5 FiveLetterWords
Very unlikely Accepted guess C tier for first-turn info

ANIMA

ANIMA is an accepted guess. Its modelled answer likelihood is very unlikely; no globally completed appearance is recorded here.

Meaning and pronunciation

Pronunciation: /ˈænɪmə//ˈænəmə/

Noun

The soul or animating principle of a living thing, especially as contrasted with the animus.

Noun

The inner self (not the external persona) of a person that is in touch with the unconscious as opposed to the persona.

Source: Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Corrections.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin anima (“a current of air, wind, air, breath, the vital principle, life, soul”), sometimes equivalent to animus (“mind”), both from Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁- (“to breathe, blow”); see animus. Cognate with Ancient Greek ἄνεμος (ánemos, “wind”), Old English anda (“anger, envy, zeal”). More at onde.

Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)

Related meanings by dictionary sense

noun

(Jungian psychology) the inner self (not the external persona) that is in touch with the unconscious

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.

Use ANIMA in a puzzle

As an opener, it rules out about 88.2% of possible answers.

Open Solver with ANIMA Open Word Finder

Wordle status

Answer chance: very unlikely. Roughly 0.05% within a year (about 1 in 2,113), under the model through 2026-11-05. This is an estimate, not a publisher forecast. How this is calculated.

Playable guess

Yes

Included in the Wordle guess list used by our tools.

Earlier benchmark pool

No

Membership in the preserved uniform benchmark; it is not a future eligibility rule.

Past Wordle answer

No completed appearance

No appearance in our globally completed history. A recent puzzle may still be live elsewhere.

The possible-answer list is the solver's current list and may change when Wordle adds new answers.

How ANIMA performs as a guess

Wordle accepts ANIMA as a guess. It is outside this preserved uniform benchmark’s answer pool; that is not a claim about future eligibility.

Played as an opener, it lands at least one colored tile in 74.3% of games, misses completely in 25.7%, and leaves about 281 possible answers on average.

In the previous complete opener benchmark, it ranks #10,218 of 14,855 openers, averaging 3.77 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.

All gray? Tap a tile to cycle gray → yellow → green.
See strategy patterns

Useful pattern pages

If you only know part of the word, start with one of these matching patterns.

A___A A in the 1st position and A in the 5th position A__M_ A in the 1st position and M in the 4th position _N__A N in the 2nd position and A in the 5th position

Explore lists that match the beginning, ending or letters in ANIMA.

First-turn measures

All four describe ANIMA 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.

4.09 Entropy (bits)
281 Avg remaining
0.0% Exact match
88.2% Avg ruled out

As an opening guess: previous benchmark

How ANIMA 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.

3.77 Avg guesses
99.92% Solved within six
0.72 Spread of game lengths
#10,218 Rank among openers
Opening with ANIMA left 2 of the snapshot's answers unsolved after six guesses. A spread of 0.72 means those games clustered within about 0.72 of a guess of the 3.77 average. It ranks #10,218 of 14,855 openers by average guesses in games solved within six.
1 guess
0
2 guesses
47
3 guesses
786
4 guesses
1,214
5 guesses
280
6 guesses
25

Composition

4/5 unique
3 vowels
Common:
AIN

Feedback chances

Any hit (G/Y)
74%
Green tile
24%
All gray
26%

When ANIMA is useful later

ANIMA tied for the smallest expected survivor count in 4 of 54 sampled positions where it was legal. This designed sample is not a measure of how often real players should use it.

After STARE: 4 candidates, normal mode

STARE: 02110 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

Remaining answers: ATRIA, ATRIP, ATTAR, OTTAR.

With a budget of 5 more guesses, ANIMA 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 Solver
After ROATE: 3 candidates, normal mode

ROATE: 10101 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

AWNER: 10011 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

ZEBRA: 01012 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

Remaining answers: CREMA, ERICA, PRESA.

