If you just discovered Wordle and feel lost, this guide is for you. We explain the rules in plain language, show you what every color means, and share simple strategies that actually work. By the end, you will solve your daily puzzle with confidence.
What is Wordle?
Wordle is a daily word puzzle game where you guess a secret five-letter word in six attempts. It was created by Josh Wardle in 2021, and The New York Times bought it in 2022. Everyone around the world gets the same puzzle each day, and it is free to play on the NYT Games website.
The game became a worldwide hit because it is simple, quick, and social. After you finish, you can share your result as a grid of colored squares without spoiling the answer for others. Your daily streak counts how many days in a row you have solved the puzzle, which keeps players coming back.
How do you play Wordle?
You play Wordle by typing any valid five-letter word and pressing Enter, then using the color clues to guide your next guess. You have six attempts to find the secret word. Start with a word that has common letters, watch which letters turn green or yellow, and use that information to narrow down the answer.
Step-by-Step: Your First Wordle Game
- Open the game on the NYT Games website in your browser.
- Type any five-letter word (for example, SLATE) and press Enter.
- Look at the colors. Green means right letter, right spot. Yellow means right letter, wrong spot. Gray means the letter is not in the word.
- Type a second word using what you learned. Avoid gray letters and move yellow letters to new positions.
- Keep guessing, using the clues from each row to get closer.
- Solve it within six tries to win. If you run out of guesses, the game shows you the answer.
- Share your result with the share button and come back tomorrow for a new daily puzzle.
Where can I play Wordle?
You can play Wordle for free on the official New York Times Games website at nytimes.com/games/wordle. There is no official Wordle mobile app, so be careful with copycat apps in app stores. You can play in any web browser on your phone, tablet, or computer, and your stats are saved in your browser.
Because there is only one puzzle per day, many beginners also use practice games to train. Our free Wordle practice game lets you play unlimited rounds so you can build your skills faster without waiting for tomorrow.
What do the green, yellow, and gray colors mean in Wordle?
In Wordle, green means the letter is correct and in the right position, yellow means the letter is in the word but in the wrong position, and gray means the letter is not in the word at all. These color clues appear after every guess, so always check the colors carefully before typing your next word.
Think of it like a traffic light for letters. Green says "stay here," yellow says "close, but move me," and gray says "forget this letter." If you are color-blind, turn on the high-contrast color-blind mode in settings, which swaps green for orange and yellow for blue.
Why did my letter turn yellow in Wordle?
Your letter turned yellow in Wordle because that letter is in the secret word, but you placed it in the wrong position. Try the same letter in a different spot in your next guess. A yellow letter is good news: it confirms the letter exists, so keep it in mind while you test new positions.
One thing beginners miss: a yellow letter tells you where the letter is NOT, which is just as useful. Cross off that position in your mind and try the letter somewhere else. Never leave a yellow letter sitting in the same spot twice.
How many guesses do you get in Wordle?
You get six guesses in Wordle to find the five-letter word of the day. If you solve it within six attempts, you win and your streak continues. If you run out of guesses, the game reveals the answer and your streak resets to zero, but you can try again with a new puzzle tomorrow.
Six tries is more generous than it sounds. Most beginners solve the puzzle in four or five guesses once they stop repeating gray letters and start using the color clues properly. Even losing is useful, because every game teaches you new letter patterns.
What is the best first word for Wordle beginners?
The best first word for Wordle beginners is one with common vowels and consonants, such as SLATE, CRANE, or RAISE. These words test the letters A and E plus frequent consonants like S, T, R, and L, giving you the most information. Avoid repeating letters in your opener, because five unique letters teach you more than four.
Want the full science behind openers? Read our guide to the best Wordle starting words, where we ranked openers using real data from 15,921 five-letter words. Once you pick a favorite starter, use it every day so you learn its patterns by heart.
10 Simple Wordle Tips for Beginners
- Pick one strong opener and stick with it. SLATE, CRANE, or RAISE are all excellent. Using the same first word every day builds pattern recognition.
- Never reuse a gray letter. If a letter turned gray, it is not in the word. Typing it again wastes a precious guess.
- Move yellow letters to new positions. A yellow letter is confirmed, so test it somewhere else instead of leaving it where it was.
- Lock green letters in place. Once a letter is green, keep it exactly where it is in every later guess.
- Use guess two for discovery, not for solving. Your second word should test fresh letters, even if you already have a green. Information now means an easier win later.
- Think in common pairs. Letter pairs like TH, CH, SH, ST, and ER appear in countless five-letter words. If you know T and H, try them together.
- Watch out for double letters. Words like SHEEP, LEVEL, and APPLE have repeated letters. If your sensible guesses keep failing, test a double.
- Do not rush. There is no timer in Wordle. Take a minute to think through the clues before each guess.
- Remember Y can act like a vowel. Words like HAPPY, IVORY, and LYMPH use Y as a vowel sound. Do not forget it when vowels run dry.
- Play every day. Daily play trains your brain to spot patterns faster. Your streak is the best motivator to keep practicing.
5 Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
- Repeating gray letters. The single most common beginner error. If the game told you a letter is out, believe it and move on.
- Trying to solve too early. Many beginners guess the answer on row two or three instead of gathering information. Use early guesses to eliminate letters first.
- Forgetting letters can repeat. New players assume every letter appears once. When four letters look right but the word fails, a double letter is often the reason.
- Ignoring yellow letters. Some beginners leave a yellow letter in the same position, which teaches them nothing. Always move yellows somewhere new.
- Guessing obscure words. The answer is always a common everyday word. Do not waste guesses on strange words when simple patterns are still open.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wordle free to play?
Yes, Wordle is completely free to play on the New York Times Games website. You do not need a subscription or an account to play the daily puzzle. The NYT does offer a paid Games subscription with extra puzzles and an archive, but the classic one-puzzle-a-day Wordle costs nothing.
What happens if I don't solve Wordle in six tries?
If you run out of guesses, the game shows you the correct answer and your streak resets to zero. Your overall statistics, like games played and win percentage, stay saved in your browser. A new puzzle arrives the next day, so you can start a fresh streak right away.
What is hard mode in Wordle?
Hard mode is an optional setting that forces you to reuse every revealed hint in your next guesses. Any green letter must stay in the same spot, and any yellow letter must be used somewhere in your next word. It makes the game trickier, and you can turn it on in the settings menu before you start playing.
Can I play old Wordle puzzles?
The free daily game only offers one new puzzle per day, and you cannot replay past puzzles without a subscription. NYT Games subscribers get access to the official Wordle archive with hundreds of previous puzzles. If you want unlimited free practice, you can also try our Wordle practice game on this site.
Does Wordle have a color-blind mode?
Yes, Wordle has a high-contrast color-blind mode in its settings. It changes the green tiles to orange and the yellow tiles to blue, which are easier to tell apart for many color-blind players. You can switch it on or off at any time, and it does not change the rules of the game.
How do I share my Wordle result?
After you finish a puzzle, click the share button to copy a grid of colored square emojis that shows your guesses without revealing the answer. You can paste it into any message or social media post. Sharing is a big part of Wordle's fun, because friends can compare scores without spoiling the word.
Ready to put these tips into practice? Stuck on today's puzzle? Try our free Wordle solver — enter your green, yellow, and gray letters and get every possible answer instantly. Or warm up with unlimited rounds in our Wordle practice game or search pattern matches on the 5-letter word finder tool. No signup needed — just play and win.