Since the game’s release in October 2021, there has been much debate about the best Wordle opening word to use when starting a game. One mathematician created an automated bot to test over 12,000 words, while an online urban legend claims that vowel-heavy words like “Irate” and “Salet” are the best.
The New York Times, on the other hand, discovered that ‘Crane’ is the best place to start when creating their WordleBot, while ‘Crate’, ‘Slate’, ‘Slant’, and ‘Trace’ are also good guesses, as are ‘Lance’, ‘Carte’, ‘Least’, and ‘Trice’.
“WordleBot solves the 2,309 possible Wordles using the fewest number of guesses when it starts with ‘Crane’ in normal mode and ‘Dealt’ in hard mode,” according to the New York Times, “when it starts with ‘Crane’ in normal mode and ‘Dealt’ in hard mode,” a version of Wordle where “any revealed hints must be used in subsequent guesses.”
Check out: The best way to cheat at Wordle | Tips & Tricks
Want to know why you played so well — or so bad — in today’s wordle? Meet WordleBot, your daily wordle companion that will tell you how efficient and lucky you were — and it could help improve your results. https://t.co/3vQJOBRGH4 pic.twitter.com/Ehrtdokexy
— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 7, 2022
“This may surprise some readers who have seen people claim that words like ‘Irate,’ ‘Salet,’ or ‘Raise’ are the best openers in various places on the internet.” “The truth is that it depends on how you’re playing and whether you’re a human or a computer,” the post went on to say.
They go on to say that different algorithms take different approaches to solving the problem, with WordleBot limited to “about 4,500 words that are more common among English speakers — it didn’t seem particularly helpful for a piece of software to recommend words like “Voema,” “Cusso,” “Skatt,” and “Zebub.”
“Aside from that, it’s worth noting that the ideal opening word for a computer isn’t always the ideal opening word for you. The 2,309 solutions stored in WordleBot’s memory are all perfect. It’s highly unlikely that you do. While the bot may know the exact best path to take from a given guess, it’s possible that you don’t, and that a different guess would be more likely to lead you to the correct answer.”
“More importantly, unless you’re playing in hard mode, every Wordle game is solvable regardless of which word you pick first.” We won’t stop you if you start with ‘Fuzzy.'”
The best opening words in Wordle
You can find the table of the optimal opening words according to this method below:
| Rank | Word | Turns to win | Word | Turns to win | Word | Turns to win | Word | Turns to win |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | REAST | 3.604 | TRACE | 3.625 | TRAPE | 3.805 | TRACE | 3.840 |
| 2. | TRACE | 3.608 | CRANE | 3.635 | PRATE | 3.808 | SLATE | 3.841 |
| 3. | CRANE | 3.610 | ROAST | 3.638 | SALET | 3.811 | LEAST | 3.846 |
| 4. | CARLE | 3.611 | SLATE | 3.640 | LEANT | 3.812 | LEANT | 3.850 |
| 5. | TORSE | 3.613 | TRICE | 3.641 | REAST | 3.814 | TRAIN | 3.851 |
| 6. | RANCE | 3.614 | CRATE | 3.642 | TRACE | 3.815 | PRATE | 3.852 |
| 7. | SALET | 3.614 | SLANT | 3.648 | CRANE | 3.816 | SLANT | 3.852 |
| 8. | SLATE | 3.616 | STARE | 3.648 | LEAST | 3.818 | CRATE | 3.854 |
| 9. | SNARE | 3.617 | LEAST | 3.651 | SLATE | 3.827 | CRANE | 3.855 |
