Today's NYT Wordle lands with puzzle #1803, and this Thursday challenge brings a short, punchy word that could trip up players who don't think about the fairway. 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 #1803 awaits.
The Letter Rundown
Today's puzzle breaks down like this:
Vowel Count: 2 vowels (I, O)
Consonant Count: 3 consonants (D, V, T)
Repeated Letters: No
Letter Rarity: V is the wildcard, common enough in English but less frequent in Wordle answers
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 about what gets left behind after a perfect swing.
Level 2 (The Category): This word is a noun. It's something you'd find on a golf course, or after a clumsy step on the lawn.
Level 3 (The Boundaries): Starts with D, ends with T.
Level 4 (The Structure): The two vowels sit in positions 2 and 4, flanked by consonants on all sides.
Level 5 (The Giveaway): A small chunk of earth kicked up by a club or shoe.
Quick-Reference Clues
First Letter: D
Last Letter: T
Vowels Present: I, O
Double Letters: No
Rhymes With: PIVOT, VIVOT
Today's Wordle Answer
Final warning: The answer is directly below. Scroll only if you're ready.
---
---
---
---
---
The answer to Wordle #1803 is: DIVOT
Word DNA: Breaking Down Today's Answer
DIVOT is a noun. It refers to a small piece of turf torn up by a golf club, sports cleat, or any sharp impact on grass.
Origins: The word dates back to 16th-century Scotland, though its exact origin is uncertain. It likely emerged from Scots dialect and has been firmly embedded in golf terminology since the sport's early days.
Word Family: divoted, divoting, divots
Fun Fact: DIVOT is one of the rarer Wordle answers, it's appeared in fewer than 0.5% of all puzzles. The V in position 3 is also an uncommon pattern that can stall solvers who lean on standard openers like CRANE or SLATE.
The Streak Saver Rating
Difficulty: 3 / 5
Trap Factor: MEDIUM. The uncommon V in the middle and the golf-specific vocabulary make this a puzzle that punishes vowel-heavy guessing strategies.
Average Solve: 3.7 guesses (estimate based on difficulty)
DIVOT sits in the middle of the difficulty scale. The letters aren't obscure, but the word itself is niche enough that many players will burn an extra guess or two working through alternatives like DITTO, DROPT, or DRAFT before landing on the answer. The V is the key differentiator, once you place it, the rest falls into place quickly.
What This Puzzle Teaches
This puzzle rewards consonant diversity in your openers. Words like STORM, CRWTH, or BRISK that test uncommon consonants (V, W, Z, X) give you a massive edge on days like this. If your first two guesses only hit vowels and common letters like R, S, T, you'll waste time circling the answer.
DIVOT also demonstrates that Wordle occasionally pulls from niche vocabulary. Golf terms (PUTT, EAGLE, PAR, TEE) and sports jargon in general appear often enough that keeping them in your mental dictionary pays off. Don't be afraid to think about specific domains when standard words aren't working.
Tomorrow's Reset
Puzzle #1804 drops at midnight in your timezone. Did today's DIVOT 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.
