Wordle Tips and Strategy
Five rows down, and the last box is the only thing between you and a broken streak. Wordle tips and strategy are the habits that rule words out early, so you're never left choosing between six options on your final row.
Below, you'll find the Wordle tips that matter most, each one backed by 1,943 real answers: a strong opener, a smart second guess, common letter patterns, when to burn a guess, double letters and what to do when you're stuck.
What's the most important Wordle tip?
Start strong. Your first guess decides the size of the list you're left with, and the gap is huge: ROATE leaves about 46.9 possible answers on average, while the popular AUDIO leaves about 152.6. Our list of best Wordle openers ranks the rest.
Why should your second guess use new letters?
Because five fresh letters teach you more than one lucky green. Even with a green tile in hand, guess two should test letters you haven't tried yet. Pair CRANE with TOILS and, on average, only about 3.9 answers survive both guesses.
- Play your usual opener.
- Play a second word with five letters the first didn't use.
- Only then start trying to hit the answer.
Which letters and patterns show up most?
Answers follow clear patterns. E, A and R lead all letters, 89% of answers have only one or two vowels, and a handful of endings and openings come up again and again, as the table below shows.
| Most common endings | Answers | Most common starts | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| -er | 113 | st- | 61 |
| -ch | 46 | sh- | 40 |
| -se | 45 | gr- | 38 |
| -te | 38 | sp- | 36 |
| -al | 37 | ch- | 36 |
| -el | 37 | cr- | 34 |
Here's one of the handiest Wordle tips hiding in that table: if you've found an E and an R but can't place them, try them together at the end. And if an S won't sit anywhere else, try it up front with a T or H.
When should you burn a guess on purpose?
When you're stuck in a letter trap. One of the biggest in Wordle history is _OUND: 7 past answers share it (FOUND, HOUND, MOUND, POUND, ROUND, SOUND, WOUND), and 9 valid guesses end that way. Guessing them one by one can cost you the game.
The fix is an elimination guess. Instead of trying one more _OUND word, play a word that tests several of the possible first letters at once. FARMS checks 4 of them in one go. Here's how it plays out if the answer is FOUND:
One guess, and only FOUND still fits. It never had a chance to be right itself, but it saved you from guessing your way through the whole list.
Pro Tip
Count before you guess, because that single habit is the Wordle strategy behind every other tip here. If more words fit than you have guesses left, don't guess any of them. Play the word that splits them instead.
How do you handle double letters?
Assume they're possible, which is one of the Wordle tips new players skip. 31% of past answers repeat a letter, so when your tiles fit no word with five letters, try doubling one you have. The letters doubled most often are E, O, L, A.
- A gray tile on a second copy only means the answer has fewer copies than you guessed.
- Among past answers, -LLY, -ILL, -RRY are the most common double-letter endings.
- The 5 letter word finder can search for a letter twice: type it twice in Contains.
What should you do when you're stuck?
Write down what you know, then count what fits, because that's the Wordle strategy that saves the most streaks. Our Wordle solver does the counting for you and suggests a guess that splits the remaining words.
If two words are left, check them against past Wordle answers: the one that hasn't been used yet is the safer pick, since repeats are still rare.
Still learning the basics? Our guide on how to play Wordle walks through a full game, color by color.
Wordle strategy FAQs
What is the best strategy for Wordle?
Open with a strong word, use your second guess on five new letters, then narrow down. Openers like ROATE or RAISE leave about 47 to 52 possible answers, and a good second word cuts that to a handful.
How do you avoid losing on words like -ATCH or -IGHT?
Stop guessing one word at a time. Once you know the ending, spend a guess on a word that tests several possible first letters at once, because that beats guessing your way down a list of six.
Should I play Wordle in hard mode?
Only once you're comfortable with the basics, because hard mode stops you from playing elimination guesses, the single best escape from letter traps, so it's a fun challenge that will cost you the odd game.
How often do Wordle answers have double letters?
More often than most players expect: 31% of past answers repeat at least one letter. If your tiles fit no word at all, a double letter is the first thing to check.
How many guesses should a Wordle take?
No official target exists, but four is a solid goal. Aim to solve every puzzle in four or fewer before chasing threes. A long streak with no losses beats the occasional lucky two.
Is it worth checking past answers?
A little, because only 27 of 1,943 answers have ever come back, so when you're torn between two words, the one that hasn't been an answer is usually the better bet.
Put these tips to work
Then try these Wordle tips on today's puzzle. Open with your best word, spend guess two on fresh letters and count before you commit. Our spoiler-free hints are there if you need a nudge along the way.