Today's NYT Wordle lands with puzzle #1948, and a familiar word puts your guessing discipline to the test. Whether you're protecting a streak or joining your first game, there's a useful lesson in keeping your options open.
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 #1948 awaits.
The Letter Rundown
Today's puzzle breaks down like this:
Vowel Count: 1 vowel(s)
Consonant Count: 4 consonant(s)
Repeated Letters: No repeats today
Letter Rarity: Mostly common letters, with K the least frequent of the set
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): Something unpleasant makes its presence hard to ignore.
Level 2 (The Category): A verb for giving off an offensive smell, also used as a noun.
Level 3 (The Boundaries): Starts with S, ends with K.
Level 4 (The Structure): All five letters are different, and the vowel sits in position 3.
Level 5 (The Giveaway): What forgotten garbage does when its odor fills the kitchen.
Quick-Reference Clues
First Letter: S
Last Letter: K
Vowels Present: I
Double Letters: No
Rhymes With: BLINK, DRINK, THINK
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 #1948 is: STINK
Word DNA: Breaking Down Today's Answer
STINK means to smell very unpleasant, as forgotten leftovers or muddy gym shoes can. As a noun, it can describe a foul odor or a fuss, as in raising a stink about an unfair charge.
Origins: The word comes from Old English stincan, meaning to give off a smell. Its earlier meaning could cover smells generally, before the unpleasant sense became established.
Word Family: stinks, stank, stunk, stinking, stinky
Fun Fact: STINK changes its vowel in the forms STANK and STUNK, much like SING, SANG, and SUNG. That familiar sound pattern makes it easy to recognize, but Wordle still demands evidence for the exact vowel.
The Streak Saver Rating
I'd rate this 3 out of 5 for difficulty, with consonant congestion as the trap factor. Four consonants surround a single central vowel, and the ST opening can leave several familiar endings competing for attention.
With STI established, STING, STINT, and STINK are tempting alternatives if earlier feedback still permits them. Compare their distinguishing letters before committing, and use a probe that tests multiple contenders when your remaining guesses and mode allow it.
What This Puzzle Teaches
A familiar opening is a shortlist, not a finish line. When several words fit, spend your next guess separating their differences instead of confirming letters you already know.
Tomorrow's Reset
Puzzle #1949 drops at midnight in your timezone, Monday handing the streak over to a fresh board.
Did STINK fall into place cleanly, or did a competing ending cost you a guess? Carry that habit of checking alternatives into tomorrow's grid.
See you at midnight for the next challenge.