Strategy Guide

Best Wordle Starting Words

The top 5 opening guesses ranked by letter frequency — backed by data, not guesswork.

How are these ranked? A great starting word covers as many common letters as possible, with no repeated letters, spread across different positions. We analysed the frequency of every letter across the full Wordle answer list and scored each word accordingly. The higher the score, the more information your first guess is statistically likely to reveal.
1
CRANE
Covers C, R, A, N, E — five of the most common Wordle letters
The consensus favourite among Wordle enthusiasts and data analysts alike. CRANE hits A and E (the two most common vowels), plus R, N and C which appear frequently across the answer list. No repeated letters means maximum information from a single guess.
C
R
A
N
E
2
SLATE
Covers S, L, A, T, E — high-frequency letters in strong positions
SLATE is particularly strong because S appears at the start (a very common position for S in Wordle answers) and T and L are both high-frequency consonants. The A and E give you the two most common vowels in one go.
S
L
A
T
E
3
TRACE
Covers T, R, A, C, E — overlaps with CRANE but different letter positions
Very similar coverage to CRANE but with T instead of N. If you're a fan of CRANE, TRACE is a great alternative. The T in first position is especially useful as T is one of the most common opening consonants in Wordle answers.
T
R
A
C
E
4
STARE
Covers S, T, A, R, E — all extremely common Wordle letters
STARE is beloved for its naturalness — it feels like a real word (because it is) and covers five statistically excellent letters. S, T, A, R and E collectively appear in the majority of all Wordle answers. A very safe, consistent opener.
S
T
A
R
E
5
ADIEU
Covers A, D, I, E, U — hits four vowels in one guess
A different philosophy — ADIEU sacrifices consonant coverage to nail four vowels (A, I, E, U) plus D in a single guess. If the answer has an unusual vowel pattern, ADIEU reveals it immediately. Best used as part of a two-guess opening strategy.
A
D
I
E
U
Strategy Tips
🚫

Avoid repeated letters

A starting word like SPEED wastes a guess — testing E twice gives you no extra information. Every letter in your opener should be unique.

🔤

Cover common vowels first

A and E appear in over 70% of Wordle answers. Any good starting word should include at least one of them — ideally both.

📍

Position matters

S is most common in position 1. E is most common in position 5. A is strongest in position 2. A great opener places letters in their most likely positions.

🔁

Use a consistent opener

Research shows players who use the same starting word every day tend to solve Wordle in fewer guesses on average. Pick one and stick with it.

Two-Guess Opening Systems

Some advanced players use a fixed two-guess opener to cover 10 different letters before making any decisions. Here are the most popular pairings:

CRANE + STOMP

Together these cover C, R, A, N, E, S, T, O, M, P — ten of the most frequent English letters. After two guesses you'll typically have enough information to solve the puzzle in the remaining four attempts, even on Hard Mode.

ADIEU + STORY

ADIEU clears four vowels immediately. Follow it with STORY to cover S, T, O, R, Y — the most common consonants. This pair is especially powerful when you suspect the answer has an unusual vowel pattern.

SLATE + CRONY

Another strong pairing. SLATE covers S, L, A, T, E and CRONY adds C, R, O, N, Y. Together they test 10 distinct letters and leave you well-positioned for guesses 3 through 6.

Note on Hard Mode: Two-guess systems don't work in Wordle Hard Mode, which requires you to use revealed letters in every subsequent guess. On Hard Mode, stick to a single strong opener like CRANE or SLATE and react to each result.

Already made your first guess? Use our solver to find all remaining possible answers.

Open Wordle Helper →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the single best Wordle starting word?

By letter frequency analysis, CRANE is consistently ranked as the top starting word. It covers five high-frequency letters (C, R, A, N, E) with no repeats, giving you maximum information on your first guess. That said, SLATE and STARE are equally strong choices used by millions of players.

Should I use the same starting word every day?

Yes — consistency is a proven advantage. When you use the same opener daily, you build an instinct for which second guesses work best after each possible result. Many top Wordle players swear by a fixed opener for exactly this reason.

Is ADIEU a good Wordle start?

It depends on your strategy. ADIEU covers four vowels which can be powerful if the answer is vowel-heavy, but it leaves you with weak consonant information. It works best as part of a two-guess system — for example, ADIEU followed by STORY to cover common consonants.

What starting words should I avoid?

Avoid words with repeated letters (SPEED, LOOKS, HELLO), words with uncommon letters (JAZZY, QUEUE), and very short common words padded out (AAHED). Also avoid words you personally find hard to remember — consistency matters more than perfection.

Does the starting word matter in Hard Mode?

Even more so. In Hard Mode you must use revealed letters in every subsequent guess, so a bad opener that gives you unhelpful yellow letters can paint you into a corner. CRANE and SLATE are especially recommended for Hard Mode players.