Wordle has taken the world by storm over the past couple of years. It’s a word game that tests your knowledge, specifically of five-letter words. Millions of players participate in this challenging daily puzzle. If you want to join the crowd but aren’t sure how to play, you’ve come to the right place to learn the rules and tips for playing every day.
Wordle is not hard to understand since all you have to do is guess a five-letter word within six trials. Keep reading to find answers to all your questions about this entertaining word puzzle.
How do you play Wordle?
To play Wordle, you need to guess a five-letter word within six attempts. In case you fail to figure out the correct word, you cannot restart the game. Instead, you would have to wait for the new puzzle which is released the next day to play again.
It may seem challenging to guess the correct five-letter word within six turns without any do-overs. However, the game provides hints after each guess to nudge you towards the correct answer. Although you get six chances to find the word, most players are able to solve it within four to five attempts.
After each guess, you receive color-coded feedback: green means the letter is correct and in the right position, yellow indicates the letter is in the word but in the wrong position, and gray shows the letter is not in the word at all. Use this feedback to refine your guesses as you go.
Where to play Wordle?
Originally, this word puzzle was playable on the creator Josh Wardle's website. After The New York Times’s acquisition in 2022, Wordle is now available in the NYT Games section. It is not hidden behind any paywall and it doesn't require an NYT account. All you need is an internet connection and a web browser to play this game.
Wordle can also be played on Android and iOS mobile devices. Players need to install The New York Times’ games app from the Play Store and the Apple Store to play the five-letter puzzle game.
Wordle tips and tricks
Even after you know how to play this word puzzle game, you may still struggle with it. Below, we have listed some useful tips and tricks to help you improve your game and get the Wordle answer every day.
- Go vowel-heavy
Almost every Wordle answer would have at least one vowel. So, it is wise to go vowel-heavy for the first turn. Although it is unlikely to be the correct guess, you will get some useful hints for the answer.
- Try out common consonants
Trying out words with common letters will help you narrow down the possible Wordle answer. You can enter words that contain A, E, I, L, N, O, R, S, C, and T. Some examples are CRANE, ALIEN, and NORSE. If you're still unsure about the word, avoid letters like Q, Z, and J since the chances that these letters are present in the answer are very slim.
- Old answers can show the way
Wordle will never repeat a word unless it runs out of all five-letter words left in the dictionary. This means you can use past answers, especially for your first guess. It won't grant you victory but it will give you crucial hints to guess the correct answer.
- It's American
Keep in mind that Wordle uses US English. So words like "FAVOR" or "COLOR" are allowed which wouldn't have been the case if the game were using UK English where these same words are spelled as "FAVOUR" and "COLOUR".
- Take your time
There is a new word every day. In other words, Wordle has a 24-hour time limit for guessing the correct word. This gives you an ample amount of time to guess the correct answer. Don't rush through your six turns. If you fail to get it, you have to wait the next day to play again.
- Use Wordle Solvers
If you're unable to guess the word and are stuck with one or two turns, you can always avail the help of the internet. While it may be frowned upon, there are no rules against using online Wordle Solvers. Unless you play with your family, friends, or a community, your only opponent is yourself. You set the rules.
- Practice is key
No matter what game you're playing, practice will make you better. It's okay if you fail the first few times you play. With more practice, you will get better. If you want to speed up your training, you can try Wordly or other Wordle alternatives to improve your skills.
