Today's NYT Wordle lands with puzzle #1712, and this Wednesday challenge serves up a straightforward five-letter word with common letters but a deceptive simplicity that could trip up overthinkers. 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 #1712 awaits.
The Letter Rundown
Today's puzzle breaks down like this:
Vowel Count: 1 vowel(s)
Consonant Count: 4 consonant(s)
Repeated Letters: No
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 destruction, reduction, or preparation.
Level 2 (The Category): This word can be a noun or verb. It's something you might do to documents or vegetables.
Level 3 (The Boundaries): Starts with S, ends with D.
Level 4 (The Structure): Contains only one vowel, which is in the fourth position.
Level 5 (The Giveaway): To tear or cut into small, narrow pieces.
Quick-Reference Clues
First Letter: S
Last Letter: D
Vowels Present: E
Double Letters: NO
Rhymes With: BREAD, THREAD, DREAD
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 #1712 is: SHRED
Word DNA: Breaking Down Today's Answer
SHRED noun/verb. A small, thin piece torn or cut off something; to tear or cut into small pieces.
Origins: From Old English "screadian" meaning to cut, shred; related to German "schroten" meaning to crush.
Word Family: shredder, shredded, shredding, shreds
Fun Fact: "Shred" is a common term in both cooking (shredded cheese) and extreme sports (shredding the slopes), making it a versatile word with modern applications.
The Streak Saver Rating
Difficulty: 2 / 5
Trap Factor: LOW. All common letters, no double letters, straightforward pattern
Average Solve: 3.8 guesses (estimate based on difficulty)
This puzzle's simplicity is its strength and potential weakness. With all common letters and no tricky patterns, experienced solvers should nail it quickly. However, the single vowel in position 4 might throw off players who expect more vowel-heavy words. The consonant cluster "SHR" at the beginning is distinctive but not uncommon.
What This Puzzle Teaches
This puzzle reinforces the value of eliminating common consonants early - S, H, R, and D are all high-frequency letters that appear in many Wordle solutions. Starting words containing these consonants will provide excellent elimination data.
The single vowel pattern (E in position 4) demonstrates how vowel positioning can be more important than vowel count. Many players focus on finding all vowels first, but this word shows that identifying vowel placement can be equally crucial for narrowing possibilities.
Tomorrow's Reset
Puzzle #1713 drops at midnight in your timezone. Did today's SHRED 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.
