Today's NYT Wordle lands with puzzle #1649, and this Wednesday challenge serves up a common noun with a double vowel that could trip up pattern recognition. Whether you're protecting a legendary streak or starting fresh, we've got the hints to guide you home.
The Basics (For New Players)
Wordle gives you six attempts to crack a five-letter word. After each guess, tiles change color: green means right letter, right spot; yellow signals right letter, wrong position; gray indicates the letter isn't in the word at all.
One puzzle per day, shared by millions worldwide. That's the beauty of it.
Created by Josh Wardle in 2021 and now part of The New York Times Games family, Wordle has become a daily ritual for word lovers everywhere. Today's puzzle #1649 awaits.
The Letter Rundown
Today's puzzle breaks down like this:
Vowel Count: 2 vowel(s)
Consonant Count: 3 consonant(s)
Repeated Letters: Yes - the letter O appears twice
Letter Rarity: All common letters
The Elimination Game (Progressive Hints)
We've designed these hints to reveal just enough at each level. Stop when you've got it figured out.
Level 1 (The Vibe): Think of winding and unwinding, storage and organization.
Level 2 (The Category): This word is a noun. It's something you might find in a sewing kit or computer printer.
Level 3 (The Boundaries): Starts with S, ends with L.
Level 4 (The Structure): Contains a double vowel in positions 3 and 4.
Level 5 (The Giveaway): A cylindrical object used for holding thread, wire, or magnetic tape.
Quick-Reference Clues
First Letter: S
Last Letter: L
Vowels Present: O
Double Letters: YES
Rhymes With: COOL, POOL, TOOL
Today's Wordle Answer
Final warning: The answer is directly below. Scroll only if you're ready.
The answer to Wordle #1649 is: SPOOL
Word DNA: Breaking Down Today's Answer
SPOOL noun. A cylindrical device on which thread, wire, film, or other flexible material is wound for storage or processing.
Origins: From Middle English "spole," tracing back to Old English "spōl," related to Old Norse "spóli" meaning spool or reel.
Word Family: spools, spooled, spooling, respool
Fun Fact: In computing, "spool" is an acronym for "Simultaneous Peripheral Operations On-Line," referring to print spooling where documents are queued for printing.
The Streak Saver Rating
Difficulty: 2 / 5
Trap Factor: MEDIUM. The double O might confuse players who don't consider repeated vowels.
Average Solve: 3.8 guesses (estimate based on difficulty)
SPOOL presents a straightforward challenge with common letters and a familiar pattern. The main difficulty comes from the double O, which can mislead players into thinking they've eliminated the vowel after one yellow hit.
Starting with S opens many possibilities, requiring efficient elimination strategy rather than brute force guessing.
What This Puzzle Teaches
Double letters in Wordle require special attention - when you see a yellow O, remember it might appear twice. This puzzle reinforces the importance of considering repeated letters, especially with common vowels.
The S-starting word demonstrates why elimination strategy matters: with so many S-words possible, smart vowel testing and consonant elimination become more valuable than random guessing.
Tomorrow's Reset
Puzzle #1650 drops at midnight in your timezone. Did today's SPOOL catch you off guard, or did you crack it in three?
Either way, every Wordle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at midnight for the next challenge.
