Can Wordle Repeat Letters? A Guide to the Game

By now, you’ve likely heard of the game Wordle. Either you’ve played it, or you know somebody who has played it. Have you experienced frustration with getting the answer correct? Sometimes it feels like the game throws you a curveball by including a word with repeated letters. Here’s a guide to the game that will help you guess the correct word and impress your friends.

What Is Wordle?

Wordle is a word game that dates back to 2013. A software engineer named Josh Wardle created a game prototype and set it aside until the pandemic. Wardle created the game Wordle as we know it for his partner and made it available to the public in October 2021. The game is reminiscent of the game show Lingo, which ran on the Game Show Network (GSN) in the early to mid-2000s. In early 2022, the New York Times purchased the game from Wardle.

Every day, Wordle picks a new five-letter word as the answer. You have up to six tries to guess the word. After every attempt, you’ll see a color assigned to every letter. These colors include:

• Gray: A letter in gray means it’s not in the word.
• Yellow: A yellow letter means it’s in the word but not in the right place.
• Green: A green letter is what you want to see. This color indicates the letter is in the right spot.

What Determines the Daily Word?

The word of the day comes from a database containing about 2,315 words. The original word bank had all 13,000 five-letter words in the dictionary, but Wardle decided to reduce the number of words to make the game easier for users. Sometimes, the New York Times removes words possibly deemed as sensitive to the public.

In January 2022, after the New York Times purchased Wordle, some people suspected the Gray Lady made the game more challenging with difficult words. However, that notion seems to be untrue.  Another important note is the words come from the American-English dictionary, which has led to some confusion. For example, on February 9, 2022, the solution was “humor,” which angered some people outside of the United States who use the spelling “humour.” 

Can Wordle Repeat Letters?

Yes, Wordle can repeat letters and does it often. With only six guesses, some users want to maximize each attempt by narrowing down the letters as much as possible. This strategy works most of the time, but there are days when the daily word contains two or even three of the same letter. Some of these instances include:

• Wordle 403: On July 27, 2022, the word of the day was “motto,” utilizing two double letters.
• Wordle 392: On July 16, 2022, the daily word was “roomy,” which used a repeating vowel in consecutive letters.
• Wordle 382: On July 6, 2022, the Wordle was “fluff,” creating a rare instance of a letter occurring three times in the same word.

What Are Good Wordle Strategies?

Some people find Wordle easy and can consistently get the answer in two or three attempts. Others may have difficulty getting the word in six shots. Maybe you sit there staring at the Wordle boxes on your phone screen, leading to an increase in your screen time. Here are some strategies to consider using next time you want to play:

• Use vowels quickly: A popular tactic is to start with a word using two or three vowels. Getting rid of all the vowels in the first two attempts can give you a better direction on the solution. For example, you could use “canoe” for the first word and “guild” for the second word. 
  
• Watch Wheel of Fortune: Merv Griffin’s word puzzle game has been on the air since 1975, and watching the show can come in handy for Wordle. On “Wheel of Fortune,” the bonus puzzle letters are “R,” “S,” “T,” “L,” “N” and “E.” Starting with words like “stern” or “tears” could be beneficial. 
  
• Remember double letters: Suppose you get through the first two attempts using all the vowels, and only one of them worked. There’s a chance that the vowel will appear again, so try out different options. Some examples include “award,” “event” and “livid.”

Getting the Wordle Every Day

Can Wordle repeat letters? Everybody’s wondering — and now you know!

Wordle is a fun game that has taken over social media since 2021. Users love to post their scores on social media, whether they got the answer correct on the first or sixth try. Sometimes you may have a post of shame if the daily word escaped you that day. If you struggle to consistently get the word, use these strategies to narrow down the answer.