The Best Wordle Starting Words, Tested on 662 Answers
The best Wordle starting words are ARISE, CRATE, RAISE and TRACE: in our test on 662 answer words, each one leaves only 14 to 16 possible answers on average after the first guess. Vowel-heavy openers like ADIEU (34 left) and AUDIO (55 left) are much weaker, because common consonants like R, T and S narrow the answer down faster than rare vowels.
Key points
- Best openers in our test: ARISE (14.0 answers left on average), CRATE and RAISE (15.4), TRACE (15.5).
- The letters that matter most: E is in 51% of answers, R and A in 42%, T in 34%.
- ADIEU and AUDIO feel smart but leave 2 to 4 times more possible answers.
- Second guess: keep your green letters in place, move the yellow ones, and never reuse a gray letter.
- On NitroPlayer you get unlimited words, a daily word, duels with friends and 2 hints per game.
Play Wordle freeNo download, no sign-up. Play solo, online or with a friend.
We tested 10 starting words on 662 answers
For each opener we played it against every one of the 662 answer words in our Wordle game and counted what the colors told us. The most useful number is the last column: how many answers are still possible, on average, after that first guess. Fewer is better.
| Starting word | Greens per game | Yellows per game | No match at all | Answers left (avg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARISE | 0.68 | 1.24 | 5% | 14.0 |
| CRATE | 0.70 | 1.17 | 5% | 15.4 |
| RAISE | 0.59 | 1.32 | 5% | 15.4 |
| TRACE | 0.74 | 1.13 | 5% | 15.5 |
| STARE | 0.69 | 1.26 | 7% | 16.2 |
| SLATE | 0.74 | 1.08 | 7% | 17.1 |
| CRANE | 0.73 | 1.03 | 8% | 18.2 |
| HEART | 0.49 | 1.39 | 7% | 20.9 |
| ADIEU | 0.34 | 1.23 | 6% | 34.4 |
| AUDIO | 0.24 | 1.11 | 9% | 54.8 |
The top eight are all close, so pick the one you like and use it every time: a fixed opener lets you learn its patterns. If you want the green squares early, TRACE and SLATE give the most greens. If you want the shortest path to the answer, ARISE leaves the fewest possibilities.
Why ADIEU and AUDIO are weaker than they look
Vowel-heavy words feel like a smart start because they test four vowels at once. The problem is that almost every answer has a vowel anyway, so learning which vowels are in the word tells you less than it seems. Common consonants split the list much better.
Here is how often each letter appears in our 662 answers: E 51%, R 42%, A 42%, T 34%, I 29%, O 29%, L 28%, S 27%, N 23%, then H and C at 19% and U at 18%. The best openers combine the top vowels (E, A, I) with the top consonants (R, T, S). AUDIO spends two of its five letters on U and D, which are far less common.
How to solve Wordle in 3 guesses
This is the game from the video. The answer was HEART.
- Guess 1: CRANE. The A is green (right letter, right spot). R and E are yellow (in the word, wrong spot). C and N are gray (not in the word).
- Guess 2: WEARY. Keep A in the middle and move R and E to new spots. Now E, A and R are all green: the word is _EAR_.
- Guess 3: HEART. Skip every gray letter (C, N, W, Y). Only three answers in our list still fit _EAR_: BEARD, HEART and PEARL. Pick the one that seems most common first; here HEART was right. Solved in three.
The rule behind it: every guess after the first should either place a yellow letter in a new spot or test new common letters. Never spend a guess on a letter you already know is gray.
The colors and the repeated-letter rule
- Green: the letter is in the word and in that exact spot.
- Yellow: the letter is in the word, but in another spot.
- Gray: the letter is not in the word (or not again, see below).
Repeated letters trip people up. If you guess a word with two E's and the answer has only one, one E is colored and the other is gray. A gray letter can therefore still be in the word once, when you typed it twice. Words with double letters (like SHEEP or BOOTH) are a common reason for a lost game, so consider them when the usual letters run out.
More tips that save guesses
- Use the keyboard colors. They show every letter you have already ruled out.
- Think of word endings. -ER, -ED, -LY and -ST are common, and a lot of answers start with S, C, B or T.
- Do not rush the fourth guess. If several words fit, choose a guess that tests the letters that tell them apart, even if it cannot be the answer.
- Stuck? Use a hint. In solo games on NitroPlayer you get 2 hints per word; each one reveals a letter in its right spot.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best word to start Wordle?
ARISE, CRATE, RAISE and TRACE are the strongest in our test on 662 answers: each leaves about 14 to 16 possible answers after the first guess. SLATE, STARE and CRANE are close behind.
Is ADIEU a good Wordle starting word?
It is not one of the best. ADIEU tests four vowels but leaves about 34 possible answers on average, more than twice as many as ARISE or TRACE, because it skips common consonants like R, S and T.
Should I use the same starting word every time?
Yes, if it is a strong one. A fixed opener lets you learn which second guesses work after each color pattern, and the top openers are so close that switching gains you almost nothing.
How many guesses do you get in Wordle?
Six. On NitroPlayer you can play as many words as you like, play the daily word, or race a friend on the same secret word in a duel.
Video transcript
Want to solve Wordle in three guesses? It starts with a smart first word.
Try CRANE. Common letters, plus two vowels.
Green: right letter, right spot. Yellow: in the word, wrong spot. Gray: not in the word.
So keep A in the middle, and move the E and the R. Like WEARY.
Three greens! Skip the gray letters, and the answer is... HEART! Solved in three.
Now you try! And on NitroPlayer, you can play with your friends. Games are so much more fun together.
Play free at NitroPlayer dot com.
