Pick a first word that tests common letters
The most useful first word uses five different, common letters. E, A, R, O, T, L, I, S and N appear in most five-letter English words, so starters such as SLATE, CRANE, TRACE and ARISE rule out or find several letters at once.
Use the second guess to learn, not to win
If the first word told you little, make the second one use five new letters, such as DOUGH or MINTY after SLATE. Two guesses then test ten letters, and the answer is usually clear by the third.
Read the colors carefully
- Green: right letter, right place. Keep it there.
- Yellow: the letter is in the word but somewhere else. It cannot go in that spot.
- Gray: the letter is not in the word, unless you guessed it twice and one copy is colored. Then the word has exactly as many as are colored.
Watch for word families
If you have _IGHT, the answer could be LIGHT, MIGHT, NIGHT, RIGHT, SIGHT, TIGHT or FIGHT. Guessing them one by one can lose the game. Instead, guess a word that tests several of the first letters at once, such as FILMS or STORM.
Remember repeats
Letters can appear twice, as in SPOON or LEVEL. If you are stuck with few letters left, try a repeat.
Play today's word, the same for everyone, or as many random rounds as you like, in Word Guess. For a game with more guesses, try Hangman.