| 10. | CRATE | 3.620 | PRATE | 3.653 | CRATE | 3.829 | TALES | 3.857 |
| 11. | LEAST | 3.620 | REACT | 3.654 | CARET | 3.829 | TRIPE | 3.862 |
| 12. | TRONE | 3.620 | CORSE | 3.655 | CARLE | 3.829 | SPATE | 3.863 |
| 13. | CARET | 3.621 | CADRE | 3.655 | TRICE | 3.829 | PLATE | 3.864 |
| 14. | ROAST | 3.621 | TRADE | 3.656 | PRASE | 3.830 | TRICE | 3.864 |
| 15. | CARTE | 3.621 | TRAIN | 3.657 | SLANE | 3.832 | DEALT | 3.866 |
| 16. | ROSET | 3.621 | DEALT | 3.657 | PEART | 3.832 | TRIES | 3.866 |
| 17. | PRASE | 3.622 | SNARE | 3.657 | ARTEL | 3.833 | TRAIL | 3.867 |
| 18. | TRINE | 3.622 | LANCE | 3.657 | RESAT | 3.834 | STALE | 3.868 |
| 19. | TOILE | 3.623 | CARET | 3.658 | TRADE | 3.835 | CRAPE | 3.870 |
| 20. | TRICE | 3.623 | STALE | 3.660 | PARSE | 3.835 | TRADE | 3.870 |
| 21. | SLART | 3.625 | SLICE | 3.660 | REIST | 3.836 | LANCE | 3.870 |
| 22. | PARSE | 3.625 | STORE | 3.660 | CARTE | 3.838 | CLEAT | 3.871 |
| 23. | TRADE | 3.626 | SCALE | 3.661 | REACT | 3.838 | CARET | 3.873 |
| 24. | SOREL | 3.627 | TRIPE | 3.662 | CARSE | 3.838 | TRIAL | 3.873 |
| 25. | STARE | 3.627 | STILE | 3.664 | SETAL | 3.839 | CREST | 3.875 |
| 26. | RAINE | 3.628 | TRAIL | 3.664 | TORSE | 3.839 | SCALE | 3.875 |
| 27. | SLANE | 3.628 | LEANT | 3.664 | TRINE | 3.840 | PLANE | 3.876 |
| 28. | REACT | 3.631 | TEARS | 3.666 | SLART | 3.841 | REACT | 3.877 |
| 29. | CARSE | 3.633 | SAINT | 3.667 | TEALS | 3.841 | LEARN | 3.883 |
| 30. | PEART | 3.634 | SPATE | 3.668 | TRIES | 3.841 | NACRE | 3.884 |
| 31. | REIST | 3.634 | RAISE | 3.669 | EARNT | 3.844 | PEARL | 3.884 |
| 32. | TRAPE | 3.634 | PARSE | 3.670 | STALE | 3.844 | CADRE | 3.885 |
| 33. | HEART | 3.635 | CATER | 3.670 | TALES | 3.844 | STORE | 3.885 |
| 34. | ARTEL | 3.635 | CRAPE | 3.670 | TERAS | 3.844 | CASTE | 3.886 |
| 35. | EARST | 3.635 | PLATE | 3.671 | ALERT | 3.845 | TREAD | 3.886 |
| 36. | RONTE | 3.635 | PLANE | 3.671 | RANCE | 3.847 | ROAST | 3.887 |
| 37. | STALE | 3.635 | SNORE | 3.671 | CATER | 3.848 | ALERT | 3.888 |
| 38. | PRATE | 3.636 | AROSE | 3.672 | STANE | 3.849 | HEART | 3.888 |
| 39. | RAILE | 3.636 | NITRE | 3.672 | ALTER | 3.849 | STARE | 3.888 |
| 40. | TASER | 3.636 | SIREN | 3.673 | TEARS | 3.850 | CORSE | 3.889 |
| 41. | SOARE | 3.637 | TARGE | 3.673 | ROATE | 3.850 | PARSE | 3.889 |
| 42. | STANE | 3.637 | ALTER | 3.674 | SANER | 3.851 | TAPER | 3.891 |
| 43. | TEARS | 3.637 | CREST | 3.674 | LEARN | 3.852 | SNARE | 3.891 |
| 44. | ANTRE | 3.638 | TRIED | 3.674 | TRONE | 3.852 | TRIED | 3.891 |
| 45. | LEANT | 3.638 | CLEAT | 3.675 | ROAST | 3.853 | TEARS | 3.892 |
| 46. | ROATE | 3.638 | TRIAL | 3.676 | STARE | 3.853 | NEARS | 3.892 |
| 47. | TARES | 3.640 | SCARE | 3.677 | HEART | 3.854 | LITRE | 3.892 |
| 48. | AROSE | 3.641 | TREAD | 3.678 | ORATE | 3.854 | STEAL | 3.892 |
| 49. | EARNT | 3.641 | SHALE | 3.678 | TASER | 3.854 | CATER | 3.893 |
| 50. | RAISE | 3.641 | ARISE | 3.679 | LATER | 3.854 | STILE | 3.894 |
| 51. | PARLE | 3.642 | GRATE | 3.679 | EARST | 3.854 | TENOR | 3.895 |
| 52. | RESAT | 3.642 | NACRE | 3.679 | TARES | 3.855 | RINSE | 3.896 |
| 53. | SLIER | 3.643 | TRIES | 3.679 | ROSET | 3.855 | SAINT | 3.896 |
| 54. | STORE | 3.643 | CLEAR | 3.680 | SNARE | 3.856 | SLICE | 3.896 |
