Opener Lab
LATER vs TRACE
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. TRACE has the lower average in games solved within six: 3.53 guesses to 3.59 for LATER.
Looking only at the opening row, TRACE has higher entropy (5.82 bits versus 5.70). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
One thing LATER does better is damage control. Its worst feedback pattern leaves 204 possible answers, while TRACE can be left staring at 254.
| Metric | LATER | TRACE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.9% | 96.8% |
| Information | 5.70 bits | 5.82 bits |
| Avg remaining | 72 words | 76 words |
| Avg turns | 3.59 | 3.53 |
| Win rate | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| Tier | A | S |
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | LATER | TRACE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 31.8% | 42.1% |
| Any green or yellow | 91.4% | 89.2% |
| Whole row gray | 8.6% | 10.8% |
| Worst case answers left | 204 | 254 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
A fully gray row is rarer with LATER: it happens 8.6% of the time, against 10.8% for TRACE.
How these two openers fit together
LATER and TRACE share 4 of their 5 letters (A, E, R, T), so as a pair they only cover 6 distinct letters. Treat them as alternatives rather than partners, because playing both wastes most of the second guess.
Played back to back, LATER then TRACE earns 7.33 bits of information in total, 1.51 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- LATER: Answer to the puzzle on September 19, 2025.
- TRACE: Answer to the puzzle on December 15, 2021.