How to Play Wordle
New to Wordle? This guide explains the rules, what the tile colors mean, and how to get better — starting today.
The Basic Rules
- The puzzle is a 5-letter English word chosen by The New York Times.
- You have 6 attempts to guess the correct word.
- Each guess must be a valid 5-letter word — random letter strings are not accepted.
- After each guess, the tiles change colour to give you feedback (see below).
- A new puzzle appears every day at midnight in your local time zone.
- Everyone in the world gets the same word on the same day — so you can compare results with friends.
What the Tile Colors Mean
Correct Letter, Correct Position
The letter C is in the answer AND in position 1. Keep it there in your next guess.
Correct Letter, Wrong Position
The letter T is in the answer, but NOT in position 4. Move it to a different spot.
Letter Not in the Answer
The letter I is not in the answer at all. Eliminate it from future guesses.
Tips for Beginners
Start with a strong opener
Use a word with common letters like CRANE or SLATE. See our full list of the best starting words.
Cover vowels early
Most 5-letter words have 1–3 vowels. Identifying them in the first 2 guesses narrows the possibilities dramatically.
Eliminate gray letters
Don't guess words containing gray letters — they're confirmed absent. Use the on-screen keyboard as a guide.
Move yellow letters
If a letter shows yellow, it must appear in a different position. Test it in every other spot before giving up on it.
Lock in green letters
Keep green letters in the same position in every subsequent guess. They're confirmed correct.
Use our hints if stuck
That's what we're here for! Use the progressive hints above to get gentle clues before revealing the full answer.
Ready to try today's puzzle?
Get today's Wordle hints — reveal only as much as you need.
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