With a budget of 3 more guesses, ANIMA 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 Solver
After SALET: 3 candidates, normal mode

SALET: 01000 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

BORAK: 00010 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

ADUNC: 22010 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

Remaining answers: ADAWN, ADDIN, ADMIN.

With a budget of 3 more guesses, ANIMA 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 Solver
Sample 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 this is calculated.

How the solver finds ANIMA

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.

  1. The fixed opener tests its five letters.

    14,855 before → 731 after. This feedback leaves 731 candidates.

    All 731 surviving candidates

    ABACA, ABACI, ABACK, ABAKA, ABAMP, ABAND, ABAYA, ABJAD, ABJUD, ABLOW, ABMHO, ABOHM, ABOIL, ABOMA, ABOON, ABUNA, ABUZZ, ACCHA, ACCOY, ACHOO, ACIDY, ACING, ACINI, ACMIC, ACOCK, ACOLD, ADAWN, ADDAX, ADDIN, ADDIO, ADHAN, ADHOC, ADLIB, ADMAN, ADMIN, ADMIX, ADOBO, ADOON, ADOWN, ADUKI, ADUNC, AFALD, AFANC, AFFIX, AFFLY, AFION, AFIZZ, AFLAJ, AFLAP, AFLOW, AFOAM, AFOUL, AGAIN, AGAMA, AGAMI, AGAMY, AGGAG, AGIDI, AGILA, AGING, AGLOO, AGLOW, AGOGO, AGONY, AGOOD, AGUNA, AHIGH, AHIND, AHING, AHOLD, AHULL, AIDOI, AIMAG, AIMAK, AINGA, AIOLI, AIYAH, AIYOH, AIYOO, AJIVA, AJUGA, AJUPA, AJWAN, AKING, AKOIA, AKOJA, AKOYA, ALAAP, ALACK, ALALA, ALAMO, ALAND, ALANG, ALAPA, ALBID, ALBUM, ALCID, ALDOL, ALGAL, ALGID, ALGIN, ALGUM, ALIBI, ALICK, ALIGN, ALIYA, ALKIN, ALKYD, ALKYL, ALLAN, ALLAY, ALLIN, ALLOD, ALLOW, ALLOY, ALLYL, ALMAH, ALMUD, ALMUG, ALOHA, ALOIN, ALONG, ALOOF, ALOUD, ALPHA, ALULA, ALUMY, ALWAY, AMAIN, AMBAN, AMICI, AMIDO, AMIGA, AMIGO, AMINO, AMMAN, AMMON, AMNIA, AMNIC, AMNIO, AMONG, AMPLY, AMPUL, AMUCK, ANANA, ANCHO, ANCON, ANDIC, ANGLO, ANIGH, ANIMA, ANIMI, ANION, ANNAL, ANNAN, ANNOY, ANNUL, ANNUM, ANOMY, ANVIL, ANYON, APAID, APAYD, APHID, APIAN, APING, APIOL, APOOP, APPAL, APPAM, APPAY, APPLY, APPUI, APPUY, AUDAD, AUDAX, AUDIO, AULIC, AULOI, AUMIL, AUXIN, AVAIL, AVIAN, AVION, AVOID, AWFUL, AWING, AWKIN, AXIAL, AXING, AXIOM, AXION, AXMAN, AXOID, AYAYA, AYMAG, AZIDO, AZLON, AZOIC, AZUKI, AZYGY, BBALL, BHAJI, BHANG, BHAVA, BHUNA, BIACH, BIALI, BIALY, BIGHA, BILAL, BIMAH, BINAL, BIVIA, BLACK, BLADY, BLAFF, BLAIN, BLANC, BLAND, BLANK, BLAUD, BLAWN, BOBAC, BOBAK, BOCCA, BOGAN, BONZA, BOOAI, BOOAY, BOXLA, BOYAU, BOYLA, BUBAL, BUBBA, BUFFA, BUGAN, BULLA, BUNIA, BUNYA, BWANA, BWAZI, BYLAW, BYWAY, CHAAP, CHACK, CHACO, CHADO, CHAFF, CHAIN, CHALK, CHAMP, CHANA, CHANG, CHANK, CHAVA, CHAWK, CHAWL, CHAYA, CHIAO, CHIBA, CHICA, CHINA, CHIVA, CHOLA, CHUFA, CILIA, CLACH, CLACK, CLAIM, CLAMP, CLANG, CLANK, CLAVI, CLOAK, CLOAM, CNIDA, COACH, COADY, COALA, COALY, COBIA, COBZA, COCOA, COHAB, COLZA, COMAL, COMMA, CONGA, CONIA, COPAL, COPAY, COPHA, COWAL, COWAN, COXAL, COYAU, CUDDA, CULPA, CUPPA, CYANO, CYCAD, DHABA, DIANA, DIAZO, DINNA, DIVAN, DIVNA, DIWAN, DOBLA, DOGAL, DOGAN, DOGMA, DOLIA, DOLMA, DOMAL, DONAH, DONGA, DONNA, DOONA, DOULA, DOUMA, DOWAK, DOWNA, DUCAL, DUKKA, DULIA, DUMKA, DUNAM, DWAAL, DWALM, DWAMY, DWANG, DWAUM, FINAL, FINCA, FLACK, FLAFF, FLAIL, FLAKY, FLAMM, FLAMY, FLANK, FLAVA, FLAWN, FLAWY, FLAXY, FOAMY, FOCAL, FOLIA, FONDA, FUGAL, FULLA, FULWA, FUNDA, GHAZI, GILIA, GINGA, GLADY, GLAIK, GLAMP, GLAND, GLAUM, GLAZY, GLIAL, GLOAM, GNAPI, GNAWN, GOBAN, GOGGA, GOMPA, GONAD, GONIA, GONNA, GOPAK, GOWAN, GUACO, GUANA, GUANO, GUAVA, GUBBA, GULAB, GULAG, GUMMA, GYOZA, HIJAB, HINAU, HOACH, HOAGY, HODAD, HODJA, HOGAN, HOLLA, HONAN, HONDA, HOOHA, HOOKA, HOPAK, HOWAY, HUBBA, HUDNA, HUMAN, HUZZA, HYPHA, IDDAH, IDOLA, IGAPO, ILIAC, ILIAD, ILIAL, IMAGO, IMAGY, IMAUM, INDIA, INGAN, INLAY, INULA, IXNAY, JHALA, JIBBA, JIHAD, JNANA, JOUAL, JUGAL, JULIA, KHADI, KHAKI, KHANA, KHAPH, KHAYA, KHAZI, KHOJA, KHULA, KHYAL, KIACK, KIAKI, KIANG, KIBLA, KIKAY, KINDA, KIPAH, KIPPA, KLANG, KNACK, KOALA, KOBAN, KOGAL, KOKAM, KOPPA, KULAK, KULAN, KWAAI, KYACK, KYANG, LIANA, LIANG, LIGAN, LILAC, LIMAN, LIMAX, LIMBA, LIMMA, LIMPA, LINAC, LINGA, LIWAA, LLAMA, LLANO, LOACH, LOAMY, LOCAL, LOGAN, LOGIA, LOHAN, LONGA, LOOFA, LOUMA, LOWAN, LOYAL, LUACH, LUFFA, MBILA, MBUGA, MIAOU, MIAOW, MIAUL, MIGMA, MIKAN, MIKVA, MILIA, MILPA, MMKAY, MOAKY, MOANA, MOANY, MOCAP, MOCHA, MODAL, MOHUA, MOLAL, MOLLA, MOMMA, MONAD, MONAL, MOOLA, MUGGA, MULAI, MULGA, MULLA, MUNGA, MUNIA, MUNJA, MUVVA, MUZAK, MVULA, MYALL, MYNAH, MYOMA, NDUJA, NGAIO, NGAKA, NGANA, NGAPI, NGOMA, NICAD, NIDAL, NIGGA, NIGUA, NIKAB, NIKAH, NIKAU, NINJA, NIOZA, NIQAB, NIVAL, NIZAM, NODAL, NOGAL, NOMAD, NONAN, NONDA, NONNA, NOPAL, NOUJA, NOVIA, NOWAY, NOXAL, NOYAU, NUBIA, NUCHA, NULLA, NYAFF, NYALA, OBANG, OCCAM, OFFAL, OFLAG, OGHAM, OIDIA, OKAPI, OLIVA, OLLAV, OLONA, OMDAH, OMDDA, OMIAI, OMLAH, ONLAP, ONLAY, OOJAH, OOPAK, OOYAH, OPGAF, OUIJA, OXMAN, OYAMA, PHANG, PHIAL, PHOCA, PHYLA, PHYMA, PIANI, PIANO, PIBAL, PICAL, PIKAU, PILAF, PILAO, PILAU, PILAW, PINAX, PINDA, PINGA, PINNA, PIPAL, PIUMA, PIZZA, PLACK, PLAGA, PLAID, PLAIG, PLAIN, PLANC, PLANH, PLANK, PLAUD, PLAYA, PLAZA, PLICA, POACH, POAKA, POALO, POCAN, PODAL, PODIA, POKAL, POLKA, POMPA, PONGA, POOAY, POOJA, POOKA, POOPA, POPIA, POPPA, POWAN, PUCAN, PUCKA, PUFFA, PUJAH, PUKKA, PULAO, PULKA, PUNGA, PUNKA, PUPAL, PUPPA, PYGAL, PZAZZ, QIBLA, QIPAO, QUACK, QUAFF, QUAIL, QUAKY, QUALM, QUALY, QUANK, QUAWK, QUAYD, QUILA, QUINA, QUOAD, UGALI, UHLAN, ULAMA, ULNAD, ULPAN, UMAMI, UMIAC, UMIAK, UMIAQ, UMMAH, UNAGI, UNBAG, UNBAN, UNCAP, UNCIA, UNDAM, UNGAG, UNICA, UNJAM, UNLAP, UNLAW, UNLAY, UNMAD, UNMAN, UNPAY, UPLAY, UVULA, VIAND, VIFDA, VIGIA, VILLA, VINAL, VINCA, VIOLA, VIVDA, VOBLA, VOCAB, VOCAL, VODKA, VOILA, VOLVA, VULVA, WHACK, WHAMO, WHANG, WHAUP, WHYDA, WICCA, WIGAN, WIGGA, WILGA, WILJA, WINNA, WOADY, WOALD, WOKKA, WOMAN, WONGA, WUNGA, WUXIA, XOANA, XYLAN, YCLAD, YOHAH, YOHAY, YOJAN, YOKAN, YOWZA, YUCCA, YULAN, ZIGAN, ZILLA, ZONAL, ZONDA, ZOPPA, ZUPAN, ZUPPA, ZYGAL

