09:10:32Z")

</div>

Wordle 1,669 5/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜  
⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜  
🟨⬜⬜🟨🟨  
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩  
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

SLATE  
CRONY  
OPIUM  
JUMBO  
GUMBO  
Had the same start on #1662 (Oomph) but now had to scramble to think of words.  
Objection? I did “know” Gumbo was some sort of food, but only  
because it was once mentioned in a movie or such. Oh well. Dumbo  
is also in dictionaries, uncapitalized. I guess I should be grateful for the Bogey.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [January 13, 2026, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6380 "2026-01-13T09:42:07Z")

</div>

Wordle 1,669 4/6\*

\begin{aligned} &\bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt H} \bbox[yellow,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt O} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt I} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt S} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt T} \\ &\bbox[yellow,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt B} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt L} \bbox[yellow,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt O} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt K} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt E} \\ &\bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt A} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt R} \bbox[yellow,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt B} \bbox[yellow,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt O} \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt R} \\ &\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt G} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt U} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt M} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt B} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt O} \\ \end{aligned}

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