COURT
Yes, COURT was the Wordle answer on January 17, 2024 (Wordle #942).
Meaning and pronunciation
Pronunciation: /ˈkɔːt/[ˈkʰɔːt]/ˈkɔɹt/
- Noun
-
An enclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area shut in by the walls of a building, or by different buildings; also, a space opening from a street and nearly surrounded by houses; a blind alley.
“The girls were playing in the court.”
- Noun
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Royal society.
“The noblemen visited the queen in her court.”
- Verb
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To seek to achieve or win (a prize).
“He was courting big new accounts that previous salesmen had not attempted.”
- Verb
-
To risk (a consequence, usually negative).
“She courted controversy with her frank speeches.”
Source: Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Corrections.
Etymology
From Middle English court, from Old French cort, curt, from Late Latin cōrs, contracted from Latin cohors. Doublet of cohort.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)
How it sounds
One syllable Say it KAWRT.
Rhymes with SHORT SPORT ABORT PORTE QUART
Related meanings by dictionary sense
noun
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
Synonyms for this sense: tribunal.
noun
a room in which a law court sits
Synonyms for this sense: courtroom.
noun
the sovereign and their advisers who are the governing power of a state
noun
a specially marked horizontal area within which a game is played
players had to reserve a court in advance
noun
the family and retinue of a sovereign or prince
noun
a hotel for motorists; provides direct access from rooms to parking area
noun
the residence of a sovereign or nobleman
the king will visit the duke's court
noun
an area wholly or partly surrounded by walls or buildings
the house was built around an inner court
Synonyms for this sense: courtyard.
noun
respectful deference
pay court to the emperor
Synonyms for this sense: homage.
verb
make amorous advances towards
Synonyms for this sense: romance, woo, solicit.
verb
seek someone's favor
Synonyms for this sense: woo.
verb
engage in social activities leading to marriage
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
I'm going to the court.
He can come to court.
Use COURT in a puzzle
As an opener, it rules out about 94.0% 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: January 17, 2024 (#942).
See the full page for that puzzle: January 17, 2024 (#942).
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 #942 · January 17, 2024
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See what the public sample says →COURT in Connections
8 recorded appearances in completed main-edition puzzles through . Showing the 5 most recent. A category label alone does not establish a word's meaning.
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· Puzzle #1130
Reveal this appearance's category
COURT appeared in TERMS FOR THE LEGAL SYSTEM (yellow group).
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· Puzzle #1101
Reveal this appearance's category
COURT appeared in ATTENDANTS (green group).
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· Puzzle #853
Reveal this appearance's category
COURT appeared in STREET SUFFIXES (blue group).
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· Puzzle #581
Reveal this appearance's category
COURT appeared in WOO (green group).
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· Puzzle #414
Reveal this appearance's category
COURT appeared in STREET SUFFIXES (green group).
How COURT performs as a guess
COURT is a possible answer, so it would solve about one game in 2,391 when every answer is treated as equally likely.
Played as an opener, it lands at least one colored tile in 82.0% of games, misses completely in 18.0%, and leaves about 143 possible answers on average.
In the previous complete opener benchmark, it ranks #181 of 14,855 openers, averaging 3.56 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 COURT 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 COURT 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 COURT is useful later
COURT tied for the smallest expected survivor count in 3 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, COURT 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 SolverAfter STARE: 4 candidates, normal mode
STARE: 11020 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).
Remaining answers: TIRRS, TORRS, TOURS, TURRS.
With a budget of 5 more guesses, COURT 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 SolverAfter 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, COURT 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 COURT
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.
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The fixed opener tests its five letters.
14,855 before → 71 after. This feedback leaves 71 candidates.
All 71 surviving candidates
BLURT, BRITH, BRITT, BROTH, BRUIT, BRUNT, CHIRT, COURT, CRITH, CROFT, CROUT, CRUFT, CRWTH, CRYPT, DRIFT, DRIPT, DROIT, DROPT, FLIRT, FRITH, FRITT, FRITZ, FRONT, FROTH, FRUIT, GRIFT, GRIOT, GRIPT, GRITH, GROUT, GRUNT, GRYPT, INTRO, MITRY, MOTOR, NITRO, NITRY, ORBIT, ORTHO, OUTRO, POORT, POTRO, PRINT, PROOT, PROTO, PRUNT, QUIRT, RICHT, RIFTY, RIGHT, RIOTY, RITZY, ROBOT, ROOTY, ROTCH, ROTON, ROTOR, ROTTO, ROTTY, ROUTH, ROWTH, ROZIT, RUNTY, RUTIN, RUTTY, RYOTI, VITRO, WHORT, WROOT, WROTH, YOURT
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 GRIOT against the 71 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
71 before → 4 after. This feedback leaves 4 candidates.
All 4 surviving candidates
COURT, POORT, WHORT, YOURT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 3.115. Information: 3.026 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test COURT against the 4 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
4 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
COURT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 1.612 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 → 71 after. This feedback leaves 71 candidates.
