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

[SunUp]

Wordle 1,703 4/6* 2/16/2026

SKULL → Not unexpected, though I hate to waste the L. My good first word second will be
TEARS → And, that’s something. Still no vowels, though, and though I would usually want to go ROAST here I’ll have to change things up to account for an A I’ve already guessed
ROIST → Ah, so close. Hmm… no consonants go in there? Nope! Double it up
ROOST

A workmanlike par. I didn’t keep pace with Scoredle, though; the algorithm went with an anagram of my second guess, then straight to the solution (on a 1-in-4 putt for its own birdie). Indeed, it would have sunk a 1-in-6 for a birdie with my second guess, so well played, yonder algorithm!

[puzzlegal]

Wordle 1,703 3/6

CRANE
HOIST
ROOST

Yay!

[MacDoc]

Wordle 1,704 6/6

no Ai

[Chefguy]

Wordle 1,703 3/6

CRANE
HOIST
ROOST - could have been roust

[kaylasdad99]

Wordle 1,703 3/6

BUYER
RADIO
ROOST

[Wheelz]

Wordle 1,703 3/6

SHAME
TORUS
ROOST

Good second word for the birdie!
I almost went with ROIST, but talked myself into doubling an already-placed letter with the more-likely ROOST. Wise decision.

[chela]

Wordle 1,703 3/6*

Stink
Boost
Roost

[MrDibble]

Wordle 1,704 3/6 TUESDAY

AUDIO
DATUM
SQUAD

[psychobunny]

Wordle 1,704 4/6

RATIO
CLANS
SPEAK
SQUAD

[Bullitt]

Wordle 1,704 3/6 — 2026-02-17 Tue

STARE
DOILY
SQUAD — was pretty much the only possible word

[pjd]

Wordle 1,704 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 C}\bbox[yellow,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt A}\bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt L}\bbox[silver,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt E}
\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt S}\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt Q}\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt U}\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt A}\bbox[lime,5px,border:1px solid black]{\texttt D}

[RTFirefly]

Wordle 1704 5/6

SLANT
SABRA
SHEAF
SQUAW
SQUAD

Well, it’s game on at last: SQUAD was Wordle 296.

[Gordon_G]

Wordle 1,704 3/6

SLATE
CRONY
SQUAD
(SQUAW was NOT an original Wardle word – “Offensive and Dated”)

[Shoeless]

Wordle 1,704 4/6

PASTE
IRONY
SCALD
SQUAD

[kaylasdad99]

Wordle 1,704 4/6

BUYER
MIAOU
LAUGH
SQUAD

[BobLibDem]

Wordle 1,704 4/6

HEART
PAINS
USUAL
SQUAD

[MacDoc]

Wordle 1,705 4/6

no Ai

[Chefguy]

Wordle 1,704 5/6

CRANE
HOIST
SASSY
SQUAB - I think I’m the only one to use this so far
SQUAD

[Wheelz]

Wordle 1,704 5/6

GRAZE
SALON
SUMAC
SQUAT
SQUAD

I didn’t see the trap until it was too late. SQUAB would have given me a six, and SQUAW (though unlikely) a fail.

[SunUp]

Wordle 1,704 5/6* 2/17/2026

ROOST → Not much, plus a wasted O. Pair that S with A, E and the last two WoFcons and shuffle around until I get a bogus word
SLANE → Placed the S, picked up an A. Well, that’s progress. As I look at this, I’m haunted by a Y ending, so I’ll give it a go, even though the possibles all look like double letters before that Y
SAPPY → So, not much progress there. If I want to try I, it would pretty much need to be an -iA ending, and I’m not seeing much there, so let’s think about U… and a letter that goes well with it
SQUAB → Ah, should have thought a bit longer
SQUAD

@Chefguy just beat me to it. This one felt very much based in eliminations, rather than positive progress. Scoredle points to another error before the one I pointed out above, so not a great day for my solving. But, on its own, Scoredle also finishes with a bogey, not placing the second letter found until its final guess. Perhaps it was a tougher word than I felt like it should be.