Today's NYT Wordle lands with puzzle #1676, and this Tuesday challenge serves up a verb with a double consonant that could trap players who overlook common letter patterns. 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 #1676 awaits.
The Letter Rundown
Today's puzzle breaks down like this:
Vowel Count: 1 vowel(s)
Consonant Count: 4 consonant(s)
Repeated Letters: Yes - the letter L 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 about reputation damage or purity lost.
Level 2 (The Category): This word is a verb. It's something you might do to a reputation or a clean surface.
Level 3 (The Boundaries): Starts with S, ends with Y.
Level 4 (The Structure): Contains a double consonant in the middle (LL), with the only vowel in position 2.
Level 5 (The Giveaway): To tarnish or stain something's purity or reputation.
Quick-Reference Clues
First Letter: S
Last Letter: Y
Vowels Present: U
Double Letters: YES
Rhymes With: DULLY, FULLY, GULLY
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 #1676 is: SULLY
Word DNA: Breaking Down Today's Answer
SULLY verb. To tarnish, stain, or make dirty; to damage or spoil the purity or integrity of something.
Origins: From Middle English "sulien," from Old French "souillier," meaning to soil or make dirty.
Word Family: sullied, sullying, sullies
Fun Fact: "Sully" is also a common nickname for Sullivan, and was famously the name of Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who successfully landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009.
The Streak Saver Rating
Difficulty: 3 / 5
Trap Factor: MEDIUM. The double L in positions 3-4 combined with only one vowel (U) creates a pattern that many standard openers miss.
Average Solve: 3.8 guesses (estimate based on difficulty)
This puzzle earns a moderate difficulty rating due to its deceptive simplicity. While all letters are common, the double-L pattern in the middle positions (3-4) combined with only one vowel creates a specific structure that many popular starting words don't test effectively. Players who use vowel-heavy openers might struggle to pinpoint the single U, while those who test double letters early will have a significant advantage.
What This Puzzle Teaches
This puzzle reinforces the importance of testing double letters early - many players overlook repeated consonants in positions 3-4, focusing instead on more obvious patterns like double letters at the start or end of words.
The single vowel (U) in position 2 demonstrates how vowel-heavy openers can still miss when the word has minimal vowel diversity. A balanced approach that tests both common consonants and vowel positions is key for consistent performance.
Tomorrow's Reset
Puzzle #1677 drops at midnight in your timezone. Did today's SULLY 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.
