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

BOTES

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

Meaning and pronunciation

Noun

plural of bote

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

Use BOTES in a puzzle

As an opener, it rules out about 94.5% of possible answers.

Open Solver with BOTES 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 BOTES performs as a guess

Wordle accepts BOTES 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 86.2% of games, misses completely in 13.8%, and leaves about 130 possible answers on average.

In the previous complete opener benchmark, it ranks #4,009 of 14,855 openers, averaging 3.65 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.

B___S B in the 1st position and S in the 5th position B__E_ B in the 1st position and E in the 4th position _O__S O in the 2nd position and S in the 5th position BO_ES B in the 1st position, O in the 2nd position, E in the 4th position, and S in the 5th position

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

First-turn measures

All four describe BOTES 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.

5.01 Entropy (bits)
130 Avg remaining
0.0% Exact match
94.5% Avg ruled out

As an opening guess: previous benchmark

How BOTES 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.

3.65 Avg guesses
99.96% Solved within six
0.69 Spread of game lengths
#4,009 Rank among openers
Opening with BOTES left 1 of the snapshot's answers unsolved after six guesses. A spread of 0.69 means those games clustered within about 0.69 of a guess of the 3.65 average. It ranks #4,009 of 14,855 openers by average guesses in games solved within six.
1 guess
0
2 guesses
70
3 guesses
891
4 guesses
1,186
5 guesses
196
6 guesses
10

Composition

5/5 unique
2 vowels
Common:
EOST

Feedback chances

Any hit (G/Y)
86%
Green tile
34%
All gray
14%

When BOTES is useful later

No standout example in the positions tested. All 108 sampled states were checked; BOTES was legal in 55.

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 BOTES

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 → 204 after. This feedback leaves 204 candidates.

    All 204 surviving candidates

    BEETS, BELTS, BENTS, BESET, BESIT, BESOT, BESTI, BESTS, BETES, BETHS, BITES, BLETS, BOETS, BOTES, BUTES, BYTES, CELTS, CENTS, CESTI, CETES, CITES, COSET, COTES, CUTES, CYTES, DEBTS, DEETS, DELTS, DENTS, DIETS, DITES, DOTES, DUETS, EDITS, EFITS, EMITS, EMPTS, ESCOT, ESTOC, ESTOP, ETENS, ETHOS, ETICS, ETUIS, EVETS, EXITS, EYOTS, FELTS, FENTS, FESTS, FESTY, FETES, FETTS, FETUS, GEITS, GELTS, GENTS, GESTS, GITES, GYTES, HEFTS, HENTS, HESTS, HETES, HETHS, INSET, ISLET, ITEMS, JESTS, JETES, JUTES, KEETS, KELTS, KENTS, KESTS, KETES, KHETS, KITES, KYTES, LEETS, LEFTS, LESTS, LITES, LOTES, LUTES, LYTES, MEETS, MELTS, MENTS, MESTO, METES, METHS, METIS, MITES, MOTES, MUSET, MUTES, NESTS, NESTY, NETES, NETTS, NEWTS, NEXTS, NITES, NOTES, ONSET, PECTS, PELTS, PENTS, PESTO, PESTS, PESTY, PETOS, PIETS, PLETS, POETS, POSET, POTES, PYETS, SCENT, SECTS, SEITY, SEKTS, SENTI, SENTS, SEPTS, SETHS, SETON, SETTS, SETUP, SEXTO, SEXTS, SHEET, SHENT, SHETS, SIENT, SIETH, SITED, SITES, SKEET, SKETS, SLEET, SLEPT, SMELT, SPECT, SPELT, SPENT, SPETS, STEDD, STEDS, STEED, STEEK, STEEL, STEEM, STEEN, STEEP, STEEZ, STEIK, STEIL, STEIN, STELL, STEMS, STEND, STENO, STENS, STENT, STEPS, STEPT, STETS, STEWS, STEWY, STEYS, STIED, STIES, STOEP, STYED, STYES, SUENT, SUETS, SUETY, SWEET, SWELT, SWEPT, UNSET, UPSET, VENTS, VESTS, VOTES, WEETS, WEFTS, WELTS, WENTS, WESTS, WHETS, WITES, WYTES, YELTS, YESTS, YESTY, YETIS, YETTS, YITES, ZESTS, ZESTY

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  2. Test UPSET against the 204 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    204 before → 43 after. This feedback leaves 43 candidates.

