ALERT
Yes, ALERT was the Wordle answer on March 6, 2025 (Wordle #1356).
Meaning and pronunciation
Pronunciation: /əˈlɜːt//əˈlɝt/
- Adjective
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Attentive; awake; on guard.
- Noun
-
An alarm.
- Noun
-
A notification of higher importance than an advisory.
- Verb
-
To give warning to.
Source: Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Corrections.
Etymology
From French alerte (“alert”), from the phrase à l'erte (“on the watch”), from Italian all'erta (“to the height”), from erta (“lookout, tower”).
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)
How it sounds
Two syllables, stress on the second syllable Say it UHLURT.
Rhymes with SHIRT SKIRT FLIRT EXERT OVERT
Related meanings by dictionary sense
adjective
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
caught by a couple of alert cops
alert enough to spot the opportunity when it came
constantly alert and vigilant, like a sentinel on duty
Synonyms for this sense: watchful.
adjective
quick and energetic
Synonyms for this sense: lively, merry, spanking, brisk, rattling, snappy.
adjective
mentally perceptive and responsive
an alert mind
alert to the problems
Synonyms for this sense: alive, awake.
noun
condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action
bombers were put on alert during the crisis
noun
a warning serves to make you more alert to danger
noun
an automatic signal (usually a sound) warning of danger
Synonyms for this sense: alarm.
verb
warn or arouse to a sense of danger or call to a state of preparedness
Synonyms for this sense: alarm.
Open English WordNet, 2025 edition, CC BY 4.0. Source dictionary. Senses are kept separate; no puzzle appearance is assigned to a meaning without evidence.
In a sentence
You need to be alert.
I need to be more alert.
Use ALERT in a puzzle
As an opener, it rules out about 96.9% of possible answers.
Wordle status
Answer chance: very unlikely. Roughly 0.21% within a year (about 1 in 476), under the model through 2026-11-05. This is an estimate, not a publisher forecast. How this is calculated.
Playable guess
YesIncluded in the Wordle guess list used by our tools.
Earlier benchmark pool
YesMembership in the preserved uniform benchmark; it is not a future eligibility rule.
Past Wordle answer
Used oncePast Wordle answer: March 6, 2025 (#1356).
See the full page for that puzzle: March 6, 2025 (#1356).
The possible-answer list is the solver's current list and may change when Wordle adds new answers.
Reported player results
Voluntary self-reported sample, not representative of all players. Solver scores do not measure human difficulty. Small or complementary cells stay private.
Wordle #1356 · March 6, 2025
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See what the public sample says →How ALERT performs as a guess
ALERT is a possible answer, so it would solve about one game in 2,392 when every answer is treated as equally likely.
Played as an opener, it lands at least one colored tile in 91.3% of games, misses completely in 8.7%, and leaves about 75 possible answers on average.
In the previous complete opener benchmark, it ranks #365 of 14,855 openers, averaging 3.58 guesses in games solved within six turns.
Try your feedback pattern
Tap the tiles to match your feedback, then see the ranked follow-up guesses.
Useful pattern pages
If you only know part of the word, start with one of these matching patterns.
First-turn measures
All four describe ALERT used as an opening guess. Entropy is the same idea as “avg ruled out” on a log scale: a higher number means the guess splits the possible answers into more, smaller groups.
As an opening guess: previous benchmark
How ALERT performed in the previous complete opener benchmark, against its captured answer snapshot. These research figures are separate from today's solver recommendations. See the data page for the method.
Composition
Feedback chances
When ALERT is useful later
ALERT tied for the smallest expected survivor count in 1 of 54 sampled positions where it was legal. This designed sample is not a measure of how often real players should use it.
After ADIEU: 3 candidates, normal mode
ADIEU: 00000 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).
SLOPS: 00202 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).
NOOBS: 02202 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).
COOMS: 02212 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).
Remaining answers: MOOKS, MOORS, MOOTS.
With a budget of 2 more guesses, ALERT is an information probe, outside this survivor list. It leaves 1.00 candidates on average under the model. Every feedback identifies a single candidate; another turn may be needed to submit it.
