Opener Lab
CRANE vs IRATE
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. CRANE has the lower average in games solved within six: 3.46 guesses to 3.51 for IRATE.
Looking only at the opening row, IRATE 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, IRATE left the smaller first-guess group on 61% of dates; CRANE did so on 38%, with the rest tied.
One thing IRATE does better is damage control. Its worst feedback pattern leaves 199 possible answers, while CRANE can be left staring at 271.
| Metric | CRANE | IRATE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.6% | 97.2% |
| Information | 5.73 bits | 5.83 bits |
| Avg remaining | 81 words | 65 words |
| Avg turns | 3.46 | 3.51 |
| 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 IRATE an average of 63.
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. IRATE came back 🟨🟨⬛⬛🟨 and kept 35 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | CRANE | IRATE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 43.6% | 39.7% |
| Any green or yellow | 88.5% | 91.6% |
| Whole row gray | 11.5% | 8.4% |
| Worst case answers left | 271 | 199 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
A fully gray row is rarer with IRATE: it happens 8.4% of the time, against 11.5% for CRANE.
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 IRATE
All five letters miss 8.4% of the time, leaving 199 words in play. Of the 699 follow-ups checked here, SONLY leaves the fewest possible answers on average (6.8).
How these two openers fit together
CRANE and IRATE 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, CRANE then IRATE earns 7.46 bits of information in total, 1.63 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- CRANE: Answer to Wordle #732 on June 21, 2023. IRATE would have come back ⬛🟩🟩⬛🟩 that day, leaving 15 possible answers.
- IRATE: Answer to Wordle #745 on July 4, 2023. CRANE would have come back ⬛🟩🟩⬛🟩 that day, leaving 13 possible answers.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: CRANE or IRATE?
- In the current bounded policy screen, CRANE has the lower average in games the solver finished within six: 3.46 guesses versus 3.51 for IRATE. The same solver played from both words.
- What does entropy mean for CRANE vs IRATE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. CRANE records 5.73 bits and IRATE records 5.83 bits. IRATE 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 IRATE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,858 past Wordle answers, CRANE left fewer possible answers than IRATE on 38% of days, IRATE did better on 61%, and the rest were ties. On average, CRANE left 78 candidates after the first guess and IRATE left 63.