All 71 surviving candidates
BLURT, BRITH, BRITT, BROTH, BRUIT, BRUNT, CHIRT, COURT, CRITH, CROFT, CROUT, CRUFT, CRWTH, CRYPT, DRIFT, DRIPT, DROIT, DROPT, FLIRT, FRITH, FRITT, FRITZ, FRONT, FROTH, FRUIT, GRIFT, GRIOT, GRIPT, GRITH, GROUT, GRUNT, GRYPT, INTRO, MITRY, MOTOR, NITRO, NITRY, ORBIT, ORTHO, OUTRO, POORT, POTRO, PRINT, PROOT, PROTO, PRUNT, QUIRT, RICHT, RIFTY, RIGHT, RIOTY, RITZY, ROBOT, ROOTY, ROTCH, ROTON, ROTOR, ROTTO, ROTTY, ROUTH, ROWTH, ROZIT, RUNTY, RUTIN, RUTTY, RYOTI, VITRO, WHORT, WROOT, WROTH, YOURT
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 GRIOT against the 71 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
71 before → 4 after. This feedback leaves 4 candidates.
All 4 surviving candidates
COURT, POORT, WHORT, YOURT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 3.115. Information: 3.026 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test COURT against the 4 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
4 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
COURT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 1.612 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 → 26 after. This feedback leaves 26 candidates.
All 26 surviving candidates
BLURT, BROTH, BRUNT, COURT, CRYPT, DRIFT, DROIT, FLIRT, FRITZ, FRONT, FROTH, FRUIT, GRIFT, GROUT, GRUNT, INTRO, MOTOR, NITRO, ORBIT, PRINT, PROTO, RIGHT, RITZY, ROBOT, ROTOR, VITRO
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 100.074. Information: 5.888 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test BIONT against the 26 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
26 before → 1 after. This feedback leaves 1 candidate.
All 1 surviving candidates
COURT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.615. Information: 4.239 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Submit the only remaining candidate.
1 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
COURT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 0.0 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
Solved in 3 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 → 26 after. This feedback leaves 26 candidates.
All 26 surviving candidates
BLURT, BROTH, BRUNT, COURT, CRYPT, DRIFT, DROIT, FLIRT, FRITZ, FRONT, FROTH, FRUIT, GRIFT, GROUT, GRUNT, INTRO, MOTOR, NITRO, ORBIT, PRINT, PROTO, RIGHT, RITZY, ROBOT, ROTOR, VITRO
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 100.074. Information: 5.888 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test GRIOT against the 26 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
26 before → 1 after. This feedback leaves 1 candidate.
All 1 surviving candidates
COURT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.769. Information: 4.027 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Submit the only remaining candidate.
1 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
COURT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 0.0 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
Solved in 3 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 | 10100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 71 | 3 | 3 |
| CRANE | 21000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 46 | 3 | 3 |
| SLATE | 00010 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 302 | 4 | 4 |
| ADIEU | 00001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 941 | 5 | 5 |
| STARE | 01020 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 24 | 3 | 3 |
| AUDIO | 01001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 284 | 3 | 3 |
| RAISE | 10000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 309 | 2 | 2 |
| ROATE | 12010 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 19 | 3 | 3 |
| SALET | 00002 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 129 | 3 | 3 |
- Normal mode
- 1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 1 · 3 guesses: 6 · 4 guesses: 1 · 5 guesses: 1 · 6 guesses: 0 · Failed in six: 0
- Hard Mode
- 1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 1 · 3 guesses: 6 · 4 guesses: 1 · 5 guesses: 1 · 6 guesses: 0 · Failed in six: 0
The nine openers use the same pool and continuation policy. Across both modes: 2–5 guesses among successes; 0 of 18 configurations failed. This is performance on this answer, not an overall opener ranking.
58 openers set up a two-turn opportunity; examples include COUNT, ROUTE, TRUCK, CHART, CRAFT, TRACE, CRUSH, TOURS, ROAST, TROUT. 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: COURT, POORT, WHORT, YOURT. 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: COURT, POORT, WHORT, YOURT.
A lesson from this route
Before COURT, 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
COURT can come back 121 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 COURT; 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 COURT
What the solver recommends next for each way the board can respond to COURT.
Quick reference
Largest feedback groups after playing COURT:
Research on COURT
Game-tree analysis and word research for COURT, with an explanation for each figure.
Optimal play
Opening with COURT, a proven-optimal strategy averages 3.63 guesses and ranks #900 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 COURT can guarantee a solve within six guesses.
Our six-turn simulation says 3.56, at or below the proven-optimal 3.63, 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
- COURT sits in the common band of the wordfreq scale, appearing about 257 times per million words in the source corpus. Corpus frequency does not measure every reader’s familiarity.
- Learner level
- Appears in beginner learner vocabulary (CEFR-J level A2); among the first words English learners study.
- Age of acquisition
- Typically learned around age 9, by Glasgow Norms speaker ratings.
- Imageability
- Imageability score: 73 of 100. Raters found it easy to picture.
- Dominant sense
- Lancaster raters associated it most strongly with sight (4.0 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).