Try this position in the SolverSample and method
Every saved board is reachable within a six-turn game. Remaining turns equal six minus the saved history length. The sampling policy is independent of the expected-survivor metric. Two states at each of three depths per opener were selected by a fixed hash from an independent candidate-only sampling policy. Every accepted guess was evaluated. Model answer-model-2026-11-05-9183a914c959, data through 2026-11-05. The score measures expected survivors, not proved solve length or human difficulty.
How the solver finds ALERT
The strategy receives only earlier guesses and their feedback. It does not know the answer before choosing a move. Guessing the answer itself on turn one is a lucky one-turn result, not a recommended general strategy.
Normal mode
Our solver: bounded weighted policy. Current-pool replay over 14,855 accepted words. Model through 2026-11-05.
-
The fixed opener tests its five letters.
14,855 before → 26 after. This feedback leaves 26 candidates.
All 26 surviving candidates
AFTER, ALERT, ALTER, APERT, APTER, ARETT, ARMET, ARTEL, ARTER, ATTER, AVERT, EXTRA, FEART, GREAT, HEART, PEART, PETAR, PRETA, REACT, REATA, RECTA, REPAT, RETAG, RETAM, RETAX, RETIA
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 414.45. Information: 5.74 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test REPAT against the 26 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
26 before → 4 after. This feedback leaves 4 candidates.
All 4 surviving candidates
ALERT, ARETT, ARMET, AVERT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.602. Information: 1.856 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test ALERT against the 4 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
4 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
ALERT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 1.688 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
Solved in 3 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 3.
Continue this board in the SolverHard Mode
Our solver: bounded weighted policy. Current-pool replay over 14,855 accepted words. Model through 2026-11-05.
-
The fixed opener tests its five letters.
14,855 before → 26 after. This feedback leaves 26 candidates.
All 26 surviving candidates
AFTER, ALERT, ALTER, APERT, APTER, ARETT, ARMET, ARTEL, ARTER, ATTER, AVERT, EXTRA, FEART, GREAT, HEART, PEART, PETAR, PRETA, REACT, REATA, RECTA, REPAT, RETAG, RETAM, RETAX, RETIA
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 414.45. Information: 5.74 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test REPAT against the 26 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
26 before → 4 after. This feedback leaves 4 candidates.
All 4 surviving candidates
ALERT, ARETT, ARMET, AVERT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.602. Information: 1.856 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test ALERT against the 4 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
4 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
ALERT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 1.688 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
Solved in 3 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 3.
Continue this board in the SolverHistorical proven-optimal benchmark: July 2023
Alex Selby’s strategy minimises the mean over its complete 3,158-answer snapshot. A route for one answer is not proof of the shortest possible route for that answer, and is separate from the current weighted model.
Normal mode
Selby’s proven-optimal strategy. July 2023 snapshot: 3,158 equally likely answers; minimum mean guesses.
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The fixed opener tests its five letters.
3,158 before → 9 after. This feedback leaves 9 candidates.
All 9 surviving candidates
AFTER, ALERT, ALTER, AVERT, EXTRA, GREAT, HEART, REACT, RETAG
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 100.074. Information: 5.888 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test ALERT against the 9 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
9 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
ALERT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 3.17 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
Solved in 2 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 2.
Continue this board in the SolverHard Mode
Selby’s proven-optimal strategy. July 2023 snapshot: 3,158 equally likely answers; minimum mean guesses.
-
The fixed opener tests its five letters.
3,158 before → 9 after. This feedback leaves 9 candidates.
All 9 surviving candidates
AFTER, ALERT, ALTER, AVERT, EXTRA, GREAT, HEART, REACT, RETAG
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 100.074. Information: 5.888 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test ALERT against the 9 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
9 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
ALERT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 3.17 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
Solved in 2 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 2.
Continue this board in the SolverSource: Alex Selby’s Wordle analysis, MIT. Licence and attribution.
