The best starting words for Noodle Words
Your first guess in Noodle Words has one job: to find out as much as possible about the hidden word. A good opener can save you a whole guess.
What makes a good first word
- Common letters. E, A, R, O, T, L, I, S and N appear in a lot of five-letter words.
- Five different letters. Repeating a letter wastes a chance to test a new one.
- A mix of vowels and consonants. Two vowels and three common consonants is a sweet spot.
Five strong openers
- CRANE: a classic. Tests R, N and E, plus two useful consonants.
- SLATE: covers S, L, T, A and E, all very common.
- TRACE: similar to CRANE, with T instead of N.
- AROSE: three vowels at once, useful if you like to pin down vowels early.
- STORE: tests O, which many other openers skip.
Your second guess matters too
If your first word comes back mostly gray, don’t try to use its letters again. Pick a second word with five new letters, like POINT after SLATE, or MOIST after CRANE. Two good guesses usually leave only a handful of possible answers.
Remember: letters can repeat in the answer, like the two Es in SHEEP. If you’re stuck with one or two blanks, a repeated letter is often the answer.
Ready? Play today’s Noodle Words puzzle and share your score.
AdvertisementBanner
Noodle WordsThe daily five-letter word puzzle. Six tries, one word, share your score.
Play Noodle Words