Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Wordle crisis

61 replies

CurlewKate · 23/09/2025 22:19

I’ve just discovered that my starting word, that I have used for nearly 4 years, has already been The Word. So I need a new one. And I can’t choose!

OP posts:
Em308 · 23/09/2025 23:33

Mine’s HEART, then PLUMB or JOINS

GretaGip · 23/09/2025 23:42

I use Crypt Then adieu

KnickerlessParsons · 23/09/2025 23:54

I use either Adieu, Pious or Audio

GinToBegin · 23/09/2025 23:56

I use chaos (which was the word a few months ago, but I’ve stuck with it), then usually print. DP uses adieu, but that’s too many vowels for me.

Spyship · 24/09/2025 00:06

Wildchild60s · 23/09/2025 22:33

Do people have the same starter word all the time? I pick a new starter word every day!

Yes so do I. I have a low boredom threshold and like a bit of variety.
I try to think what letters haven't been in the solution recently and try and find a word that includes them.

Potterylady13 · 24/09/2025 00:08

Mine is toile

AtomHeartMotherOfGod · 24/09/2025 00:19

Don't have one? I never do.

I was really pissed off recently though, as I randomly chose LEFTY as a start word, which turned out really useful for that day's word (got in 2), but then, only a few days later the actual word was LEFTY. I was so close to getting a random IN 1 guess...

Gingerkittykat · 24/09/2025 01:55

I go through the alphabet using a different letter each day.

It's probably not the best strategy to getting a word quickly but it stops me getting bored.

I would love it if my x word came up one day!

DistantConstellation · 24/09/2025 07:08

Most of these suggestions have already been the answer, though - OP is looking for one that hasn't been yet. The options for a "good" starter word are getting a bit limited!

I like ginger's idea of going through the alphabet too!

CurlewKate · 24/09/2025 07:12

Yes-I want one that hasn’t been used. I really want a 1! I used MOUSE today as a pro tem. Very weird using a new word after all this time!

OP posts:
FightingInAVatOfJellyBabies · 24/09/2025 07:20

BeHappySloth · 23/09/2025 23:18

I think that's true. From my perspective, getting it in one is sheer luck so I don't really care about that at all. Getting it in 2 usually involves a fair bit of luck as well, so it isn't that satisfying. I therefore aim to get it in 3, so my first two guesses are focused on that goal. This means that I often choose a second word that definitely can't be the answer in order to raise my prospects of getting it in the next go.

I completely agree. Then it is a skill win, not just a guessing game.

Sliceofbattenberg · 24/09/2025 07:25

I use ROATE; can’t imagine that will ever come up

sorrynotathome · 24/09/2025 07:26

Emori · 23/09/2025 23:12

I vary between TREND and AULOI depending on if I'm in a consonant or vowel kind of mood.

Edited

AULOI? What the hell?!

I have several faves including OCEAN, ABUSE, AIRED, BEARD.

lurkingfromhome · 24/09/2025 07:30

I use TRAIL and then HOUSE or MOUSE. Then that's all the vowels covered, plus some useful consonants. If I get enough clues from TRAIL I don't bother with the second one.

I used to use LATER and PIOUS but LATER came up recently and I got it in one!

DistantConstellation · 24/09/2025 07:33

CurlewKate · 24/09/2025 07:12

Yes-I want one that hasn’t been used. I really want a 1! I used MOUSE today as a pro tem. Very weird using a new word after all this time!

Edited

It's been had! You can check here
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wordle-past-answers

Past Wordle answers: Archive of previous words

If you want to check out which Wordle words have been used previously, you can use this archive to find out all previous solutions.

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wordle-past-answers

dancinginthekitchen · 24/09/2025 07:37

I use EARLY and then SHOUT if ‘early’ doesn’t give me anything useful.

CurlewKate · 24/09/2025 07:54

DistantConstellation · 24/09/2025 07:33

It's been had! You can check here
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wordle-past-answers

Yes, I know! I just couldn’t find one so I decided to go cute to keep me going….