    All 43 surviving candidates

    BETES, BITES, BOTES, BYTES, CETES, CITES, COTES, CYTES, DITES, DOTES, FETES, GITES, GYTES, HETES, JETES, KETES, KITES, KYTES, LITES, LOTES, LYTES, METES, MITES, MOTES, NETES, NITES, NOTES, SITED, SITES, STEED, STEEK, STEEL, STEEM, STEEN, STEEZ, STIED, STIES, STYED, STYES, VOTES, WITES, WYTES, YITES

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 8.487. Information: 3.182 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test STEED against the 43 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    43 before → 21 after. This feedback leaves 21 candidates.

    All 21 surviving candidates

    BITES, BOTES, BYTES, CITES, COTES, CYTES, GITES, GYTES, KITES, KYTES, LITES, LOTES, LYTES, MITES, MOTES, NITES, NOTES, VOTES, WITES, WYTES, YITES

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.851. Information: 1.429 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Test YITES against the 21 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    21 before → 6 after. This feedback leaves 6 candidates.

    All 6 surviving candidates

    BOTES, COTES, LOTES, MOTES, NOTES, VOTES

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 6.524. Information: 1.772 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  5. Test BALES against the 6 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    6 before → 1 after. This feedback leaves 1 candidate.

    All 1 surviving candidates

    BOTES

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 3.0. Information: 1.252 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  6. Submit the only remaining candidate.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    BOTES

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 0.0 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

Solved in 6 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 → 204 after. This feedback leaves 204 candidates.

    All 204 surviving candidates

    BEETS, BELTS, BENTS, BESET, BESIT, BESOT, BESTI, BESTS, BETES, BETHS, BITES, BLETS, BOETS, BOTES, BUTES, BYTES, CELTS, CENTS, CESTI, CETES, CITES, COSET, COTES, CUTES, CYTES, DEBTS, DEETS, DELTS, DENTS, DIETS, DITES, DOTES, DUETS, EDITS, EFITS, EMITS, EMPTS, ESCOT, ESTOC, ESTOP, ETENS, ETHOS, ETICS, ETUIS, EVETS, EXITS, EYOTS, FELTS, FENTS, FESTS, FESTY, FETES, FETTS, FETUS, GEITS, GELTS, GENTS, GESTS, GITES, GYTES, HEFTS, HENTS, HESTS, HETES, HETHS, INSET, ISLET, ITEMS, JESTS, JETES, JUTES, KEETS, KELTS, KENTS, KESTS, KETES, KHETS, KITES, KYTES, LEETS, LEFTS, LESTS, LITES, LOTES, LUTES, LYTES, MEETS, MELTS, MENTS, MESTO, METES, METHS, METIS, MITES, MOTES, MUSET, MUTES, NESTS, NESTY, NETES, NETTS, NEWTS, NEXTS, NITES, NOTES, ONSET, PECTS, PELTS, PENTS, PESTO, PESTS, PESTY, PETOS, PIETS, PLETS, POETS, POSET, POTES, PYETS, SCENT, SECTS, SEITY, SEKTS, SENTI, SENTS, SEPTS, SETHS, SETON, SETTS, SETUP, SEXTO, SEXTS, SHEET, SHENT, SHETS, SIENT, SIETH, SITED, SITES, SKEET, SKETS, SLEET, SLEPT, SMELT, SPECT, SPELT, SPENT, SPETS, STEDD, STEDS, STEED, STEEK, STEEL, STEEM, STEEN, STEEP, STEEZ, STEIK, STEIL, STEIN, STELL, STEMS, STEND, STENO, STENS, STENT, STEPS, STEPT, STETS, STEWS, STEWY, STEYS, STIED, STIES, STOEP, STYED, STYES, SUENT, SUETS, SUETY, SWEET, SWELT, SWEPT, UNSET, UPSET, VENTS, VESTS, VOTES, WEETS, WEFTS, WELTS, WENTS, WESTS, WHETS, WITES, WYTES, YELTS, YESTS, YESTY, YETIS, YETTS, YITES, ZESTS, ZESTY

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  2. Test UPSET against the 204 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    204 before → 43 after. This feedback leaves 43 candidates.

