Test in the solver
Take one of these ranked words into the main solver and see how quickly the board narrows.
Best Wordle starting words ranked by entropy so your first guess reveals more and wastes fewer turns.
This best Wordle starting words page does not just list random openers. It highlights the starting words that reveal the most information early and explains why they work well on turn one.
| Rank | Best Wordle Starting Word | Entropy |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | SLATE | 5.83 bits |
| #2 | RAISE | 5.81 bits |
| #3 | IRATE | 5.77 bits |
| #4 | ARISE | 5.76 bits |
| #5 | AROSE | 5.75 bits |
| #6 | CRATE | 5.75 bits |
| #7 | STARE | 5.74 bits |
| #8 | TRACE | 5.74 bits |
| #9 | SNARE | 5.73 bits |
| #10 | LEAST | 5.73 bits |
| #11 | SANER | 5.71 bits |
| #12 | STALE | 5.71 bits |
| #13 | CRANE | 5.70 bits |
| #14 | LATER | 5.69 bits |
| #15 | LEANT | 5.66 bits |
The best Wordle starting words usually balance common letters, useful vowel coverage, and minimal duplication. That mix makes the second turn smarter because the board collapses faster.
After the opener, the best move depends on the actual clue colors. That is why this page should work together with the main solver instead of replacing it.
Take one of these ranked words into the main solver and see how quickly the board narrows.
Compare these openers against the live board and hint flow.
Browse pattern pages and word lists that pair well with stronger openings.
The ranking comes from the site's local solver logic. Each candidate is scored by expected information gain, then sorted so higher-entropy openers rise to the top.
No. These are strong opening defaults, not guaranteed solutions. Their value comes from revealing useful information on turn one.
You can, but rotating among several strong openers can help you avoid habit bias while still keeping the letter coverage efficient.