Don't Wordle
Rate itSix Wordle guesses where the aim is never to hit the answer.
on dontwordle.com
Don't Wordle turns Wordle around. You still make six guesses with green, yellow and grey clues, but you lose if you guess the hidden word. Every guess must obey the clues so far, the pool of possible answers shrinks, and a few undos let you take back a guess that left you cornered.
About Don't Wordle
Don't Wordle keeps Wordle's board and colours but flips the goal. There is a hidden five-letter word, and your job is to get through six guesses without ever guessing it. Each guess still gets green, yellow and grey marks, and every later guess has to respect them, using the letters you have been shown, so the list of words that could still be the answer keeps shrinking.
If you survive all six guesses, your score is the number of valid words still remaining, multiplied by the number of letters you never used, so the best runs keep the field wide while spending few letters. If you hit a spot where too few words remain for the guesses left, the game stops you and asks you to spend an undo. You get five undos, or two in hard mode, which can only be switched on before a round starts. A hint and a give-up button are there too.
The puzzle is numbered by day from 25 May 2022 and changes at midnight on your own clock. Its maker opened it to the public on 31 May 2022 and says the answer list lasts until 18 September 2028. The page keeps your stats and current streak in the browser, with no account. It suits Wordle players who want to think about the whole word list rather than one answer.
How to play Don't Wordle
- Type a five-letter word as your first guess.
- Read the colours: green is the right letter in the right place, yellow is in the word elsewhere, grey is not in the word.
- Make each next guess fit all the clues so far, without hitting the hidden word.
- Use an undo if a guess leaves too few possible words for the guesses you have left.
- Survive six guesses, then share your remaining words and score.
Screenshots
Tips
- Open with rare letters: they are less likely to be in the answer and keep more words alive.
- Avoid using many different letters; unused letters multiply your score.
- Keep an undo in reserve for the last two guesses, where the pool gets small.
- Try hard mode only when you want fewer undos, and decide before you start.
Questions
How do you win Don't Wordle?
Make six guesses that follow the clues without guessing the hidden word.
How is it scored?
Words still possible at the end, multiplied by the letters you never used.
How many undos do you get?
Five, or two in hard mode.
Ratings and reviews
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