Best Wordle Starting Words
Your first guess in Wordle is crucial. These statistically optimal starting words maximize letter coverage and give you the best chance of solving in fewer guesses. Based on analysis of 8,938 five-letter words.
Top 3 Recommended Starters
Most Common Letters in 5-Letter Words
The best starting words use letters that appear most frequently. Here are the top 10:
Top 20 Starting Words Ranked
Top pick by NYT's WordleBot. Covers C, R, A, N, E - all high-frequency letters.
Excellent vowel/consonant balance with S, L, A, T, E.
Similar to CRANE but swaps N for T - both top-5 consonants.
Another CRANE variant with T instead of N.
Anagram of CRATE/TRACE with same letter coverage.
Mathematically optimal by some analyses. Uses S, A, L, E, T.
Strong consonant coverage with R, S, T.
Covers common letters C, A, R, S, E.
Popular choice with S, O, A, R, E - 4 vowels.
Heavy vowel opener: A, I, E with R and S.
Similar to ARISE, very popular choice.
Mathematical favorite with R, O, A, T, E.
Three vowels (O, A, E) plus R and T.
Three vowels with essential R and T.
Vowel hunter: A, U, I, O - find 4 vowels immediately.
Classic vowel checker: A, E, I, U in one word.
Tests 4 vowels plus J for variety.
Balanced with C, N and three vowels.
Uses S, T, A, E plus O.
Classic choice with T, A, R, E, S - all common.
Best Two-Guess Combinations
Maximize your letter coverage with these powerful first + second guess combos:
C,R,A,N,E + S,T,O,M,P = 10 unique letters
S,L,A,T,E + C,R,O,N,Y = 10 unique letters
A,D,I,E,U + S,T,O,R,Y = 10 unique letters (all vowels covered)
S,A,L,E,T + C,O,R,G,I = 10 unique letters
Wordle Strategy Tips
Do:
- ✓Use words with common letters (E, A, R, O, T, L, I, S, N)
- ✓Avoid repeating letters in your opener
- ✓Mix vowels and consonants (2-3 vowels ideal)
- ✓Consider letter position frequency too
Avoid:
- ✗Starting with rare letters (Q, X, Z, J)
- ✗Words with double letters as opener
- ✗Random emotional choices
- ✗All-vowel or all-consonant words
Related Tools
The Science Behind the Best Wordle Starting Words
Choosing the best Wordle starting word is a matter of statistics and probability. The optimal first guess maximizes information gain by testing letters that appear most frequently across all possible answers.
Why CRANE, SLATE, and TRACE Top the List
These words share common traits: they use high-frequency letters (E, A, R, T, S, N, L, C) and avoid rare letters (Q, X, Z, J). They also have a good vowel-consonant balance with 2 vowels and 3 consonants.
Hard Mode vs Regular Mode
In Hard Mode, you must use confirmed letters in subsequent guesses. This makes your starting word even more important. Words like CRANE and SLATE work well in both modes because they test common letters in common positions.