OP posts:
RedRec · 24/09/2025 07:56

I use ABODE then FRUIT. Getting fed up with ABODE but am afraid to change it until it comes up.

prelovedusername · 24/09/2025 07:59

I use READY then PIOUS. Gets all the vowels in. A friend uses AUDIO. She likes to get it in as few gos as possible whereas I go for speed.

FilterBubble · 24/09/2025 08:07

There are other Wordle Analysers out there, if you don't want to pay the NYT sub. There's also lists of every solution played.

Early on I wrote a Wordle Clone, I assume it has changed since the early days following the NYT acquisition. The game basically boils down to a permitted word list, and a solution list. The number of solution words is far lower than permitted words. There may be the odd example of a plural in the solution dictionary, but by and large it's pointless playing an actual plural thinking it will be the solution. Also bear in mind it's an American dictionary. And some of the words are what I can only describe as ridiculous. You can scan the full word lists by eye pretty quickly if you can be bothered.

Looking at https://wordle-analyzer.com/ there they suggest the dictionary consists of 14,855 words with 3000 of them as likely. Off the top of my head I think that means the dictionary has expanded, as I remember solutions were likely to repeat every few years when the puzzle first started out. Not sure how the solution is picked, whether it's randomised, or whether they care about a repeat within a particular period. I've seen many repeat solutions.

I had only been playing the game for a few weeks and I got a Wordle in one, and I distinctly remember elation met fast with disappointment as I had to wait a day to play another game and actually stretch my brain. Subsequently I don't give a hoot whether my starting word wins on the 1st go or not.

I've tried to fix my starter in the past, but tend to just mix it up and play whatever takes me in the moment. I'll concentrate on a couple of vowels and popular consonants, and if I'm not playing hard mode, will play another couple of vowels and different consonants on the next try, usually between two choices like that you filter the list right down.

Another game I play is to use the solution from the day before as the starter. That can be a challenge as you don't have control over that starter word and if you play with friends I'd recommend this as you all start in the same place. Today I got Wordle in four using yesterday's solution as the starter. And that choice filtered the entire word list down to about 29 solutions (according to wordle analyser). I deviated from my usual strategy and played hard mode trying to finger locations of known unknowns, and my next choice filtered the list down to 6 solutions out of 15 possible acceptable ones. That's when you need to list the 6 solutions in your brain, and try to filter that strategically. That actually gives your brain a little work out. My next choice filtered the list down to 1 solution.

Using the two word prune technique something like SOARE followed by CLINT, or ROAST followed by CLINE are suggested to be good choices. WordleBot featured CRANE as an opener for ages. The bot does change their opener. If you play the same opener or the same two every day where's the fun in that?

SheilaFentiman · 24/09/2025 08:19

If you play the same opener or the same two every day where's the fun in that?

As you describe in your post, the fun is using what you discover to figure out a next move. That fun applies just as much if you use the same opener or not.

FilterBubble · 24/09/2025 08:23

@SheilaFentiman good point!

You could fix your opener, and change it whenever your streak ends. Or play it until the end of eternity.

(Just checked Wordle Bot vs Wordle Analyser and they are slightly misaligned.)

BeHappySloth · 24/09/2025 08:26

SheilaFentiman · 24/09/2025 08:19

If you play the same opener or the same two every day where's the fun in that?

As you describe in your post, the fun is using what you discover to figure out a next move. That fun applies just as much if you use the same opener or not.

For me, the fun lies in using skill to solve the puzzle in as few guesses as possible? And that requires strategy!!

thecatneuterer · 24/09/2025 08:35

mummymetalhead · 23/09/2025 22:35

My starter word came up earlier this year but I still use it as it’s really useful. It’s AISLE.

Ooh I like that. Mine is usually TODAY, but I think I'll be using aisle too.

m00rfarm · 24/09/2025 08:37

MustDust · 23/09/2025 22:39

Mine is RAISE, I was buzzing when it came up, still use it every time though.

Mine is raise as well. It does well for me.

I always do my puzzles in the following order every morning:
Quiz of the day
Wordle
Waffle
Connections

My theory is that if I can do all of these within 5 minutes, then my mind is working reasonably well and I am set up for the day!

Swipe left for the next trending thread