Why Starting Words Matter in Quordle
In most word games, the first guess or the starting word is a key weapon in a solver's arsenal but when it comes to a word game like Quordle, it becomes even more important. That is because, unlike other word games, Quordle asks players to solve not one but four words simultaneously which only makes things tougher. Combining that with the fact that players have nine guesses to do so makes the starting word that much more important for solvers.
It's why many players opt to use words that will give them the most information, with words that combine vowels and constants often the first used. Such words include "Stare", Adieu" or "Raise" which use the most common letters in the English language while offering the most information vowel-wise. This method sets a strong foundation for future guesses, giving them more confidence with each subsequent guess.
Top Recommended Starting Words for Quordle
As mentioned above, the first guess for players is absolutely crucial given the limitations that Quordle sets on solvers. It's why many players and word-game strategists focus on finding out as much information as they can from their first guess. This comes with the help of words that contain a mix of vowels and commonly used constants in the English language. That is easier said than done but one strategy used by many is to use a set of three words for their first three guesses.
These three words often cover 15 letters across the English language and help players gain as much information as they can rapidly, giving them a better chance of solving the puzzle in the fewest number of guesses. Recommended triplets include:
"CHOMP, GRIND, SALTY": This combination excludes 'E' and 'U,' giving players the chance to pick them later if needed.
"AUDIO, STERN, CHIMP": This set covers the vowels along with several common consonants.
"TROVE, BRAND, SKIMP": A four-word selection used by players for an even broader letter coverage.
"STARY, POUTY, BLIND": An effective triplet that includes both vowels and common consonants.
The triplet set is just one method players use as others opt to use a word rich in vowels (AUDIO or ADIEU) and then follow it up with a word that is rich in consonants (Story or Stern) as it offers them the best of both worlds. Not only that, it also covers all five vowels early on and makes a solver's job easier going forward.
Another method players use is to keep their vowels aside and focus on words that have tougher consonants, which gives them a different starting point altogether. This method focuses on the fact that vowels might be easier to guess later on while consonants are tougher to do so.
In the end, every player will have their methods which means each players need to practise to find the right fit for them. It’s why skilled puzzlers are always experimenting with various starting words and are always practising different ways to get the best possible results. After all, the goal is to pick the words that offer the most information, giving players the best chance to solve the puzzle with the fewest number of guesses.
Vowel-Heavy Starting Words to Try
Since the English language contains only five vowels, using vowel-heavy words is a widely used method in almost every word game, and that applies to Quordle's tougher challenge as well. This is because it allows players to uncover the presence and position of vowels across the four puzzles, making their job easier with each passing guess. That is because most English words have at least one vowel and thus figuring out which letter goes where helps reduce the size of the word database.
Thus as a result, "AUDIO" has become a frequently picked word across both Wordle and Quordle because it has four of the five vowels and makes it easier for players to figure out their next move. The same applies to "ADIEU" as it also has four vowels and many solvers prefer this as a starting word because of the letter E. The logic behind that is the fact that E is one of the most common letters in the English language and thus cuts down on options just as quickly as "AUDIO".
Other options also include:
"OUIJA": Contains four vowels and the letter J, which can help identify letters early.
"EQUAL": While it features only three vowels, it includes the common consonants Q and L.
"IRATE": This word has three vowels and two common consonants, striking a balance between vowel coverage and consonant identification.
"LOUIE": Another four-vowel option, incorporating the less common consonant L.
Furthermore, much like the triplet strategy mentioned above, a few solvers tend to use vowel-heavy words in their first two guesses with to figure out which vowel is present in which word and where.
How Starting Words Differ Between Wordle and Quordle
While they do share similarities and considering the fact that Wordle inspired the creation of Quordle, the methods and strategies that many players use are different because Wordle's mechanics and rules are different from Quordle. Wordle solvers tend to use more aggressive strategies to quickly solve the single five-letter word while Quordle players tend to be slightly more passive as they need to solve four five-letter words inside nine guesses.
Thus, more often than not, the most popular starting words in Wordle tend to be a mix of vowels and constants (Stare or Adieu) while Quordle solvers opt to use the first word as a base for the next guess, thus creating a strategy that accommodates that. An example would be using a vowel-heavy word like "Audio" and then "Stern" which gives the players a lot of information on their four words. Some even use a triplet strategy to help them cover as many as 15 letters inside the first three guesses.
Some even opt for less common letters to potentially resolve the more challenging words faster. The primary difference between the starting words in the two games lies in the need for a more comprehensive strategy in Quordle, as players need to balance letter frequency while solving multiple words simultaneously.
