Opener Lab
CARLE vs REAST
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 same solver played from both openers. CARLE has the lower average in games solved within six: 3.46 guesses to 3.47 for REAST.
Looking only at the opening row, REAST has higher entropy (5.86 bits versus 5.76). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
Against 1,858 past Wordle answers, REAST left the smaller first-guess group on 53% of dates; CARLE did so on 46%, with the rest tied.
| Metric | CARLE | REAST |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.7% | 96.9% |
| Information | 5.76 bits | 5.86 bits |
| Avg remaining | 77 words | 73 words |
| Avg turns | 3.46 | 3.47 |
| Missed in six | 0 | 0 |
| Win rate | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Tier | A | S |
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 REAST an average of 73.
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. REAST came back 🟨🟨⬛⬛⬛ and kept 124 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | CARLE | REAST |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0% | 0% |
| At least one green | 43.9% | 36.9% |
| Any green or yellow | 89.1% | 90.1% |
| Whole row gray | 10.9% | 9.9% |
| Worst case answers left | 258 | 234 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
A fully gray row is rarer with REAST: it happens 9.9% of the time, against 10.9% for CARLE.
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 REAST
All five letters miss 9.9% of the time, leaving 234 words in play. Of the 734 follow-ups checked here, COULD leaves the fewest possible answers on average (6.9).
How these two openers fit together
CARLE and REAST share 3 letters (A, E, R). Played as a pair they cover 7 distinct letters, which still gives the second word room to do useful work.
Played back to back, CARLE then REAST earns 8.12 bits of information in total, 2.26 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- CARLE: Has not been a past Wordle answer in this site's history.
- REAST: Has not been a past Wordle answer in this site's history.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: CARLE or REAST?
- In the current bounded policy screen, CARLE has the lower average in games the solver finished within six: 3.46 guesses versus 3.47 for REAST. The same solver played from both words.
- What does entropy mean for CARLE vs REAST?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. CARLE records 5.76 bits and REAST records 5.86 bits. REAST 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 REAST score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,858 past Wordle answers, CARLE left fewer possible answers than REAST on 46% of days, REAST did better on 53%, and the rest were ties. On average, CARLE left 74 candidates after the first guess and REAST left 73.