Wordle has taken the world by storm as a fun and challenging word puzzle game. In Wordle, your goal is to guess a hidden five-letter word within six attempts. It’s a game that combines word knowledge, deduction, and strategy. If you’re looking to improve your Wordle skills and increase your chances of winning, read on for some valuable tips and strategies.

While preparing for my STEM examinations, I studied psychology (no, psychology isn’t a STEM major, but I prepared for it because that indirectly helped me in STEM), which helped me a lot in this game. So, small tips and tricks work, and here are a few from my experience.

1. Start with a Vowel

When you first start a game of Wordle, it’s a good idea to begin with a vowel. Why? Vowels are common in many English words, and by starting with a vowel, you have a higher chance of revealing some letters in the target word. Common starting vowels to consider are “A,” “E,” or “O.” This initial guess sets the stage for the rest of your game.

2. Pay Attention to Patterns

After your first guess, Wordle will provide feedback by highlighting letters in one of three colors: yellow for correct letters in the wrong position, green for correct letters in the right position, and gray for letters that are not in the target word at all. Pay close attention to these patterns. For example, if you guess “A” and it appears in green, you know that “A” is in the target word and in the correct position. Use this information to make more informed guesses.

3. Use Common Letter Combinations

English words often contain common letter combinations like “TH,” “CH,” “SH,” and “QU.” Keep these in mind when making guesses, as they can help you quickly narrow down the possibilities. If you guess a letter combination like “ST” and it’s in the target word, you’ve made significant progress toward solving Wordle.

4. Eliminate Letters

As you make guesses and receive feedback, take note of which letters are not in the target word. Eliminate these letters from your mental list of possibilities. This process of elimination will help you focus on the remaining letters and increase your chances of finding the correct word.

5. Balance Risk and Reward

Each guess in Wordle is an opportunity to gather more information about the target word. Balance risk and reward by considering how confident you are about certain letters and their positions. If you’re sure about a letter in a specific spot, include it in your guess. If you’re less certain, consider using a guess that can help you eliminate more letters.

6. Use Word Associations

Think about words that are associated with the clues you receive. For example, if you know the first letter is “S” and the second letter is “T,” consider words like “STAMP,” “STICK,” or “STORM.” This can help you brainstorm words that fit the pattern and move closer to the solution.

7. Experiment with Word Lengths

If you’re stuck, don’t be afraid to experiment with word lengths. While the target word is five letters long, you can try longer or shorter words to gain insights into the hidden word. For example, if you’ve correctly guessed “T” and “O” as the second and third letters, you might try “TOOTH” or “TONGS” to see if they help you narrow down the word.

8. Keep Track of Previous Guesses

Maintain a record of your previous guesses and the feedback you received. This record will help you avoid repeating the same mistakes and make more efficient guesses. It also enables you to see how the feedback you receive can be applied to future guesses.

9. Learn from Past Games

The more you play Wordle, the more familiar you’ll become with common word patterns and letter combinations. Use your past games as a learning experience. Recognize which letters are often part of the target words and which words tend to be more challenging. Learning from your previous games will improve your Wordle skills over time.

10. Be Mindful of Word Variations

Wordle is flexible when it comes to word variations. It accepts common plural forms, verb conjugations, and variations of words. For example, if you guess “CAT” and it’s correct, you may not need to guess “CATS” separately. Keep this in mind as it can save you valuable guesses.

Apart from the above tips, try using some tools such as the Wordle Solver Tool.

In conclusion, winning at Wordle is not just about having an extensive vocabulary; it’s about employing smart strategies and paying attention to patterns and feedback. With practice and careful thinking, you can become a Wordle master and increase your chances of guessing the hidden word correctly within six attempts. So, start a game, apply these tips, and enjoy the satisfying feeling of victory in Wordle!