Opener Lab
CARLE vs CRANE
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 CRANE averages 3.46 in games solved within six.
Looking only at the opening row, CARLE has higher entropy (5.76 bits versus 5.73). 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 55% of dates; CRANE did so on 45%, with the rest tied.
| Metric | CARLE | CRANE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.7% | 96.6% |
| Information | 5.76 bits | 5.73 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 CRANE 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. CRANE came back ⬛🟨⬛⬛🟨 and kept 125 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | CARLE | CRANE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 43.9% | 43.6% |
| 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.
CARLE is not on the possible-answer list, so it cannot solve the game on turn one here. It can still be a useful guess.
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 CRANE
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 CRANE 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 CRANE earns 7.02 bits of information in total, 1.25 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- CARLE: Has not been a past Wordle answer in this site's history.
- CRANE: Answer to Wordle #732 on June 21, 2023. CARLE would have come back 🟩🟨🟨⬛🟩 that day, leaving 4 possible answers.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: CARLE or CRANE?
- CARLE and CRANE 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 CRANE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. CARLE records 5.76 bits and CRANE records 5.73 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 CRANE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,858 past Wordle answers, CARLE left fewer possible answers than CRANE on 55% of days, CRANE did better on 45%, and the rest were ties. On average, CARLE left 74 candidates after the first guess and CRANE left 78.