Opener Lab
SAINT vs SLATE
See which word leaves you with the easier game.
Both words are in the current screen of 182 openers, tested against 2,358 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, SAINT averages 3.47 guesses and SLATE averages 3.47 in games solved within six.
Looking only at the opening row, SLATE has higher entropy (5.86 bits versus 5.51). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
Against 1,858 past Wordle answers, SLATE left the smaller first-guess group on 59% of dates; SAINT did so on 41%, with the rest tied.
| Metric | SAINT | SLATE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 95.5% | 96.9% |
| Information | 5.51 bits | 5.86 bits |
| Avg remaining | 106 words | 73 words |
| Avg turns | 3.47 | 3.47 |
| Missed in six | 0 | 0 |
| Win rate | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Tier | A | S |
Head to head on past answers
We tried both openers against 1,858 past Wordle answers and counted which one left fewer possibilities after the first guess.
Across those answers, SAINT left an average of 108 candidates and SLATE an average of 72.
The most recent test was Wordle #1857 on July 20, 2026, when the answer was DIVER. SAINT came back ⬛⬛🟨⬛⬛ and kept 104 words in play. SLATE came back ⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 and kept 169 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | SAINT | SLATE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 46.6% | 46.3% |
| Any green or yellow | 85.2% | 90.3% |
| Whole row gray | 14.8% | 9.7% |
| Worst case answers left | 350 | 228 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
A fully gray row is rarer with SLATE: it happens 9.7% of the time, against 14.8% for SAINT.
Planning the second guess
After SAINT
All five letters miss 14.8% of the time, leaving 350 words in play. Of the 850 follow-ups checked here, DROLE leaves the fewest possible answers on average (8.2).
After SLATE
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
SAINT and SLATE share 3 letters (A, S, T). Played as a pair they cover 7 distinct letters, which still gives the second word room to do useful work.
Played back to back, SAINT then SLATE earns 7.95 bits of information in total, 2.10 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- SAINT: Answer to Wordle #460 on September 22, 2022. SLATE would have come back 🟩⬛🟨🟨⬛ that day, leaving 8 possible answers.
- SLATE: Answer to Wordle #548 on December 19, 2022. SAINT would have come back 🟩🟨⬛⬛🟨 that day, leaving 24 possible answers.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: SAINT or SLATE?
- SAINT and SLATE are effectively tied on their average guesses in games solved within six in the current bounded policy screen.
- What does entropy mean for SAINT vs SLATE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. SAINT records 5.51 bits and SLATE records 5.86 bits. SLATE 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 SAINT and SLATE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,858 past Wordle answers, SAINT left fewer possible answers than SLATE on 41% of days, SLATE did better on 59%, and the rest were ties. On average, SAINT left 108 candidates after the first guess and SLATE left 72.