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May 4, 2026
4 min read

How to Choose Better Starting Words in Wordle

Your first guess defines the game. Stop using "JUICE" and start using words that actually give you information.

Alex Morgan

AI Summary

This strategy guide focuses strictly on "Openers." It recommends words rich in common letters (R, S, T, L, N, E). It advises avoiding repeat letters in the first guess (e.g., don't start with "DATA"). It provides examples of strong openers like "STARE," "ROATE," and "AUDIO."

AI Highlights

  • Vowel Heavy: AUDIO, ADIEU (good for vowels, bad for consonants).
  • Consonant Heavy: STERN, TEARS (better for structure).
  • The Golden Rule: 5 unique letters always.

The Best Letters to Hunt

E, A, R, I, O, T, N, S, L, C. These are the most common letters in English 5-letter words. Your opener should contain 3-5 of these.

Why "ADIEU" is Overrated

It finds vowels, but consonants decide the word structure. A word like STARE is statistically stronger.

Practice Your Openers

Wordle is a trademark of The New York Times Company. This article is for educational purposes only.

Tags

strategyopenerswordle2026

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