| 55. | STIRE | 3.645 | PEARL | 3.680 | STORE | 3.857 | SORTA | 3.897 |
| 56. | PAIRE | 3.648 | ALONE | 3.682 | TOILE | 3.857 | ALTER | 3.897 |
| 57. | CATER | 3.648 | STAIR | 3.682 | SCARE | 3.857 | STAIR | 3.897 |
| 58. | ORATE | 3.649 | ALIEN | 3.682 | PARLE | 3.858 | SIREN | 3.898 |
| 59. | SANER | 3.649 | HEART | 3.682 | ANTRE | 3.859 | RATES | 3.899 |
| 60. | SETAL | 3.649 | LATER | 3.682 | SERAL | 3.859 | SCARE | 3.899 |
| 61. | ARIEL | 3.650 | SPARE | 3.682 | STRAE | 3.859 | SHALE | 3.899 |
| 62. | ALERT | 3.650 | CASTE | 3.683 | RATEL | 3.860 | SNORE | 3.900 |
| 63. | SERAL | 3.651 | ALERT | 3.683 | ALINE | 3.860 | SPARE | 3.901 |
| 64. | ALTER | 3.651 | TALES | 3.684 | ARETS | 3.862 | LATER | 3.901 |
| 65. | SCARE | 3.651 | AISLE | 3.685 | LITRE | 3.862 | NITRE | 3.901 |
| 66. | LIANE | 3.652 | CARES | 3.685 | SOREL | 3.863 | GRATE | 3.902 |
| 67. | RATEL | 3.652 | RINSE | 3.686 | TALER | 3.865 | IRATE | 3.902 |
| 68. | COATE | 3.653 | RATES | 3.686 | ALIEN | 3.867 | CLEAR | 3.903 |
| 69. | STRAE | 3.653 | LEARN | 3.687 | RONTE | 3.868 | PATER | 3.904 |
| 70. | TALER | 3.654 | IRATE | 3.689 | RATES | 3.869 | ALIEN | 3.906 |
| 71. | AISLE | 3.655 | SAUTE | 3.690 | ARIEL | 3.870 | SATED | 3.910 |
| 72. | ALINE | 3.656 | TENOR | 3.690 | REALS | 3.870 | TARGE | 3.911 |
| 73. | ALONE | 3.656 | TAPER | 3.690 | LIANE | 3.872 | ASTER | 3.912 |
| 74. | SAINE | 3.656 | SOLAR | 3.691 | STEAR | 3.872 | CANOE | 3.912 |
| 75. | ARISE | 3.657 | GLARE | 3.692 | PAIRE | 3.873 | NARES | 3.913 |
| 76. | LATER | 3.657 | SORTA | 3.693 | STIRE | 3.874 | RENAL | 3.913 |
| 77. | IRATE | 3.657 | PATER | 3.694 | RAINE | 3.875 | BLARE | 3.914 |
| 78. | TRIES | 3.658 | STEAL | 3.695 | IRATE | 3.876 | LITER | 3.914 |
| 79. | ALIEN | 3.659 | LITRE | 3.695 | SAUTE | 3.878 | CARES | 3.916 |
| 80. | TEALS | 3.660 | SATED | 3.696 | ALONE | 3.880 | ALONE | 3.921 |
| 81. | TERAS | 3.660 | CANOE | 3.697 | RAILE | 3.880 | THANE | 3.923 |
| 82. | SAICE | 3.661 | SUITE | 3.698 | SHARE | 3.883 | SAUTE | 3.923 |
| 83. | SAUTE | 3.662 | THANE | 3.698 | LARES | 3.884 | LASER | 3.924 |
| 84. | RATES | 3.662 | BLARE | 3.698 | RALES | 3.885 | SOLAR | 3.925 |
| 85. | SHARE | 3.663 | NARES | 3.700 | URATE | 3.885 | HATER | 3.926 |
| 86. | TOISE | 3.663 | SABRE | 3.701 | SLIER | 3.887 | ARISE | 3.927 |
| 87. | LITRE | 3.663 | SHARE | 3.702 | COATE | 3.888 | AISLE | 3.927 |
| 88. | ARETS | 3.666 | LASER | 3.702 | SOARE | 3.888 | RAISE | 3.928 |
| 89. | TALES | 3.666 | HATER | 3.703 | RAISE | 3.889 | GLARE | 3.928 |
| 90. | LEARN | 3.667 | ASTER | 3.704 | LASER | 3.889 | ANISE | 3.930 |
| 91. | URATE | 3.672 | LOSER | 3.705 | TOISE | 3.892 | LOSER | 3.932 |
| 92. | ARLES | 3.674 | ANISE | 3.708 | SAINE | 3.894 | ATONE | 3.934 |
| 93. | REALO | 3.674 | ATONE | 3.710 | ARLES | 3.895 | SABRE | 3.937 |
| 94. | STEAR | 3.674 | RENAL | 3.714 | AROSE | 3.896 | SHARE | 3.940 |
| 95. | REALS | 3.675 | ORIEL | 3.716 | OATER | 3.898 | SUITE | 3.943 |
| 96. | LARES | 3.678 | SHEAR | 3.717 | AISLE | 3.899 | ORIEL | 3.951 |
| 97. | RALES | 3.679 | NEARS | 3.721 | AESIR | 3.902 | AROSE | 3.961 |
| 98. | LASER | 3.683 | ROUTE | 3.724 | ARISE | 3.902 | SHEAR | 3.965 |
| 99. | OATER | 3.684 | LITER | 3.725 | SAICE | 3.908 | ROUTE | 3.974 |
| 100. | AESIR | 3.686 | ROUSE | 3.726 | REALO | 3.909 | ROUSE | 3.978 |
