Opener Lab
CRANE vs SLATE
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 SLATE.
Looking only at the opening row, SLATE has higher entropy (5.86 bits versus 5.73). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
Against 1,858 past Wordle answers, SLATE left the smaller first-guess group on 53% of dates; CRANE did so on 47%, with the rest tied.
One thing SLATE does better is damage control. Its worst feedback pattern leaves 228 possible answers, while CRANE can be left staring at 271.
| Metric | CRANE | SLATE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.6% | 96.9% |
| Information | 5.73 bits | 5.86 bits |
| Avg remaining | 81 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, CRANE left an average of 78 candidates and SLATE 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. SLATE came back ⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 and kept 169 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | CRANE | SLATE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 43.6% | 46.3% |
| Any green or yellow | 88.5% | 90.3% |
| Whole row gray | 11.5% | 9.7% |
| Worst case answers left | 271 | 228 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
A fully gray row is rarer with SLATE: it happens 9.7% 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 SLATE
All five letters miss 9.7% of the time, leaving 228 words in play. Of the 728 follow-ups checked here, IRONY leaves the fewest possible answers on average (6.9).
How these two openers fit together
CRANE and SLATE share 2 letters (A, E). 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 SLATE earns 8.35 bits of information in total, 2.50 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- CRANE: Answer to Wordle #732 on June 21, 2023. SLATE would have come back ⬛⬛🟩⬛🟩 that day, leaving 28 possible answers.
- SLATE: Answer to Wordle #548 on December 19, 2022. CRANE would have come back ⬛⬛🟩⬛🟩 that day, leaving 45 possible answers.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: CRANE or SLATE?
- 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 SLATE. The same solver played from both words.
- What does entropy mean for CRANE vs SLATE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. CRANE records 5.73 bits and SLATE records 5.86 bits. SLATE 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 SLATE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,858 past Wordle answers, CRANE left fewer possible answers than SLATE on 47% of days, SLATE did better on 53%, and the rest were ties. On average, CRANE left 78 candidates after the first guess and SLATE left 72.