Opener Lab
SLATE vs TRICE
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, SLATE averages 3.47 guesses and TRICE averages 3.47 in games solved within six.
Looking only at the opening row, SLATE has higher entropy (5.86 bits versus 5.63). 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 54% of dates; TRICE did so on 46%, with the rest tied.
| Metric | SLATE | TRICE |
|---|---|---|
| Elimination | 96.9% | 96.2% |
| Information | 5.86 bits | 5.63 bits |
| Avg remaining | 73 words | 89 words |
| Avg turns | 3.47 | 3.47 |
| Missed in six | 0 | 0 |
| Win rate | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Tier | S | A |
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, SLATE left an average of 72 candidates and TRICE an average of 87.
The most recent test was Wordle #1857 on July 20, 2026, when the answer was DIVER. SLATE came back ⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 and kept 169 words in play. TRICE came back ⬛🟨🟨⬛🟨 and kept 31 words.
What to expect from the first guess
| Outcome | SLATE | TRICE |
|---|---|---|
| First-turn solve* | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| At least one green | 46.3% | 41.2% |
| Any green or yellow | 90.3% | 87.8% |
| Whole row gray | 9.7% | 12.2% |
| Worst case answers left | 228 | 287 |
*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 12.2% for TRICE.
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 TRICE
All five letters miss 12.2% of the time, leaving 287 words in play. Of the 785 follow-ups checked here, SALON leaves the fewest possible answers on average (7.2).
How these two openers fit together
SLATE and TRICE share 2 letters (E, T). Played as a pair they cover 8 distinct letters, which still gives the second word room to do useful work.
Played back to back, SLATE then TRICE earns 8.56 bits of information in total, 2.71 bits more than the better word manages alone.
Past Wordle answers
- SLATE: Answer to Wordle #548 on December 19, 2022. TRICE would have come back 🟨⬛⬛⬛🟩 that day, leaving 34 possible answers.
- TRICE: Answer to Wordle #457 on September 19, 2022. SLATE would have come back ⬛⬛⬛🟨🟩 that day, leaving 18 possible answers.
Common questions
- Which is a better starting word: SLATE or TRICE?
- SLATE and TRICE 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 TRICE?
- Entropy measures the information in the distribution of feedback outcomes. SLATE records 5.86 bits and TRICE records 5.63 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 TRICE score against past Wordle answers?
- Across 1,858 past Wordle answers, SLATE left fewer possible answers than TRICE on 54% of days, TRICE did better on 46%, and the rest were ties. On average, SLATE left 72 candidates after the first guess and TRICE left 87.