Are You Smarter Than Josh Wardle?
Josh Wardle created the five-letter puzzle game, Wordle, in 2021, which has enamored the general public ever since. Over 2 million people play Wordle daily, which means over 1 million people have gotten at least one of these answers wrong. How many of these words popped into your brain?
1. Parer
In September 2022, almost one in two players failed to solve this five-word puzzle, causing 60% of players to lose their streak. We’ve never even heard of the word parer, but apparently it refers to your standard paring knife.
2. Trice
Trice is an archaic word that essentially means very quickly. Players of Wordle #457 were said to be upset for it was too “old-fashioned.” In theory, it’s a good word to start out with when you’re playing Wordle due to the common groupings of “t-r-i” and “c-e,” but how good can a word be if you’ve never heard it before?
3. Smite
Even if you get the first two letters right, there are several possible ways to end that wordle. It could also be smell, smoke, small, or smack. The possibilities feel nearly endless, but your chances run out in 5 turns.
4. Tacit
Tacit means to be understood or implied without being stated. A funny enough word to use for Wordle, as it seemed most players had never heard of tacit before. The word stems from the Latin word tacere, meaning “be silent,” but tacit itself was used primarily in the 17th century. Just a little bit of ye olde English and your morning cup of coffee!
5. Atoll
This word sure took a toll on us! An atoll is defined as a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or a series of islets. Interestingly, atolls are commonly found around sinking volcanic islands, but a fun fact doesn’t take away from the ever-infuriating double letter curse.
6. Piney
This is a word where you feel a little dumb when you get it wrong. It’s not particularly difficult, and is used often enough not to be forgotten— but it’s always forgotten. There also seems to be a debate on whether the term is used to describe the pleasant scent of pine trees, or if it’s an adjective to describe someone wanting something really badly.
7. Dirge
If you did this Wordle, your first thought was probably, “What on earth is a dirge?” We can answer that for you. Dirge means a lament for the dead, or a mournful song. You probably could’ve played a dirge when you couldn’t figure out this answer.
8. Color
For our American friends, this may seem like a no-brainer. But if you’re located in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada, this might have been a head-scratcher. When it comes to these small grammatical differences, the disappearing “u” could be the difference between streak and death.
9. Corer
We think the Wordle’s rotten right to the core…r. A corer does exactly what it says: a tool to remove the core from something. It’s a bit of a trickier word, unless you’re well-versed in kitchen lingo or construction tools. It’s not even a good starting word, as the double r’s will only lead to pain and suffering.
Scott Manufacturing Co on Wikimedia
10. Foyer
The word foyer was another tricky one for Wordle players. This puzzle was released in April 2022, and even if you get “f,” “e,” and “r,” there are 10 other possible word combinations. Perhaps fiber, or fryer, came to mind first. Choose wisely.
11. Jazzy
This Wordle is considered a double whammy. Not only is it a dreaded double letter, but the letter is z? We don’t know about you guys, but when we try to think of a word including “z,” our mind goes blank.
12. Catch
Surprisingly, catch was the third most difficult word to solve in this 2023 puzzle. With a 26% failure rate, 1 in 4 people could not catch this painfully common word.
13. Coyly
Again with the double letters. Coyley was the seventh hardest word of 2022, with a 15% failure rate. The double y likely had a part to play in this, and maybe the fact that coyly is rarely seen outside of paperback books with a shirtless Fabio on them.
14. Trite
Following under coyly, trite also had a 15% failure rate, meaning almost 1 in 7 people lost their precious streaks to this puzzle. Trite means an overused remark, opinion, or idea, lacking originality or freshness. We guess the Wordle gods weren’t being trite when they brought the word down upon us.
15. Wight
Cool Game of Thrones reference, Wordle. Wight does have literary origins pertaining to supernatural entities, but did you know wight also means someone regarded as unfortunate? That’s a free new insult you can use against your friends, from us to you.
Curioso Photography on Unsplash
16. Tatty
Tatty sounds like another way to say tatted, as in covered in tattoos. But it actually means shabby or of poor quality. If you have a cat with claws or a dog that likes to chew, chances are you have some tatty couch legs or slippers lying around. In regards to Wordle difficulty… really, guys? Three “t’s?”
17. Adieu
Really, adieu is a strong contender for the first word to try in Wordle, as it covers almost all your vowels. It’s also the least efficient, lacking the high probability for common consonants.
18. Tares
No, not tears. Tares means a vetch… and vetch describes a plant from the pea family. Tare also has a second definition, in which it means an allowance made for the weight of the packaging in order to determine the net weight of goods. Same word, two definitions, and apparently one of the better words to start your Wordle with, if you can remember it exists.
19. Ouija
Does this word haunt you? It should. While it covers three vowels and two consonants, this five-lettered spook does not contain a common enough beginning or end to be considered a good starting point for your Wordle of the day.
20. Carom
If you’re not a pool player, it’s unlikely you’ve come across this word too frequently. Carom means to make a stroke in which the cue ball strikes two balls successively. Kind of an odd word to describe a really cool party trick, but we’ll take what we can get.
