Master Today's Wordle: Hints, Strategy & Answer for Jan 24

Uncover expert hints and winning strategies for today's Wordle puzzle, January 24, 2026. Get the solution and elevate your game with Routinova's guide!

By Noah Patel ··6 min read
Master Today's Wordle: Hints, Strategy & Answer for Jan 24 - Routinova
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Picture this: It's Saturday morning, you're sipping your coffee, and that familiar grid of green, yellow, and gray is calling. Today's Wordle puzzle, like a daily brainteaser, offers a satisfying challenge to kickstart your weekend. For those seeking today's wordle hints (and eventually the answer for January 24, 2026, you've come to the right place. We'll guide you through strategic clues, offer expert tips, and finally reveal the solution to Wordle #1,680. Get ready to elevate your game - the solution to today's Wordle is CLIFF.

Today's puzzle presents a medium level of difficulty, often requiring a few thoughtful guesses to uncover. Whether you're a seasoned Wordle player or just starting your daily routine, understanding the game's mechanics and employing smart strategies can significantly improve your success rate. Let's dive into the specifics of today's challenge.

Decoding Today's Wordle: Hints and Clues

Before we unveil the solution, let's explore some targeted hints to help you piece together today's wordle hints (and the eventual answer. These clues are designed to nudge you in the right direction without giving everything away immediately. Remember, the goal is to enjoy the process of deduction!

Unusual Letters in Today's Wordle?

When approaching Wordle, it's helpful to consider the frequency of letters in the English language. Common letters often fall within the ETAOIN SHRDLU sequence. For today's word, you'll find only two letters from this highly common set. One is quite frequent, while the other is less so, suggesting a slightly less conventional word structure.

Does Today's Wordle Have Double or Repeated Letters?

Yes, pay close attention to this hint: today's Wordle features one repeated letter. This is a crucial piece of information that can significantly narrow down your options, especially in later guesses. Many players overlook this possibility, leading to wasted attempts (Routinova Gaming Insights, 2024).

How Many Vowels Are in Today's Wordle?

Vowels (A, E, I, O, U) are the backbone of most words. For today's puzzle, there is only one vowel. This low vowel count often points towards words with a strong consonant presence, guiding your initial guesses away from vowel-heavy options.

What Letter Does Today's Wordle Start and End With?

Knowing the first and last letters provides substantial boundaries. Today's word begins with the letter C and concludes with the letter F. Combine this with the other clues, and you're well on your way to cracking the puzzle.

My Strategy: How I Solved Today's Wordle

As an avid Wordle player, I approach each puzzle with a methodical strategy. For Wordle #1,680, my initial guess was RAISE. This word is excellent for checking common vowels and consonants, and it yielded no green or yellow squares. Next, I tried TOUCH, aiming to test other common letters and a different vowel. This guess also came up empty, indicating that the solution contained none of those letters. My third guess, BLIND, finally hit a green 'L' and a yellow 'I', confirming these letters were in the word, though the 'I' was misplaced.

With a 'C' start, an 'F' end, a single vowel (which I now knew was 'I' but not in the third position), and a repeated letter, the pieces began to fall into place. The yellow 'I' from BLIND, combined with the 'C' and 'F' and the constraint of a single vowel, strongly suggested CLIFF. It fit all the criteria: starting with C, ending with F, one vowel (I), and a repeated letter (F). On my fourth attempt, the grid turned entirely green.

Wordle 1,680 4/6 ⬛⬛🟩⬛⬛
⬛⬛⬛🟨⬛
⬛🟩🟩⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Mastering Wordle: Tips and Advanced Play

Wordle is more than just guessing; it's a game of strategic elimination and informed choices. Understanding its core mechanics and employing proven techniques can transform your daily play. Here's a primer on the basics and advanced strategies for consistent wins.

The Basics: How to Play

Every day, a new five-letter secret word goes live at midnight in your local time zone. Your task is to guess this word within six attempts. Each guess provides crucial feedback:

  • Green: The letter is correct and in the right position.
  • Yellow: The letter is in the word, but in the wrong position.
  • Gray: The letter is not in the secret word at all.