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 414.45. Information: 5.74 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  2. Test ALOIN against the 731 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    731 before → 13 after. This feedback leaves 13 candidates.

    All 13 surviving candidates

    ACING, ACINI, AGING, AHIND, AHING, AINGA, AKING, ANIGH, ANIMA, ANIMI, APING, AWING, AXING

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 21.468. Information: 4.72 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test CAPES against the 13 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    13 before → 10 after. This feedback leaves 10 candidates.

    All 10 surviving candidates

    AGING, AHIND, AHING, AINGA, AKING, ANIGH, ANIMA, ANIMI, AWING, AXING

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.272. Information: 0.753 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Test AGING against the 10 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    10 before → 2 after. This feedback leaves 2 candidates.

    All 2 surviving candidates

    ANIMA, ANIMI

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 2.042. Information: 2.294 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  5. Test ANIMA against the 2 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    2 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.

    All 1 surviving candidates

    ANIMA

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 1.0 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

Solved in 5 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 5.

Continue this board in the Solver

Hard Mode

Our solver: bounded weighted policy. Current-pool replay over 14,855 accepted words. Model through 2026-11-05.

  1. The fixed opener tests its five letters.

    14,855 before → 731 after. This feedback leaves 731 candidates.

    All 731 surviving candidates

    ABACA, ABACI, ABACK, ABAKA, ABAMP, ABAND, ABAYA, ABJAD, ABJUD, ABLOW, ABMHO, ABOHM, ABOIL, ABOMA, ABOON, ABUNA, ABUZZ, ACCHA, ACCOY, ACHOO, ACIDY, ACING, ACINI, ACMIC, ACOCK, ACOLD, ADAWN, ADDAX, ADDIN, ADDIO, ADHAN, ADHOC, ADLIB, ADMAN, ADMIN, ADMIX, ADOBO, ADOON, ADOWN, ADUKI, ADUNC, AFALD, AFANC, AFFIX, AFFLY, AFION, AFIZZ, AFLAJ, AFLAP, AFLOW, AFOAM, AFOUL, AGAIN, AGAMA, AGAMI, AGAMY, AGGAG, AGIDI, AGILA, AGING, AGLOO, AGLOW, AGOGO, AGONY, AGOOD, AGUNA, AHIGH, AHIND, AHING, AHOLD, AHULL, AIDOI, AIMAG, AIMAK, AINGA, AIOLI, AIYAH, AIYOH, AIYOO, AJIVA, AJUGA, AJUPA, AJWAN, AKING, AKOIA, AKOJA, AKOYA, ALAAP, ALACK, ALALA, ALAMO, ALAND, ALANG, ALAPA, ALBID, ALBUM, ALCID, ALDOL, ALGAL, ALGID, ALGIN, ALGUM, ALIBI, ALICK, ALIGN, ALIYA, ALKIN, ALKYD, ALKYL, ALLAN, ALLAY, ALLIN, ALLOD, ALLOW, ALLOY, ALLYL, ALMAH, ALMUD, ALMUG, ALOHA, ALOIN, ALONG, ALOOF, ALOUD, ALPHA, ALULA, ALUMY, ALWAY, AMAIN, AMBAN, AMICI, AMIDO, AMIGA, AMIGO, AMINO, AMMAN, AMMON, AMNIA, AMNIC, AMNIO, AMONG, AMPLY, AMPUL, AMUCK, ANANA, ANCHO, ANCON, ANDIC, ANGLO, ANIGH, ANIMA, ANIMI, ANION, ANNAL, ANNAN, ANNOY, ANNUL, ANNUM, ANOMY, ANVIL, ANYON, APAID, APAYD, APHID, APIAN, APING, APIOL, APOOP, APPAL, APPAM, APPAY, APPLY, APPUI, APPUY, AUDAD, AUDAX, AUDIO, AULIC, AULOI, AUMIL, AUXIN, AVAIL, AVIAN, AVION, AVOID, AWFUL, AWING, AWKIN, AXIAL, AXING, AXIOM, AXION, AXMAN, AXOID, AYAYA, AYMAG, AZIDO, AZLON, AZOIC, AZUKI, AZYGY, BBALL, BHAJI, BHANG, BHAVA, BHUNA, BIACH, BIALI, BIALY, BIGHA, BILAL, BIMAH, BINAL, BIVIA, BLACK, BLADY, BLAFF, BLAIN, BLANC, BLAND, BLANK, BLAUD, BLAWN, BOBAC, BOBAK, BOCCA, BOGAN, BONZA, BOOAI, BOOAY, BOXLA, BOYAU, BOYLA, BUBAL, BUBBA, BUFFA, BUGAN, BULLA, BUNIA, BUNYA, BWANA, BWAZI, BYLAW, BYWAY, CHAAP, CHACK, CHACO, CHADO, CHAFF, CHAIN, CHALK, CHAMP, CHANA, CHANG, CHANK, CHAVA, CHAWK, CHAWL, CHAYA, CHIAO, CHIBA, CHICA, CHINA, CHIVA, CHOLA, CHUFA, CILIA, CLACH, CLACK, CLAIM, CLAMP, CLANG, CLANK, CLAVI, CLOAK, CLOAM, CNIDA, COACH, COADY, COALA, COALY, COBIA, COBZA, COCOA, COHAB, COLZA, COMAL, COMMA, CONGA, CONIA, COPAL, COPAY, COPHA, COWAL, COWAN, COXAL, COYAU, CUDDA, CULPA, CUPPA, CYANO, CYCAD, DHABA, DIANA, DIAZO, DINNA, DIVAN, DIVNA, DIWAN, DOBLA, DOGAL, DOGAN, DOGMA, DOLIA, DOLMA, DOMAL, DONAH, DONGA, DONNA, DOONA, DOULA, DOUMA, DOWAK, DOWNA, DUCAL, DUKKA, DULIA, DUMKA, DUNAM, DWAAL, DWALM, DWAMY, DWANG, DWAUM, FINAL, FINCA, FLACK, FLAFF, FLAIL, FLAKY, FLAMM, FLAMY, FLANK, FLAVA, FLAWN, FLAWY, FLAXY, FOAMY, FOCAL, FOLIA, FONDA, FUGAL, FULLA, FULWA, FUNDA, GHAZI, GILIA, GINGA, GLADY, GLAIK, GLAMP, GLAND, GLAUM, GLAZY, GLIAL, GLOAM, GNAPI, GNAWN, GOBAN, GOGGA, GOMPA, GONAD, GONIA, GONNA, GOPAK, GOWAN, GUACO, GUANA, GUANO, GUAVA, GUBBA, GULAB, GULAG, GUMMA, GYOZA, HIJAB, HINAU, HOACH, HOAGY, HODAD, HODJA, HOGAN, HOLLA, HONAN, HONDA, HOOHA, HOOKA, HOPAK, HOWAY, HUBBA, HUDNA, HUMAN, HUZZA, HYPHA, IDDAH, IDOLA, IGAPO, ILIAC, ILIAD, ILIAL, IMAGO, IMAGY, IMAUM, INDIA, INGAN, INLAY, INULA, IXNAY, JHALA, JIBBA, JIHAD, JNANA, JOUAL, JUGAL, JULIA, KHADI, KHAKI, KHANA, KHAPH, KHAYA, KHAZI, KHOJA, KHULA, KHYAL, KIACK, KIAKI, KIANG, KIBLA, KIKAY, KINDA, KIPAH, KIPPA, KLANG, KNACK, KOALA, KOBAN, KOGAL, KOKAM, KOPPA, KULAK, KULAN, KWAAI, KYACK, KYANG, LIANA, LIANG, LIGAN, LILAC, LIMAN, LIMAX, LIMBA, LIMMA, LIMPA, LINAC, LINGA, LIWAA, LLAMA, LLANO, LOACH, LOAMY, LOCAL, LOGAN, LOGIA, LOHAN, LONGA, LOOFA, LOUMA, LOWAN, LOYAL, LUACH, LUFFA, MBILA, MBUGA, MIAOU, MIAOW, MIAUL, MIGMA, MIKAN, MIKVA, MILIA, MILPA, MMKAY, MOAKY, MOANA, MOANY, MOCAP, MOCHA, MODAL, MOHUA, MOLAL, MOLLA, MOMMA, MONAD, MONAL, MOOLA, MUGGA, MULAI, MULGA, MULLA, MUNGA, MUNIA, MUNJA, MUVVA, MUZAK, MVULA, MYALL, MYNAH, MYOMA, NDUJA, NGAIO, NGAKA, NGANA, NGAPI, NGOMA, NICAD, NIDAL, NIGGA, NIGUA, NIKAB, NIKAH, NIKAU, NINJA, NIOZA, NIQAB, NIVAL, NIZAM, NODAL, NOGAL, NOMAD, NONAN, NONDA, NONNA, NOPAL, NOUJA, NOVIA, NOWAY, NOXAL, NOYAU, NUBIA, NUCHA, NULLA, NYAFF, NYALA, OBANG, OCCAM, OFFAL, OFLAG, OGHAM, OIDIA, OKAPI, OLIVA, OLLAV, OLONA, OMDAH, OMDDA, OMIAI, OMLAH, ONLAP, ONLAY, OOJAH, OOPAK, OOYAH, OPGAF, OUIJA, OXMAN, OYAMA, PHANG, PHIAL, PHOCA, PHYLA, PHYMA, PIANI, PIANO, PIBAL, PICAL, PIKAU, PILAF, PILAO, PILAU, PILAW, PINAX, PINDA, PINGA, PINNA, PIPAL, PIUMA, PIZZA, PLACK, PLAGA, PLAID, PLAIG, PLAIN, PLANC, PLANH, PLANK, PLAUD, PLAYA, PLAZA, PLICA, POACH, POAKA, POALO, POCAN, PODAL, PODIA, POKAL, POLKA, POMPA, PONGA, POOAY, POOJA, POOKA, POOPA, POPIA, POPPA, POWAN, PUCAN, PUCKA, PUFFA, PUJAH, PUKKA, PULAO, PULKA, PUNGA, PUNKA, PUPAL, PUPPA, PYGAL, PZAZZ, QIBLA, QIPAO, QUACK, QUAFF, QUAIL, QUAKY, QUALM, QUALY, QUANK, QUAWK, QUAYD, QUILA, QUINA, QUOAD, UGALI, UHLAN, ULAMA, ULNAD, ULPAN, UMAMI, UMIAC, UMIAK, UMIAQ, UMMAH, UNAGI, UNBAG, UNBAN, UNCAP, UNCIA, UNDAM, UNGAG, UNICA, UNJAM, UNLAP, UNLAW, UNLAY, UNMAD, UNMAN, UNPAY, UPLAY, UVULA, VIAND, VIFDA, VIGIA, VILLA, VINAL, VINCA, VIOLA, VIVDA, VOBLA, VOCAB, VOCAL, VODKA, VOILA, VOLVA, VULVA, WHACK, WHAMO, WHANG, WHAUP, WHYDA, WICCA, WIGAN, WIGGA, WILGA, WILJA, WINNA, WOADY, WOALD, WOKKA, WOMAN, WONGA, WUNGA, WUXIA, XOANA, XYLAN, YCLAD, YOHAH, YOHAY, YOJAN, YOKAN, YOWZA, YUCCA, YULAN, ZIGAN, ZILLA, ZONAL, ZONDA, ZOPPA, ZUPAN, ZUPPA, ZYGAL

