Opener Lab
AUDIO vs TRACE
See which word leaves you with the easier game.
These game-length figures come from the previous complete opener benchmark against its 2,354-answer snapshot, ranked by average guesses among games solved within six. Its answer snapshot and continuation policy are separate from today's solver recommendations.
The same solver played from both openers. TRACE has the lower average in games solved within six: 3.53 guesses to 3.73 for AUDIO.
Looking only at the opening row, TRACE has higher entropy (5.82 bits versus 4.61). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
Against 1,906 past Wordle answers, TRACE left the smaller first-guess group on 68% of dates; AUDIO did so on 32%, with the rest tied.
| Metric | AUDIO | TRACE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 92.2% | 96.8% |
| Information | 4.61 bits | 5.82 bits |
| Avg remaining | 186 words | 77 words |
| Avg turns | 3.73 | 3.53 |
| Win rate | 99.8% | 99.9% |
| Tier (first turn only) | C | S |
word=audio. Download SVG.
word=trace. Download SVG.Head to head on past answers
We tried both openers against 1,906 past Wordle answers and counted which one left fewer possibilities after the first guess.
Across those answers, AUDIO left an average of 186 candidates and TRACE an average of 73.
The most recent test was Wordle #1905 on September 6, 2026, when the answer was BEIGE. AUDIO came back ⬛⬛⬛🟨⬛ and kept 274 words in play. TRACE came back ⬛⬛⬛⬛🟩 and kept 108 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | AUDIO | TRACE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 24.1% | 42.0% |
| Any green or yellow | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Whole row gray | 8.1% | 10.7% |
| Worst case answers left | 442 | 255 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
A fully gray row is rarer with AUDIO: it happens 8.1% of the time, against 10.7% for TRACE.
Planning the second guess
After AUDIO
All five letters miss 8.1% of the time, leaving 193 words in play. Of the 690 follow-ups checked here, SETER leaves the fewest possible answers on average (4.5).
Its most common result is 🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛, which shows up 18.6% of the time and leaves 442 possibilities. Of the 874 follow-ups checked here, TARSE leaves the fewest possible answers on average (12.5).
After TRACE
All five letters miss 10.7% of the time, leaving 255 words in play. Of the 755 follow-ups checked here, SOILY leaves the fewest possible answers on average (7.1).
How these two openers fit together
AUDIO and TRACE overlap on a single letter (A), so the pair tests 9 different letters between them.
Played back to back, AUDIO then TRACE earns 8.60 bits of information in total, 2.78 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- AUDIO: Answer to Wordle #802 on August 30, 2023. TRACE would have come back ⬛⬛🟨⬛⬛ that day, leaving 133 possible answers.
- TRACE: Answer to Wordle #179 on December 15, 2021. AUDIO would have come back 🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛ that day, leaving 442 possible answers. Answer to Wordle #1889 on August 21, 2026. AUDIO would have come back 🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛ that day, leaving 442 possible answers.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: AUDIO or TRACE?
- In the previous complete benchmark, TRACE has the lower average in games the solver finished within six: 3.53 guesses versus 3.73 for AUDIO. The same solver played from both words.
- What does entropy mean for AUDIO vs TRACE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. AUDIO records 4.61 bits and TRACE records 5.82 bits. TRACE has the higher score, so its feedback distribution separates the possible answers more effectively on average. Entropy describes the opening row; it does not by itself predict how many guesses a game will take.
- How do AUDIO and TRACE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,906 past Wordle answers, AUDIO left fewer possible answers than TRACE on 32% of days, TRACE did better on 68%, and the rest were ties. On average, AUDIO left 186 candidates after the first guess and TRACE left 73.