this post was submitted on 10 Jan 2024
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Wordle

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So whenever I play Wordle, I start with 3 words that cover a huge amount of letters in the alphabet. I use SPARE, LIGHT, MOUND every time unless I can easily guess the answer earlier.

It feels like I'm cheating, so I was wondering what others think.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I used to do that, until I started playing hardcore (you have to use letters revealed), but I still start with DUSTY every time and then CLIMB if there are no matches, and KNAVE if there are still none.

Generally, I find the word faster than if I had started with all three.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Why those three? I've never seen them recommended, but I'm curious if there's a best three. I've used CRANE and SLIPT, but it didn't have a suggested third word with it and I've used DOUGH more often than not.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

They just feel right, I do think that using recommended first words is kinda cheating. DUSTY is a blend of common consonants and uncommon vowels, which works well for me personally. CLIMB hits a bunch of less common consonants. Usually by then I have at least a few hits, so I rarely get to KNAVE, but it gets the common vowels and trickier consonants. I haven't exactly done analysis on them, but it rarely takes more than 3-4 attempts.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

CRANE SPLIT is really good! According to my research, DOUGH is indeed your best follow-up if you aren't shooting for 3.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Hot jam! It's encouraging to hear I did something right.

[–] Robsadaisy 7 points 5 months ago

Nah, I start with Audio

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

It's not cheating so much as using a strat to play the game optimally.

Think of it like the difference between playing a game casually and speedrunning a game. When you play casually you just do whatever, fuck around and if you make it to the end in a somewhat proper way great, if you don't that's good as well. When you are speedrunning a game you learn all the strats and execute them for optimal gameplay with the goal to complete the game as fast as possible within a certain ruleset.

It totally depends on what you want to do, do you want to fuck around and just have some fun? Or do you want to get to the end as fast as possible? Neither is wrong and I wouldn't consider speedrunning cheating, it's just a different way to enjoy the same game.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

I just start with ADIEU to maximize vowel discovery and go from there.

[–] breadsmasher 5 points 5 months ago (2 children)

I don’t think its cheating. People have their own favourite starting word. I’ve always used CRANE

[–] jimerson 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I use TRACE, and the day I get it in 1/6 is the day I retire from Wordl.

[–] robolemmy 3 points 5 months ago

I used to start with STALE then I got 1/6 and now I start with LEAST.

[–] SlapnutsGT 1 points 5 months ago

Hell yeah. Fellow CRANE user here

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

Play hard mode instead. I consider anything less to be cheating for myself.

[–] OmenAtom 3 points 5 months ago

If it feels like cheating its probably because youre making things too easy on yourself. Try hard mode

[–] GenePull 3 points 5 months ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

AUDIO, STERN, and LYMPH for me.

[–] Protoknuckles 2 points 5 months ago

I go QUERY, BASIL, CHOMP myself, lol

[–] calamitycastle 2 points 5 months ago

For the Quordle I do CRATE POUND SILKY unless I feel a 6 coming sooner, in which case I'll start guessing.

For Wordle I only ever deviate from guesses that don't use previous info if im risking wiping out. Otherwise my guesses are valid and I usually get it in 4 or 3. There were some real sneaky ones over the holidays though

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

I always start with PENIS and go from there. Sometimes I follow up with ALOUD, or I try something more specific if PENIS revealed a lot of letters.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

A three word set with no C or Y? That's not cheating, that's just handicapping yourself. You'll never get the Wordle in 3 unless it happens to be one of your starting words.

Try starting with SHALE and PRINT and try to solve it in 3. If you really need another hint after that, follow up with GUMBO or COMFY.

The only time I use multi-word starts are in races or in multi-Wordle puzzles like Quordle. For those, I start with COMET, FLASH, BRINK, PUDGY because I can type them fast.

[–] Euphorazine 2 points 5 months ago

I usually try CRANE and PIOUS as my starting words. Id say that if you aren't consistently hitting the word in 4, then you definitely aren't cheating and might instead be handicapping yourself.

I'm still at a 5 on average but haven't really thought about how to adjust my strat too much.

[–] Okokimup 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I start with RATES and usually get it in 3-4 tries.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

I compared all 15,920 words in my wordbase used as winning words with the same words used as starting words, and RATES is good. It ranked 6th in one of the modes.

RATES - the averages for all games: 🟩 12.55% + 🟨 23.35% = 35.90%

The first place went to:

TARES - 🟩 13.89% + 🟨 22.02% = 35.90%

And max green to:
SANES -🟩14.55% + 🟨15.95% = 30.49%

https://deykun.github.io/diffle-lang/en?p=about-language

[–] ___spannungsbogen 1 points 5 months ago

It's URINE, BOAST and GLYPH for me. I consider it a technique.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Aired and either Quote or Quota. Hits all of the vowels and a few common consonants.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

It's not cheating but probably not that fun or challenging. We always pick a topical word or one suggested by our toddler.

[–] Prismo 1 points 5 months ago

It's just being smart about your word choices. I start off with two words that cover the 10 most common letters: ANODE, SHIRT. Don't think I have the perfect third word yet, but I'm currently using FLUMP and sometimes CLUMP