Opener Lab

Compare SURFS

Pick a word to compare against.

SURFS F
85.2%
of words eliminated

How SURFS performs

Played first, SURFS removes about 85.2% of the possible-answer list on average and scores 3.77 bits of information. It is not on the possible-answer list, but it can still be useful because of the feedback groups it creates.

Tried against 1,859 past Wordle answers, SURFS left an average of 354 possible answers standing after the first guess. Its largest group in that replay came on July 18, 2026, when the answer was BOOTH and 739 candidates survived.

First-guess odds

OutcomeSURFS
First-turn solve*0%
At least one green30.7%
Any green or yellow68.7%
Whole row gray31.3%
Worst case answers left739

*Treating every word in the possible-answer list as equally likely.