Opener Lab
REACT 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 3.55 for REACT.
Looking only at the opening row, TRACE has higher entropy (5.82 bits versus 5.69). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
Against 1,859 past Wordle answers, TRACE left the smaller first-guess group on 45% of dates; REACT did so on 28%, with the rest tied.
| Metric | REACT | TRACE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.5% | 96.8% |
| Information | 5.69 bits | 5.82 bits |
| Avg remaining | 82 words | 76 words |
| Avg turns | 3.55 | 3.53 |
| Win rate | 100.0% | 99.9% |
| Tier | A | S |
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, REACT left an average of 79 candidates and TRACE an average of 73.
The most recent test was Wordle #1858 on July 21, 2026, when the answer was SHILL. REACT came back ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ and kept 254 words in play. TRACE came back ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ and kept 254 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | REACT | TRACE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 37.2% | 42.1% |
| Any green or yellow | 89.2% | 89.2% |
| Whole row gray | 10.8% | 10.8% |
| Worst case answers left | 254 | 254 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
Both openers come back completely gray at almost the same rate, so the difference between them lies in how much their hits actually tell you.
Planning the second guess
After REACT
All five letters miss 10.8% of the time, leaving 254 words in play. Of the 754 follow-ups checked here, SOILY leaves the fewest possible answers on average (7.1).
After TRACE
All five letters miss 10.8% of the time, leaving 254 words in play. Of the 754 follow-ups checked here, SOILY leaves the fewest possible answers on average (7.1).
How these two openers fit together
REACT and TRACE share 5 of their 5 letters (A, C, E, R, T), so as a pair they only cover 5 distinct letters. Treat them as alternatives rather than partners, because playing both wastes most of the second guess.
Played back to back, REACT then TRACE earns 6.40 bits of information in total, 0.58 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- REACT: Answer to Wordle #28 on July 17, 2021. TRACE would have come back 🟨🟨🟩🟩🟨 that day, pinning the answer down on the spot.
- TRACE: Answer to Wordle #179 on December 15, 2021. REACT would have come back 🟨🟨🟩🟩🟨 that day, pinning the answer down on the spot.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: REACT or TRACE?
- In the previous complete benchmark, TRACE has the lower average in games the solver finished within six: 3.53 guesses versus 3.55 for REACT. The same solver played from both words.
- What does entropy mean for REACT vs TRACE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. REACT records 5.69 bits and TRACE records 5.82 bits. TRACE 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 REACT and TRACE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,859 past Wordle answers, REACT left fewer possible answers than TRACE on 28% of days, TRACE did better on 45%, and the rest were ties. On average, REACT left 79 candidates after the first guess and TRACE left 73.