Opener Lab
SLATE vs TRACE
See which word leaves you with the easier game.
Both words are in the current screen of 182 openers, tested against 2,374 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, SLATE averages 3.47 guesses and TRACE averages 3.46 in games solved within six.
Looking only at the opening row, SLATE has higher entropy (5.86 bits versus 5.82). That describes first-guess separation, not the full solve on its own.
The past-answer results are close: across 1,907 puzzles, SLATE left the smaller first-guess group 49% of the time and TRACE did so 51% of the time, with the rest tied.
| Metric | SLATE | TRACE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.9% | 96.8% |
| Information | 5.86 bits | 5.82 bits |
| Avg remaining | 74 words | 77 words |
| Avg turns | 3.47 | 3.46 |
| Missed in six | 0 | 0 |
| Win rate | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Tier (first turn only) | S | S |
word=slate. Download SVG.
word=trace. Download SVG.Head to head on past answers
We tried both openers against 1,907 past Wordle answers and counted which one left fewer possibilities after the first guess.
Across those answers, SLATE left an average of 73 candidates and TRACE an average of 74.
The most recent test was Wordle #1906 on September 7, 2026, when the answer was BLIND. SLATE came back ⬛🟩⬛⬛⬛ and kept 40 words in play. TRACE came back ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ and kept 255 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | SLATE | TRACE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 46.3% | 42.0% |
| Any green or yellow | 90.4% | 89.3% |
| Whole row gray | 9.6% | 10.7% |
| Worst case answers left | 229 | 255 |
*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.
A fully gray row is rarer with SLATE: it happens 9.6% of the time, against 10.7% for TRACE.
Planning the second guess
After SLATE
All five letters miss 9.6% of the time, leaving 229 words in play. Of the 729 follow-ups checked here, IRONY leaves the fewest possible answers on average (6.8).
After TRACE
All five letters miss 10.7% of the time, leaving 255 words in play. Of the 755 follow-ups checked here, SOILY leaves the fewest possible answers on average (7.1).
How these two openers fit together
SLATE and TRACE share 3 letters (A, E, T). Played as a pair they cover 7 distinct letters.
Played back to back, SLATE then TRACE earns 7.75 bits of information in total, 1.90 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- SLATE: Answer to Wordle #548 on December 19, 2022. TRACE would have come back 🟨⬛🟩⬛🟩 that day, leaving 13 possible answers.
- TRACE: Answer to Wordle #179 on December 15, 2021. SLATE would have come back ⬛⬛🟩🟨🟩 that day, leaving 2 possible answers. Answer to Wordle #1889 on August 21, 2026. SLATE would have come back ⬛⬛🟩🟨🟩 that day, leaving 2 possible answers.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: SLATE or TRACE?
- SLATE and TRACE are effectively tied on their average guesses in games solved within six in the current bounded policy screen.
- What does entropy mean for SLATE vs TRACE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. SLATE records 5.86 bits and TRACE records 5.82 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 TRACE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,907 past Wordle answers, SLATE left fewer possible answers than TRACE on 49% of days, TRACE did better on 51%, and the rest were ties. On average, SLATE left 73 candidates after the first guess and TRACE left 74.