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 414.45. Information: 5.74 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  2. Test ALOIN against the 731 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    731 before → 13 after. This feedback leaves 13 candidates.

    All 13 surviving candidates

    ACING, ACINI, AGING, AHIND, AHING, AINGA, AKING, ANIGH, ANIMA, ANIMI, APING, AWING, AXING

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 21.468. Information: 4.72 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test APING against the 13 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    13 before → 2 after. This feedback leaves 2 candidates.

    All 2 surviving candidates

    ANIMA, ANIMI

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.912. Information: 0.735 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Test ANIMA against the 2 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    2 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.

    All 1 surviving candidates

    ANIMA

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 1.0 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

Solved in 4 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 4.

Continue this board in the Solver

How the fixed opener panel performs on this answer

OpenerFirst feedbackSurvivorsNormalHard Mode
TARSE01000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)73154
CRANE00110 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)48533
SLATE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)110133
ADIEU20200 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)6444
STARE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)106144
AUDIO20010 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)10344
RAISE01200 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)6844
ROATE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)140444
SALET01000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)74944
Normal mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 2 · 4 guesses: 6 · 5 guesses: 1 · 6 guesses: 0 · Failed in six: 0
Hard Mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 2 · 4 guesses: 7 · 5 guesses: 0 · 6 guesses: 0 · Failed in six: 0

The nine openers use the same pool and continuation policy. Across both modes: 3–5 guesses among successes; 0 of 18 configurations failed. This is performance on this answer, not an overall opener ranking.

56 openers set up a two-turn opportunity; examples include AGAIN, INDIA, ENEMY, MARIA, ANIME, MANGA, MAFIA, MANIA, PRIMA, MAGNA. 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 answer contains 2 copies of A. Feedback allocates exact matches before misplaced copies; a grey duplicate does not erase another coloured copy.

The worked board still allows 10 different answers at one later decision: AGING, AHIND, AHING, AINGA, AKING, ANIGH, ANIMA, ANIMI, AWING, AXING. These are mechanical alternatives, not a judgement of vocabulary difficulty.

With TARSE, this policy takes 5 guesses in normal mode and 4 in Hard Mode. These are matched simulations, not reported player averages.

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: AGING, AHIND, AHING, AINGA, AKING, ANIGH, ANIMA, ANIMI, AWING, AXING.

A lesson from this route

Before AGING, 10 words still fit. Its feedback left 2; 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.

Methods and limitations

Feedback distribution

ANIMA can come back 78 different ways. These are the most likely, and how many of the possible answers give each one:

614 answers
427 answers
179 answers
160 answers
141 answers
99 answers
79 answers
60 answers
57 answers
52 answers
50 answers
44 answers
29 answers
29 answers
25 answers
21 answers
19 answers
17 answers
17 answers
16 answers
15 answers
15 answers
13 answers
13 answers
12 answers
11 answers
10 answers
10 answers
10 answers
9 answers

Letter-value totals

Base letter-value totals for ANIMA; these do not show whether either game accepts the word.

Scrabble

A1N1I1M3A1
Total: 7 points

Words With Friends

Total: 9 points

Scores shown are base values without double/triple letter or word bonuses.

Try next

SOREL TARSE TILDE CORSE TRUCE REACT

Strategy after playing ANIMA

What the solver recommends next for each way the board can respond to ANIMA.

Quick reference

Largest feedback groups after playing ANIMA:

26% chance
Suggested:
SOREL
18% chance
Suggested:
TARSE
7% chance
Suggested:
TILDE

Follow-ups for common patterns

Ranked follow-up guesses for the 10 most common feedback patterns.

25.7% →
SOREL 6.10 bits
17.9% →
TARSE 5.66 bits
7.5% →
TILDE 5.03 bits
6.7% →
CORSE 5.23 bits
5.9% →
TRUCE 5.06 bits
4.1% →
REACT 4.37 bits
3.3% →
SOLER 4.95 bits
2.5% →
CONEY 4.11 bits
2.4% →
GORSE 4.06 bits
2.2% →
CARLE 4.78 bits

Research on ANIMA

Game-tree analysis and word research for ANIMA, with an explanation for each figure.

Optimal play

Opening with ANIMA, a proven-optimal strategy averages 3.81 guesses and ranks #11,319 of 14,855 legal openers. The best proven opener, TARSE, averages 3.55.

In hard mode it averages 3.92 guesses at best and is rank #4,738 of the 7,453 openers that can still guarantee a solve within six guesses.

Our six-turn simulation says 3.77, at or below the proven-optimal 3.81, 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
ANIMA sits in the advanced band of the wordfreq scale, appearing less than once per million words in the source corpus. Corpus frequency does not measure every reader’s familiarity.

Sources: Optimal-play values: Alex Selby's exhaustive Wordle analysis (MIT); Word frequency: wordfreq (data CC BY-SA 4.0).