# "Wordle," a strangely compelling word game (Part 3) **URL:** \ **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:** 343
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6841 "2026-02-09T11:16:37Z")
Wordle 1,696 4/6\* β¬›β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬› β¬›β¬›β¬›β¬›πŸŸ¨ πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬› 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Theft Drape Coven Cello ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6842 "2026-02-09T11:16:49Z")
Wordle 1696 3/6 ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟩⬜🟨⬜🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 SLANT CHORE CELLO Still no repeats other than CIGAR. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6843 "2026-02-09T12:42:12Z")
Wordle 1,696 4/6 β¬›β¬›β¬›β¬›πŸŸ¨ β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬›β¬› β¬›πŸŸ©πŸŸ©πŸŸ¨β¬› 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 STARE POUND BELOW CELLO ---
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6844 "2026-02-09T12:53:59Z")
Wordle 1,696 4/6 ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 SLATE GRIND BEECH CELLO This might be first time I deliberately forwent a possible Birdie. But I was desperate to avoid a Bogey or worse. Crony may be less likely than Grind to get an ugly Zero – it would certainly have worked out well with this target! Oddly, Beech is almost the same as the fitting word Belch! But there were traps (Expel/Vowel/Quell) or (Wheel/Whelp/Hovel) where locating the E was essential. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6845 "2026-02-09T13:04:07Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > > [@Gordon\_G](#): > > > > and I might be in the Hoped/Vowed/Puked/Dozed trap. > > This is why i never play in β€œhard” mode. That doesn’t seem like a fun constraint. Ouch! I had to Google to find β€œhard mode.” But what if you perversely start DONNY and score YG-G-. In horrible hard mode there is no way to escape from the Bound/Found/Hound/Mound/Pound/Round/Sound/Wound trap. That’s not even the worst trap: Aren’t there about a dozen words that fit \*ARES ? ---
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6846 "2026-02-09T13:26:38Z")
I too do not play hard mode. I’d probably fail miserably. I save hard mode for, uhh, other diversions. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6847 "2026-02-09T13:30:27Z")
Wordle 1,696 3/6 πŸŸ©β¬›β¬›β¬›πŸŸ¨ β¬›πŸŸ¨β¬›β¬›β¬› 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 My regular opening worked very well today CRANE HOIST CELLO Uta: yeah, wordlebot gives me a skill I’d 97 and a luck of 79 today. Both high. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6848 "2026-02-09T14:04:57Z")
> [@Gordon\_G](#): > > Aren’t there about a dozen words that fit \*ARES ? Yeah, but they’re all words that one gets by adding S or ES to a root word, either making a noun plural (MARES) or making the 3rd person singular of a verb (CARES). I don’t know if it’s ever been formally stated by Wardle or the NYT but no such word has been a solution so far. There seems to be a similar thing going on with -ED past tense endings. The only instance of that so far was Wordle 966, FRIED, and the argument there, IIRC, was that one doesn’t just add a D or an ED to make the past tense of FRY, one also has to change the Y to an I. But that’s still the only instance of an -ED past tense verb as a solution, regardless of whether there were other changes to the verb. Maybe it’ll happen again, maybe it won’t. My approach has been to play as if they’re still not possible solutions because it eliminates so many words from consideration on a day-to-day basis, and just take the hit if an -ED ending makes a second appearance. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6849 "2026-02-09T14:38:17Z")
Wordle 1,696 3/6 ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 HEART PESKY CELLO ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6850 "2026-02-09T14:55:16Z")
> **Wordle 1,696 5/6\* 2/9/2026** > > 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ > 🟨🟩⬜⬜⬜ > ⬜🟩🟩🟨⬜ > ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 > 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 > > _E_MBED β†’ One and only one E… but I’d like to repeat it to place it! Oh, what’s an OC wordler to do? > _L_ **E** ASE β†’ The repeat, of course, especially when I can use a vowel and a couple good WoFcons too. So now an O might be nice, and at least one more WoFcon; let’s try > F **EL** _O_N β†’ Good call on the O, looks like it’s last, could be I need to double up again? > H **ELLO** β†’ Bill Cosby or Yo-yo Ma? That’s an easy choice > **CELLO** > > I’m not sure that last guess was actually a 50-50 - I think the alternative was bogus - but it sure made good copy. I broke a couple rules on this one; my usual pattern would be to try the quintessential good first word second (SLATE). Scoredle also finishes in five, losing a 50-50 for par between a pair of valid options. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6851 "2026-02-09T16:16:30Z")
