Opener Lab
CRANE vs SAINT
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 3.47 for SAINT.
Looking only at the opening row, CRANE has higher entropy (5.73 bits versus 5.51). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
Against 1,858 past Wordle answers, CRANE left the smaller first-guess group on 54% of dates; SAINT did so on 45%, with the rest tied.
| Metric | CRANE | SAINT |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.6% | 95.5% |
| Information | 5.73 bits | 5.51 bits |
| Avg remaining | 81 words | 106 words |
| Avg turns | 3.46 | 3.47 |
| 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, CRANE left an average of 78 candidates and SAINT an average of 108.
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. SAINT came back ⬛⬛🟨⬛⬛ and kept 104 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | CRANE | SAINT |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 43.6% | 46.6% |
| Any green or yellow | 88.5% | 85.2% |
| Whole row gray | 11.5% | 14.8% |
| Worst case answers left | 271 | 350 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
A fully gray row is rarer with CRANE: it happens 11.5% of the time, against 14.8% for SAINT.
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 SAINT
All five letters miss 14.8% of the time, leaving 350 words in play. Of the 850 follow-ups checked here, DROLE leaves the fewest possible answers on average (8.2).
How these two openers fit together
CRANE and SAINT share 2 letters (A, N). Played as a pair they cover 8 distinct letters, which still gives the second word room to do useful work.
Played back to back, CRANE then SAINT earns 8.58 bits of information in total, 2.85 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- CRANE: Answer to Wordle #732 on June 21, 2023. SAINT would have come back ⬛🟨⬛🟩⬛ that day, leaving 23 possible answers.
- SAINT: Answer to Wordle #460 on September 22, 2022. CRANE would have come back ⬛⬛🟨🟩⬛ that day, leaving 20 possible answers.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: CRANE or SAINT?
- In the current bounded policy screen, CRANE has the lower average in games the solver finished within six: 3.46 guesses versus 3.47 for SAINT. The same solver played from both words.
- What does entropy mean for CRANE vs SAINT?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. CRANE records 5.73 bits and SAINT records 5.51 bits. CRANE 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 SAINT score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,858 past Wordle answers, CRANE left fewer possible answers than SAINT on 54% of days, SAINT did better on 45%, and the rest were ties. On average, CRANE left 78 candidates after the first guess and SAINT left 108.