Opener Lab
SLATE vs STALE
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. SLATE has the lower average in games solved within six: 3.55 guesses to 3.57 for STALE.
Looking only at the opening row, SLATE has higher entropy (5.86 bits versus 5.74). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
Against 1,859 past Wordle answers, SLATE left the smaller first-guess group on 34% of dates; STALE did so on 16%, with the rest tied.
| Metric | SLATE | STALE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.9% | 96.7% |
| Information | 5.86 bits | 5.74 bits |
| Avg remaining | 73 words | 77 words |
| Avg turns | 3.55 | 3.57 |
| Win rate | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| Tier | S | A |
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, SLATE left an average of 72 candidates and STALE an average of 76.
The most recent test was Wordle #1858 on July 21, 2026, when the answer was SHILL. SLATE came back 🟩🟨⬛⬛⬛ and kept 18 words in play. STALE came back 🟩⬛⬛🟩⬛ and kept 12 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | SLATE | STALE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 46.3% | 42.3% |
| Any green or yellow | 90.3% | 90.3% |
| Whole row gray | 9.7% | 9.7% |
| Worst case answers left | 228 | 228 |
*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 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).
After STALE
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
SLATE and STALE share 5 of their 5 letters (A, E, L, S, 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, SLATE then STALE earns 6.07 bits of information in total, 0.21 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- SLATE: Answer to Wordle #548 on December 19, 2022. STALE would have come back 🟩🟨🟩🟨🟩 that day, pinning the answer down on the spot.
- STALE: Answer to Wordle #505 on November 6, 2022. SLATE would have come back 🟩🟨🟩🟨🟩 that day, pinning the answer down on the spot.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: SLATE or STALE?
- In the previous complete benchmark, SLATE has the lower average in games the solver finished within six: 3.55 guesses versus 3.57 for STALE. The same solver played from both words.
- What does entropy mean for SLATE vs STALE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. SLATE records 5.86 bits and STALE records 5.74 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 SLATE and STALE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,859 past Wordle answers, SLATE left fewer possible answers than STALE on 34% of days, STALE did better on 16%, and the rest were ties. On average, SLATE left 72 candidates after the first guess and STALE left 76.