Wordle 1,696 3/6\* ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 STEAL RIFLE CELLO ---
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6852 "2026-02-09T16:48:28Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > My regular opening worked very well today Ditto. Wordle 1,696 3/6 🟧⬜⬜⬜🟦 ⬜🟦⬜⬜⬜ 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 CRANE HOIST CELLO ---
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6853 "2026-02-09T17:08:38Z")
Wordle 1,6 **97** 4/6 🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩 🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩 🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 πŸ˜‡ no Ai 🦘 ---
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6854 "2026-02-09T18:24:37Z")
Wordle 1,696 5/6 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟨⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬜🟩🟨⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 BUYER WAIVE EPOCH GECKO CELLO ---
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6855 "2026-02-09T18:35:48Z")
I play a _personal_ hard mode, in that I decide when to use up a turn on a sleuth word. Otherwise, I keep my greens where I found them and reuse all my yellows. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2026, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6856 "2026-02-09T19:34:48Z")
Wordle 1,696 3/6 πŸŸ§β¬›πŸŸ¦β¬›β¬› πŸŸ§πŸŸ¦β¬›πŸŸ¦β¬› 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 CROWN COMET CELLO I’ve been on a par/bogey streak of late, so the birdie here is a nice feeling. The opening C was pure luck, but I did choose the right second word, according to both Scordle and the actual result. As for the hard mode discussion, I prefer playing that way, as I find it makes me think in different ways and keeps me from playing on autopilot day after day (also the reason I use randomly generated start words); but I don’t actually set the game on hard mode, so that I can throw down a sleuth word if I really need to. Kind of the best of both worlds. @Gordon_G , you’re relatively new to this thread, but we’ve talked about this sort of thing before (hard mode, using lists, etc.) and basically everyone here plays in whatever way they most enjoy, as that’s the whole point of a game, isn’t it? No one’s here to judge. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6857 "2026-02-10T04:44:08Z")
Wordle 1,697 4/6 **TUESDAY** ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜🟩🟨⬜ ⬜🟨🟩🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 AUDIO CREEP LEECH SCENE ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6858 "2026-02-10T05:28:44Z")
Wordle 1,697 3/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 RATIO LUNES SCENE ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6859 "2026-02-10T08:37:58Z")
**Wordle 1,697 3/6 β€” 2026-02-10 Tue** πŸŸ©β¬›β¬›β¬›πŸŸ© β¬›β¬›β¬›β¬›πŸŸ© 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 **STARE** β€” _possibles include – scene scone scope sedge segue seize sense shine shone shove sidle siege sieve since singe slice slide slime slope smile smoke snide snipe solve spice spike spine spoke suede swine swipe; and, previous Wordles have included – scone scope segue sense shine shove siege since slice slope smile smoke snide solve spice spike spine spoke suede swine; remaining, leaves – scene sedge seize shone sidle sieve singe slide slime snipe swipe; letters to eliminate are – C D G I Z H O N L V M P W; can try sleuth word(s) – which phone whole while ?_ **WHILE** β€” _possibles include – scene scone scope sedge segue sense smoke spoke suede; and, previous Wordles have included – scone scope segue sense smoke spoke suede; remaining, leaves – scene sedge_ **SCENE** I chose a good sleuth word. Then, I flipped a coin and won the coin toss. What’s the most you ever won in a coin toss? Anton Chigurh: _”Call it, friendo.”_ ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451/6860 "2026-02-10T09:12:32Z")
Wordle 1,697 3/6\* \bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt H}\bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt O}\bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt I}\bbox[yellow,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt S}\bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt T} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt S}\bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt P}\bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt A}\bbox[yellow,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt C}\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt E} \bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt S}\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt C}\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt E}\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt N}\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt E} [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451.md?page=342) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordle-a-strangely-compelling-word-game-part-3/1010451.md?page=344)