Opener Lab
CRANE vs CRATE
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, CRANE averages 3.46 guesses and CRATE averages 3.46 in games solved within six.
Looking only at the opening row, CRATE has higher entropy (5.83 bits versus 5.73). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
Against 1,858 past Wordle answers, CRATE left the smaller first-guess group on 60% of dates; CRANE did so on 34%, with the rest tied.
| Metric | CRANE | CRATE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.6% | 96.8% |
| Information | 5.73 bits | 5.83 bits |
| Avg remaining | 81 words | 75 words |
| Avg turns | 3.46 | 3.46 |
| 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, CRANE left an average of 78 candidates and CRATE an average of 72.
The most recent test was Wordle #1857 on July 20, 2026, when the answer was DIVER. CRANE came back ⬛🟨⬛⬛🟨 and kept 125 words in play. CRATE came back ⬛🟨⬛⬛🟨 and kept 117 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | CRANE | CRATE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 43.6% | 43.1% |
| Any green or yellow | 88.5% | 89.3% |
| Whole row gray | 11.5% | 10.7% |
| Worst case answers left | 271 | 253 |
*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.
Planning the second guess
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).
After CRATE
All five letters miss 10.7% of the time, leaving 253 words in play. Of the 753 follow-ups checked here, SOILY leaves the fewest possible answers on average (7.1).
How these two openers fit together
CRANE and CRATE 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, CRANE then CRATE earns 6.69 bits of information in total, 0.86 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- CRANE: Answer to Wordle #732 on June 21, 2023. CRATE would have come back 🟩🟩🟩⬛🟩 that day, leaving 3 possible answers.
- CRATE: Answer to Wordle #45 on August 3, 2021. CRANE would have come back 🟩🟩🟩⬛🟩 that day, leaving 3 possible answers.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: CRANE or CRATE?
- CRANE and CRATE are effectively tied on their average guesses in games solved within six in the current bounded policy screen.
- What does entropy mean for CRANE vs CRATE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. CRANE records 5.73 bits and CRATE records 5.83 bits. CRATE 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 CRANE and CRATE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,858 past Wordle answers, CRANE left fewer possible answers than CRATE on 34% of days, CRATE did better on 60%, and the rest were ties. On average, CRANE left 78 candidates after the first guess and CRATE left 72.