Opener Lab
CRANE vs STALE
See which word leaves you with the easier game.
These game-length figures come from the previous complete opener benchmark against its 2,354-answer snapshot, ranked by average guesses among games solved within six. Its answer snapshot and continuation policy are separate from today's solver recommendations.
The same solver played from both openers. CRANE has the lower average in games solved within six: 3.55 guesses to 3.57 for STALE.
Looking only at the opening row, STALE has higher entropy (5.74 bits versus 5.73). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
The past-answer results are close: across 1,859 puzzles, CRANE left the smaller first-guess group 49% of the time and STALE did so 50% of the time, with the rest tied.
One thing STALE does better is damage control. Its worst feedback pattern leaves 228 possible answers, while CRANE can be left staring at 272.
| Metric | CRANE | STALE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.6% | 96.7% |
| Information | 5.73 bits | 5.74 bits |
| Avg remaining | 81 words | 77 words |
| Avg turns | 3.55 | 3.57 |
| Win rate | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| Tier | A | A |
Head to head on past answers
We tried both openers against 1,859 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 STALE an average of 76.
The most recent test was Wordle #1858 on July 21, 2026, when the answer was SHILL. CRANE came back ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ and kept 272 words in play. STALE came back 🟩⬛⬛🟩⬛ and kept 12 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | CRANE | STALE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 43.5% | 42.3% |
| Any green or yellow | 88.5% | 90.3% |
| Whole row gray | 11.5% | 9.7% |
| Worst case answers left | 272 | 228 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
A fully gray row is rarer with STALE: 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 272 words in play. Of the 772 follow-ups checked here, MOULT leaves the fewest possible answers on average (7.6).
After STALE
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 STALE 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 STALE earns 8.28 bits of information in total, 2.54 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- CRANE: Answer to Wordle #732 on June 21, 2023. STALE would have come back ⬛⬛🟩⬛🟩 that day, leaving 28 possible answers.
- STALE: Answer to Wordle #505 on November 6, 2022. CRANE would have come back ⬛⬛🟩⬛🟩 that day, leaving 45 possible answers.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: CRANE or STALE?
- In the previous complete benchmark, CRANE has the lower average in games the solver finished within six: 3.55 guesses versus 3.57 for STALE. The same solver played from both words.
- What does entropy mean for CRANE vs STALE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. CRANE records 5.73 bits and STALE records 5.74 bits. STALE 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 STALE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,859 past Wordle answers, CRANE left fewer possible answers than STALE on 49% of days, STALE did better on 50%, and the rest were ties. On average, CRANE left 78 candidates after the first guess and STALE left 76.