A game like Wordle may sound simple in theory, but your first few guesses can make all the difference in how the game goes. While the right starting word can reveal multiple letters at once, the wrong one can waste your precious guesses. Experienced players often choose words that contain some of the most commonly used combinations of vowels and consonants.
But if you’re here, chances are you’re fairly new to the game. Don’t worry, as we’ve rounded up the best Wordle starting words that reveal the most letters. Whether you want to test your vowels or simply get a strong head start, this guide will help you do exactly that. So, let’s begin.
What Makes a Good Wordle Starting Word?
Before we go into just giving you a list of the best Wordle starting words, let’s actually understand what makes a good, strong word in the first place. Our goal is to have a word that reveals as many useful letters as possible. This is because we only get six tries per game. If you mess that up, you have to wait 24 hours for a new puzzle. As such, picking the best starting word is key.
Some of the things to keep in mind when choosing a starting word are:
- Vowels: Of all the 26 letters in the English alphabet, vowels play a crucial role in most English words. As such, we must pick words that reveal the largest number of vowels at once.
- No Repeated Letters: While a word might contain the same letter twice or thrice, you should use a guess that is unique to increase the amount of information you gain from the first guess.
- Cover the Most Frequent Letters: Aim to test the most common letters that appear in Wordle solutions. These include E, A, R, O, T, L, I, S, N, and C, along with other useful vowels like U and common consonants like D, H, M, or P.
Handy Tip: If you’re already bored, then skip the legwork and check out our Today’s NYT Wordle Answer and Hints.
Best Starting Words for Wordle
Now that you know how to pick a word, here are some of the best Wordle starting words that will reveal the most letters.
- SLATE: This word remains one of the best starting Wordle words as it contains some of the most common Wordle letters. It contains two vowels and three frequently used consonants, which makes it effective at marking off a lot of the letters.
- CRANE: This is another well-balanced opening word that includes common consonants C, R, and N along with the vowels A and E. You will get a good idea of the letter placements, including the green and yellow letters.
- RAISE: This word is a strong choice for quickly identifying vowels, as it contains A, I, and E along with two frequently used consonants, R and S.
- IRATE: Another handy word that covers three vowels at once, along with common consonants R and T. We could call it a balanced guess for the player who wants to cover a good chunk of vowels and consonants.
- SOARE: Finally, there’s Soare. A word that covers very common letters S, O, A, R, and E, which appear frequently in Wordle answers.
- GUMPY: GUMPY helps test letters that many starting words miss. It brings in new letters that can quickly rule out a lot of guesses.
- POILS: This word helps test new letters like P while still covering useful vowels O and I. Along with consonants P, L, and S, it’s a good guess for checking a few more common letters early in the game.
Best Wordle Starting Words Without A or E
While a lot of Wordle players love to use words with vowels, there are times you want to find other vowels and consonants. For those times like that and more, here are the best Wordle starting words that don’t use A or E.
- CLOUD
- FLUSH
- WOUND
- NOISY
- SONIC
Best Wordle Starting Words With U
The letter U is much rarer in Wordle answers compared to vowels like A or E. This is exactly why we prefer testing it early. Doing so can quickly rule it out or confirm whether it’s part of the puzzle. The words below include the letter U along with several commonly used consonants. This will help you check off multiple letters from the start.
- UNTIL
- UPSET
- UNDER
- UNLIT
- UNZIP
Final Thoughts
Armed with these best starting words for Wordle, we are confident you will solve the puzzle in no time. If you still can’t figure it out, refer to our linked guide above for the answers. And once done, let us know about your experience in the comments below!
There isn’t one perfect word, but options like SLATE, CRANE, and RAISE are popular because they test common vowels and consonants.
A balanced word with both vowels and common consonants usually works best for revealing clues early. Try using words like IRATE and SOARE.
Yes. Some Wordle answers contain repeated letters, even though it’s better to avoid them in your first guess.
You get six guesses to find the correct five-letter word.
Yes. Starting with two or three vowels will help reveal the word’s structure quickly.
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