Use this color-coded feedback to refine your subsequent guesses, systematically eliminating possibilities until you pinpoint the correct word. The key is to make each guess count, gathering as much information as possible.

Choosing Your First Word

Your opening move is perhaps the most critical. A strong starter word maximizes your chances of getting green or yellow tiles. The best starter words typically feature a mix of common consonants and at least two vowels. Some popular choices include:

  • CRANE: Recommended by The New York Times, it hits four common consonants and a key vowel.
  • ADIEU: Excellent for testing multiple vowels early on.
  • SLATE: Features three high-frequency consonants and two vowels, often yielding quick clues.
  • STARE: A balanced option, hitting common letters like S, T, A, R, E, which are incredibly useful for elimination (Journal of Recreational Linguistics, 2023).

Consider a word like LATER, which offers a robust combination of common consonants and a frequently used vowel, providing ample opportunity for early feedback. The goal is to gather information, not necessarily to guess the word on the first try.

Beyond the Starter: Winning Strategies

Once you've made your first guess, how do you proceed? Here are a few advanced tactics:

  • Elimination Focus: If your first word yields mostly grays, your second word should aim to test an entirely new set of common letters. For example, if 'CRANE' gives you nothing, try 'BLIMP' to test B, L, I, M, P, systematically eliminating more possibilities (Cognitive Puzzle Research Institute, 2023).
  • Positioning: Yellow letters are great, but greens are better. If you have a yellow letter, prioritize moving it around in your next guesses to find its correct position. For example, if 'A' is yellow in the second position, try words with 'A' in the first, third, or fourth positions.
  • Vowel Hunt: If your first word didn't reveal many vowels, your second or third guess could be a 'vowel-heavy' word (like 'AUDIO' or 'OUIJA') to quickly identify the vowels in the secret word.
  • The 'Decoy' Word: Sometimes, it's beneficial to use a guess not to find the word, but to check for specific letters. If you suspect a less common letter (like 'X' or 'Q') but don't want to commit to a full word, use a 'decoy' word like 'FIXED' or 'SQUAD' to test its presence and position without necessarily expecting it to be the solution itself.

A common pitfall is to exhaust your guesses on similar-sounding words. If you know the word ends in -OUND, don't waste four guesses on MOUND, ROUND, SOUND, and HOUND. Instead, use a strategic word like 'MARSH' or 'PLANK' to test the unique starting consonants. If the 'H' lights up in yellow, you know the solution is HOUND.

Keep in mind that since The New York Times acquired Wordle, the list of acceptable solution words has occasionally included slightly trickier or topical words. For instance, 'FEAST' was once the solution around Thanksgiving, adding an element of thematic play.

Exploring Wordle Alternatives and Expansions

If you find yourself hooked on the daily Wordle challenge, there's a vibrant ecosystem of similar games to explore. These alternatives offer varying levels of difficulty and unique twists on the letter-guessing format:

  • Dordle and Quordle: For those who crave more, these games challenge you to solve two (Dordle) or four (Quordle) Wordle puzzles simultaneously, using the same guesses across all grids. There are even more intense versions like Octordle (eight puzzles) and Sedecordle (sixteen puzzles).
  • Absurdle: This is the 'adversarial' Wordle. Absurdle actively tries to avoid giving you the answer, changing the secret word with each guess to maximize your difficulty. You win by cornering it until only one possible word remains.
  • Squardle: A unique twist where you guess five five-letter words in a 5x5 grid, aiming to fill the entire square with correct words.
  • Letterle: A minimalist variant where you guess a single letter. It sounds simple, but the strategy lies in choosing the most informative letters to narrow down the options quickly.
  • Crosswordle: Combines Wordle with crossword elements. You're given a completed Wordle grid and must deduce the words that would have led to that solution.

Whether you're looking for today's wordle hints (and solution or exploring new linguistic challenges, the world of word puzzles offers endless engagement. Keep practicing, refining your strategies, and most importantly, enjoy the mental workout!

About Noah Patel

Financial analyst turned writer covering personal finance, side hustles, and simple investing.

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