    All 43 surviving candidates

    BETES, BITES, BOTES, BYTES, CETES, CITES, COTES, CYTES, DITES, DOTES, FETES, GITES, GYTES, HETES, JETES, KETES, KITES, KYTES, LITES, LOTES, LYTES, METES, MITES, MOTES, NETES, NITES, NOTES, SITED, SITES, STEED, STEEK, STEEL, STEEM, STEEN, STEEZ, STIED, STIES, STYED, STYES, VOTES, WITES, WYTES, YITES

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 8.487. Information: 3.182 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test STEED against the 43 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    43 before → 21 after. This feedback leaves 21 candidates.

    All 21 surviving candidates

    BITES, BOTES, BYTES, CITES, COTES, CYTES, GITES, GYTES, KITES, KYTES, LITES, LOTES, LYTES, MITES, MOTES, NITES, NOTES, VOTES, WITES, WYTES, YITES

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.851. Information: 1.429 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Test YITES against the 21 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    21 before → 6 after. This feedback leaves 6 candidates.

    All 6 surviving candidates

    BOTES, COTES, LOTES, MOTES, NOTES, VOTES

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 6.524. Information: 1.772 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  5. Test BOTES against the 6 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    BOTES

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 4.333. Information: 0.65 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

How the fixed opener panel performs on this answer

OpenerFirst feedbackSurvivorsNormalHard Mode
TARSE10011 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)20465
CRANE00001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)143344
SLATE10011 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)15554
ADIEU00020 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)75965
STARE11001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)21043
AUDIO00001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)178465
RAISE00011 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)85243
ROATE02011 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)6055
SALET10021 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)7454
Normal mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 0 · 4 guesses: 3 · 5 guesses: 3 · 6 guesses: 3 · Failed in six: 0
Hard Mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 2 · 4 guesses: 3 · 5 guesses: 4 · 6 guesses: 0 · Failed in six: 0

The nine openers use the same pool and continuation policy. Across both modes: 3–6 guesses among successes; 0 of 18 configurations failed. This is performance on this answer, not an overall opener ranking.

5 openers set up a two-turn opportunity; examples include BOOTS, BOATS, BATOS, BESOT, BOETS. 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 6 different answers at one later decision: BOTES, COTES, LOTES, MOTES, NOTES, VOTES. These are mechanical alternatives, not a judgement of vocabulary difficulty.

With TARSE, this policy takes 6 guesses in normal mode and 5 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: BOTES, COTES, LOTES, MOTES, NOTES, VOTES.

A lesson from this route

Before BALES, 6 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.

Methods and limitations

Feedback distribution

BOTES can come back 99 different ways. These are the most likely, and how many of the possible answers give each one:

329 answers
270 answers
152 answers
137 answers
129 answers
120 answers
104 answers
99 answers
97 answers
78 answers
54 answers
48 answers
39 answers
39 answers
38 answers
36 answers
36 answers
35 answers
35 answers
33 answers
29 answers
25 answers
19 answers
18 answers
18 answers
17 answers
16 answers
15 answers
15 answers
14 answers

Letter-value totals

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

Scrabble

B3O1T1E1S1
Total: 7 points

Words With Friends

Total: 8 points

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

Try next

CAIRN LEARE SHALY RAINY ACORN FAINT

Strategy after playing BOTES

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

Quick reference

Largest feedback groups after playing BOTES:

14% chance
Suggested:
CAIRN
11% chance
Suggested:
LEARE
6% chance
Suggested:
SHALY

Follow-ups for common patterns

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

13.8% →
CAIRN 5.90 bits
11.3% →
LEARE 5.46 bits
6.4% →
SHALY 5.05 bits
5.7% →
RAINY 4.38 bits
5.4% →
ACORN 5.20 bits
5.0% →
FAINT 5.14 bits
4.3% →
CLARY 4.66 bits
4.1% →
PEARE 4.70 bits
4.1% →
LEARE 4.81 bits
3.3% →
SAINT 4.49 bits

Research on BOTES

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

Optimal play

Opening with BOTES, a proven-optimal strategy averages 3.65 guesses and ranks #1,495 of 14,855 legal openers. The best proven opener, TARSE, averages 3.55.

No guaranteed hard-mode solve In hard mode, no strategy that opens with BOTES can guarantee a solve within six guesses.

Our six-turn simulation says 3.65; proven optimal play reaches 3.65. The fixed strategy accounts for the difference.

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
BOTES sits in the rare 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).