How the fixed opener panel performs on this answer
| Opener | First feedback | Survivors | Normal | Hard Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TARSE | 11101 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 26 | 3 | 3 |
| CRANE | 01101 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 289 | 3 | 3 |
| SLATE | 02111 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| ADIEU | 20010 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 114 | 3 | 3 |
| STARE | 01121 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| AUDIO | 20000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 324 | 4 | 3 |
| RAISE | 11001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 138 | 3 | 3 |
| ROATE | 10111 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 54 | 3 | 3 |
| SALET | 01112 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 9 | 4 | 3 |
- Normal mode
- 1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 7 · 4 guesses: 2 · 5 guesses: 0 · 6 guesses: 0 · Failed in six: 0
- Hard Mode
- 1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 9 · 4 guesses: 0 · 5 guesses: 0 · 6 guesses: 0 · Failed in six: 0
The nine openers use the same pool and continuation policy. Across both modes: 3–4 guesses among successes; 0 of 18 configurations failed. This is performance on this answer, not an overall opener ranking.
66 openers set up a two-turn opportunity; examples include LATER, CLEAR, LEARN, STEAL, ALARM, ULTRA, PEARL, ALTER, CLERK, ALTAR. After their feedback, this answer is among the most likely survivors with at least half the model probability. This is an opportunity, not a guarantee. An opener that immediately solves is excluded.
Why this answer can be difficult
The worked board still allows 4 different answers at one later decision: ALERT, ARETT, ARMET, AVERT. These are mechanical alternatives, not a judgement of vocabulary difficulty.
Vocabulary evidence and voluntary player results are reported separately from these solver observations.
Closest competing answers in this board
These words all fit the earlier feedback, rather than merely sharing similar spelling: ALERT, ARETT, ARMET, AVERT.
A lesson from this route
Before ALERT, 4 words still fit. Its feedback left 1; check the full survivor list before choosing the next answer.
Try another opener or a different move
How this is calculated
The current policy checks all remaining candidates and up to 128 fixed probes. At six or fewer candidates it uses bounded lookahead, preferring modelled six-turn success, then speed among successes. Larger states use expected survivors as a heuristic. These are recommendations, not proofs of optimal play. Hard Mode retains green positions and revealed letter counts; it allows grey letters and a yellow in the same position. Candidate-only play is stricter.
Feedback distribution
ALERT can come back 131 different ways. These are the most likely, and how many of the possible answers give each one:
Letter-value totals
Base letter-value totals for ALERT; these do not show whether either game accepts the word.
Scrabble
Words With Friends
Scores shown are base values without double/triple letter or word bonuses.
Try next
Strategy after playing ALERT
What the solver recommends next for each way the board can respond to ALERT.
Quick reference
Largest feedback groups after playing ALERT:
Research on ALERT
Game-tree analysis and word research for ALERT, with an explanation for each figure.
Optimal play
Opening with ALERT, a proven-optimal strategy averages 3.60 guesses and ranks #165 of 14,855 legal openers. The best proven opener, TARSE, averages 3.55.
In hard mode it averages 3.71 guesses at best and is rank #39 of the 7,453 openers that can still guarantee a solve within six guesses.
Our six-turn simulation says 3.58, at or below the proven-optimal 3.60, because the two figures score different answer lists.
These figures come from exhaustive game-tree search and are exact for the NYT lists of July 2023 (3,158 answers). They do not use the site's working answer pool.
Familiarity and learning
- Frequency
- ALERT sits in the common band of the wordfreq scale, appearing about 21 times per million words in the source corpus. Corpus frequency does not measure every reader’s familiarity.
- Learner level
- Appears in intermediate learner vocabulary (CEFR-J level B2); a word learners usually reach after the basics.
- Age of acquisition
- Typically learned around age 8, by Glasgow Norms speaker ratings.
- Imageability
- Imageability score: 40 of 100. Raters gave it a middle-range score.
- Dominant sense
- Lancaster raters associated it most strongly with sound (3.5 of 5).
Sources: Optimal-play values: Alex Selby's exhaustive Wordle analysis (MIT); Pronunciation: CMU Pronouncing Dictionary (BSD); Word frequency: wordfreq (data CC BY-SA 4.0); Learner levels: CEFR-J Wordlist ver 1.5, Tono Laboratory, TUFS; Glasgow Norms (CC BY 4.0); Lancaster Sensorimotor Norms (CC BY 4.0).