Opener Lab
CARLE vs CARNE
See which word leaves you with the easier game.
Both words are in the current screen of 182 openers, tested against 2,358 answers. Exact misses rank first; average guesses among wins break ties.
The six-turn results are effectively tied: when the same solver plays from each word, CARLE averages 3.46 guesses and CARNE averages 3.46 in games solved within six.
Looking only at the opening row, CARLE has higher entropy (5.76 bits versus 5.71). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
Against 1,858 past Wordle answers, CARLE left the smaller first-guess group on 53% of dates; CARNE did so on 44%, with the rest tied.
| Metric | CARLE | CARNE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.7% | 96.6% |
| Information | 5.76 bits | 5.71 bits |
| Avg remaining | 77 words | 81 words |
| Avg turns | 3.46 | 3.46 |
| Missed in six | 0 | 0 |
| Win rate | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Tier | A | A |
Head to head on past answers
We tried both openers against 1,858 past Wordle answers and counted which one left fewer possibilities after the first guess.
Across those answers, CARLE left an average of 74 candidates and CARNE an average of 78.
The most recent test was Wordle #1857 on July 20, 2026, when the answer was DIVER. CARLE came back ⬛⬛🟨⬛🟨 and kept 130 words in play. CARNE came back ⬛⬛🟨⬛🟨 and kept 127 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | CARLE | CARNE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0% | 0% |
| At least one green | 43.9% | 44.8% |
| Any green or yellow | 89.1% | 88.5% |
| Whole row gray | 10.9% | 11.5% |
| Worst case answers left | 258 | 271 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
Both openers come back completely gray at almost the same rate, so the difference between them lies in how much their hits actually tell you.
Neither word is on the possible-answer list, so neither can solve the game on turn one here. Both can still be useful guesses.
Planning the second guess
After CARLE
All five letters miss 10.9% of the time, leaving 258 words in play. Of the 758 follow-ups checked here, SNOUT leaves the fewest possible answers on average (6.2).
After CARNE
All five letters miss 11.5% of the time, leaving 271 words in play. Of the 771 follow-ups checked here, MOULT leaves the fewest possible answers on average (7.6).
How these two openers fit together
CARLE and CARNE share 4 of their 5 letters (A, C, E, R), so as a pair they only cover 6 distinct letters. Treat them as alternatives rather than partners, because playing both wastes most of the second guess.
Played back to back, CARLE then CARNE earns 6.63 bits of information in total, 0.86 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- CARLE: Has not been a past Wordle answer in this site's history.
- CARNE: Has not been a past Wordle answer in this site's history.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: CARLE or CARNE?
- CARLE and CARNE are effectively tied on their average guesses in games solved within six in the current bounded policy screen.
- What does entropy mean for CARLE vs CARNE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. CARLE records 5.76 bits and CARNE records 5.71 bits. CARLE 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 CARLE and CARNE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,858 past Wordle answers, CARLE left fewer possible answers than CARNE on 53% of days, CARNE did better on 44%, and the rest were ties. On average, CARLE left 74 candidates after the first guess and CARNE left 78.