Opener Lab

Compare FESSE

Pick a word to compare against.

FESSE F
84.3%
of words eliminated

How FESSE performs

Played first, FESSE removes about 84.3% of the possible-answer list on average and scores 3.72 bits of information. It is not on the possible-answer list, but it can still be useful because of the feedback groups it creates.

Tried against 1,859 past Wordle answers, FESSE left an average of 367 possible answers standing after the first guess. Its largest group in that replay came on July 19, 2026, when the answer was CHURN and 815 candidates survived.

First-guess odds

OutcomeFESSE
First-turn solve*0%
At least one green37.9%
Any green or yellow65.5%
Whole row gray34.5%
Worst case answers left815

*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.