Since Wordle first took over the internet in early January, a few different strategies to win the game have emerged online. Some players prefer a luck-based strategy: they pick a random word each morning, or they have a single word they play every day, even if it’s not particularly valuable strategically. Others are more concerned with their win streaks. For these players, making sure they get as much information as possible in their first one or two guesses is key. If you’re part of this competitive pantheon, here are a few suggestions of the best starting guesses in 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-letter Wordles (or Lingles!). Following these strategies should help you maximize your information about what letters might be included in your word.
Best First Guesses for 4-Letter Wordles
- READ & COIN
This combo is a great way to knock out most of your vowels, as well as a few common consonants. Guesses for 4-letter Wordles can be difficult because you get so little information with each guess. Sometimes, it’s even best to use your first three guesses for information-gathering purposes, rather than trying to start to guess the correct answer. But regardless of what you do on the third move, these two guesses will set your game up well.
- BOIL & TEAR
Again, these words get four vowels and four common consonants – in fact, some of the most common consonants in all of English. This should definitely give you some information about what’s on the board.
- ALOE & FISH
These two words evoke a sunny, beachside vacation – and they can also do a lot to move you forward during your next 4-letter Lingle game.
Best First Guesses for 5-Letter Wordles
- PLANT & GUIDE
In 5-letter Lingles, it’s not quite as essential to make sure every single letter is accounted for up-front, but it’s still important to do some real data gathering. This pair of words knock out four out of five vowels as well as several common consonants. If you don’t get at least a couple of yellow tiles here, you might not be playing Wordle in English.
- SMART & PRIDE
This combo of words is aspirational as well as useful. Yes, you are smart! Yes, you are proud! And yes, you have managed to test out three out of five vowels as well as multiple very common consonants.
- OUIJA & ENTRY
If you’re the type of player who likes to get the lay of the vowel land up front, this word combo is for you. It tests out every single vowel, as well as the sneaky Y. There are also a few solid consonants in here, too, including three of the top four most common consonants in English.
Best First Guesses for 6-Letter Wordles
- ICEMAN & BORSHT
Playing 6-letter Lingle definitely ups the pressure from 5-letter Lingle. Some players find these longer games easier because you can get so much information in just two guesses. However, there’s added difficulty just in thinking of 6-letter words to guess. Plus, the longer a word is, the more likely it is to contain sneaky repeat letters. Still, you can set yourself up for success with two good first guesses. And in this case, you get almost every vowel and all four of the most common consonants in your first two tries.
- CARBON & DUTIES
An industrial combination of words, this pairing can do a lot to move you forward in your game. In addition to including every vowel, this combo is filled with frequently used consonants.
- CREDIT & MANGOS
You want credit for your good game, and you like mangos? Okay, these two words make a little less sense together outside of Lingle, but within the game, they’re a powerful duo. Four out of the five vowels are included in these words, and – let’s say it together – lots of good consonants, too.
Best First Guesses for 7-Letter Wordles
- EULOGIA & CRYPTOS
If 6-letter Lingles up the game from 5-letter games, then 7-letter Wordles up the pressure even more. Eulogia is a great starting word, with or without “cryptos,” because “eulogia” alone contains all English vowels. Throw in cryptos, with its Y and its common consonants, and you should be in a good position moving forward.
- ICEBOAT & GRUMPHY
Like our first suggestion, this combo gets at all of the vowels in English, as well as the bonus Y. And there are plenty of good consonants jammed in these words as well.
- AUCTION & FRESHLY
Perhaps my favorite of the 7-letter combos, this combo contains an optimal combination of consonants, including all of the four most common consonants in English as well as a few more that are also likely to pop up in your words. Just make sure to remember moving forward that duplicate letters are likely to pop up somewhere in your 7-letter word! You wouldn’t want to waste your good start by making random guesses with strange letters like X and Z.
Check Out Our Other Resources!
If you’re a Wordle fan, you should definitely check out some of our other Wordle resources. If you’re a Wordle expert looking for a bigger challenge, check out our Lingles, which offer all the fun of Wordle in unlimited packaging. We even have Lingles of different lengths, from 4- to 7-letters each. Or check out our Wordle Solver, which can help you when you’re stuck on a hard game.
