Opener Lab
RAISE vs STARE
See which word leaves you with the easier game.
Both words are in the current screen of 182 openers, tested against 2,360 answers. Exact misses rank first; average guesses among wins break ties.
The six-turn results are effectively tied: when the same solver plays from each word, RAISE averages 3.50 guesses and STARE averages 3.50 in games solved within six.
Looking only at the opening row, RAISE has higher entropy (5.88 bits versus 5.81). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
The past-answer results are close: across 1,876 puzzles, RAISE left the smaller first-guess group 49% of the time and STARE did so 49% of the time, with the rest tied.
| Metric | RAISE | STARE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 97.4% | 96.9% |
| Information | 5.88 bits | 5.81 bits |
| Avg remaining | 62 words | 73 words |
| Avg turns | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Missed in six | 0 | 0 |
| Win rate | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Tier (first turn only) | S | S |
Head to head on past answers
We tried both openers against 1,876 past Wordle answers and counted which one left fewer possibilities after the first guess.
Across those answers, RAISE left an average of 62 candidates and STARE an average of 72.
The most recent test was Wordle #1875 on August 7, 2026, when the answer was FEIGN. RAISE came back ⬛⬛🟩⬛🟨 and kept 15 words in play. STARE came back ⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 and kept 118 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | RAISE | STARE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 43.7% | 41.5% |
| Any green or yellow | 92.7% | 90.1% |
| Whole row gray | 7.3% | 9.9% |
| Worst case answers left | 173 | 234 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
A fully gray row is rarer with RAISE: it happens 7.3% of the time, against 9.9% for STARE.
Planning the second guess
After RAISE
All five letters miss 7.3% of the time, leaving 173 words in play. Of the 673 follow-ups checked here, COULD leaves the fewest possible answers on average (6.8).
After STARE
All five letters miss 9.9% of the time, leaving 234 words in play. Of the 734 follow-ups checked here, COULD leaves the fewest possible answers on average (6.9).
How these two openers fit together
RAISE and STARE share 4 of their 5 letters (A, E, R, S), 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, RAISE then STARE earns 7.20 bits of information in total, 1.32 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- RAISE: Answer to Wordle #1035 on April 19, 2024. STARE would have come back 🟨⬛🟨🟨🟩 that day, leaving 4 possible answers.
- STARE: Answer to Wordle #1290 on December 30, 2024. RAISE would have come back 🟨🟨⬛🟨🟩 that day, leaving 5 possible answers.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: RAISE or STARE?
- RAISE and STARE are effectively tied on their average guesses in games solved within six in the current bounded policy screen.
- What does entropy mean for RAISE vs STARE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. RAISE records 5.88 bits and STARE records 5.81 bits. RAISE 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 RAISE and STARE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,876 past Wordle answers, RAISE left fewer possible answers than STARE on 49% of days, STARE did better on 49%, and the rest were ties. On average, RAISE left 62 candidates after the first guess and STARE left 72.