Today's NYT Wordle lands with puzzle #1839, and this Thursday challenge brings an uncommon opening letter that could trip up even seasoned players. 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 #1839 awaits.
The Letter Rundown
Today's puzzle breaks down like this:
Vowel Count: 2 vowel(s)
Consonant Count: 3 consonant(s)
Repeated Letters: No
Letter Rarity: Contains uncommon starting letter M and a rare V
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 someone who knows more than everyone else in the room.
Level 2 (The Category): This word is a noun. It describes a person with deep expertise in a specific field.
Level 3 (The Boundaries): Starts with M, ends with N.
Level 4 (The Structure): The vowels sit in positions 2 and 4. No double letters.
Level 5 (The Giveaway): A trusted expert or connoisseur whose opinion carries weight.
Quick-Reference Clues
First Letter: M
Last Letter: N
Vowels Present: A, E
Double Letters: No
Rhymes With: RAVEN, CAVEN, GAVEN
Today's Wordle Answer
Final warning: The answer is directly below. Scroll only if you're ready.
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The answer to Wordle #1839 is: MAVEN
Word DNA: Breaking Down Today's Answer
MAVEN noun. A person with special knowledge or experience who is regarded as an expert or connoisseur.
Origins: Entered English through Yiddish "meyvn," tracing back to Hebrew "mevin" (מֵבִין), meaning "one who understands." The word gained mainstream traction in American English during the mid-20th century.
Word Family: mavens, mavenish
Fun Fact: MAVEN appears in only about 0.03% of Wordle answers, making it a rare bird. The V in position 2 is one of the least common letter placements in the Wordle dictionary, appearing in fewer than 2% of all solutions.
The Streak Saver Rating
Difficulty: 3 / 5
Trap Factor: MEDIUM. The M start is manageable, but V at position 2 is a curveball for players who lean on common consonants like R, T, or S.
Average Solve: 3.8 guesses (estimate based on difficulty)
MAVEN sits in the moderate difficulty zone. Standard openers like CRANE or SLATE will hit the A, E, and N, giving you a solid foundation. But that V is the wildcard. Most common Wordle words run through R, T, S, L, and N. Dropping a V early can stall your progress if you haven't narrowed the vowel positions. The good news: no double letters and no obscure consonants beyond V, so a disciplined elimination strategy pays off quickly.
What This Puzzle Teaches
MAVEN reinforces why vowel hunting matters first. Getting A and E locked in positions 2 and 4 early collapses the possibilities fast. If you guessed STARE and got gray on S, T, and R but yellow on A and E, you've already mapped nearly half the word.
The V trap is real, and avoidable. Don't waste early guesses guessing random consonants. Use your third and fourth moves to test uncommon letters like V, K, J, or Z only after you've confirmed the vowels. MAVEN punishes players who rush to fill letters before confirming structure.
Tomorrow's Reset
Puzzle #1840 drops at midnight in your timezone. Did today's MAVEN 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.
