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

FUGLY

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

Meaning and pronunciation

Pronunciation: /ˈfʌɡ.li/

Adjective

Extremely ugly.

Noun

An extremely ugly person.

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

Related meanings by dictionary sense

adjective

(slang) extremely ugly

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 FUGLY in a puzzle

As an opener, it rules out about 83.5% of possible answers.

Open Solver with FUGLY 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 FUGLY performs as a guess

Wordle accepts FUGLY 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 63.5% of games, misses completely in 36.5%, and leaves about 394 possible answers on average.

In the previous complete opener benchmark, it ranks #8,363 of 14,855 openers, averaging 3.73 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.

F___Y F in the 1st position and Y in the 5th position F__L_ F in the 1st position and L in the 4th position _U__Y U in the 2nd position and Y in the 5th position FU_LY F in the 1st position, U in the 2nd position, L in the 4th position, and Y in the 5th position

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

First-turn measures

All four describe FUGLY 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.

3.86 Entropy (bits)
394 Avg remaining
0.0% Exact match
83.5% Avg ruled out

As an opening guess: previous benchmark

How FUGLY 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.

3.73 Avg guesses
99.96% Solved within six
0.69 Spread of game lengths
#8,363 Rank among openers
Opening with FUGLY 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 3.73 average. It ranks #8,363 of 14,855 openers by average guesses in games solved within six.
1 guess
0
2 guesses
48
3 guesses
806
4 guesses
1,256
5 guesses
225
6 guesses
18

Composition

5/5 unique
1 vowels
Common:
LU

Feedback chances

Any hit (G/Y)
64%
Green tile
32%
All gray
36%

When FUGLY is useful later

FUGLY tied for the smallest expected survivor count in 2 of 54 sampled positions where it was legal. This designed sample is not a measure of how often real players should use it.

After CRANE: 3 candidates, normal mode

CRANE: 01100 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

PORTA: 10201 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

BARPS: 01211 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

Remaining answers: SPRAD, SPRAG, SPRAY.

With a budget of 3 more guesses, FUGLY 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 RAISE: 4 candidates, normal mode

RAISE: 12001 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

BAYER: 02222 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

PAYER: 02222 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

Remaining answers: FAYER, GAYER, HAYER, LAYER.

With a budget of 3 more guesses, FUGLY 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 FUGLY

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 → 1,022 after. This feedback leaves 1,022 candidates.

    All 1,022 surviving candidates

    BICCY, BICKY, BIDDY, BIDON, BIFFO, BIFFY, BIFID, BIGGY, BIGLY, BIHON, BIJOU, BIKKY, BILBO, BILBY, BILGY, BILLY, BIMBO, BINDI, BINGO, BINGY, BINKY, BIPOD, BIPPY, BIVVY, BIZZO, BIZZY, BLIMP, BLIMY, BLIND, BLING, BLINI, BLINK, BLINY, BLOCK, BLOND, BLONX, BLOOD, BLOOK, BLOOM, BLOOP, BLOWN, BLOWY, BLUDY, BLUFF, BLUID, BLUNK, BOBBY, BOBOL, BOCCI, BODGY, BODHI, BODOH, BOFFO, BOGGY, BOING, BOINK, BOLDO, BOLIX, BOMBO, BOMOH, BONGO, BONNY, BONUM, BOOBY, BOODY, BOOFY, BOOGY, BOOKY, BOOMY, BOONG, BOOZY, BOPPY, BOUGH, BOUND, BOVID, BOYLY, BUBBY, BUCHU, BUCKO, BUCKU, BUDDY, BUFFI, BUFFO, BUFFY, BUGGY, BUILD, BULGY, BULKY, BULLY, BUMBO, BUMPH, BUMPY, BUNCH, BUNCO, BUNDH, BUNDU, BUNDY, BUNGY, BUNJY, BUNKO, BUNNY, BUPPY, BUXOM, BUYIN, BUZZY, CHICH, CHICK, CHICO, CHIKO, CHILD, CHILI, CHILL, CHIMB, CHIMO, CHIMP, CHING, CHINK, CHINO, CHIVY, CHIZZ, CHOCK, CHOCO, CHOIL, CHOKO, CHOKY, CHOLI, CHOLO, CHOMP, CHOOF, CHOOK, CHOOM, CHOON, CHOUX, CHOWK, CHUCK, CHUFF, CHUMP, CHUNK, CHYND, CIBOL, CIGGY, CINCH, CIPPI, CIVIC, CIVIL, CIVVY, CLICK, CLIFF, CLIMB, CLING, CLINK, CLOCK, CLOFF, CLOMB, CLOMP, CLONK, CLOOP, CLOUD, CLOWN, CLUCK, CLUMP, CLUNG, CLUNK, COBBY, COCCI, COCCO, COCKY, CODON, COGON, COHOG, COIGN, COLBY, COLIC, COLIN, COLLY, COLOG, COLON, COMBI, COMBO, COMBY, COMFY, COMIC, COMIX, COMMO, COMMY, COMPO, CONCH, CONDO, CONGO, CONIC, CONIN, CONKY, CONVO, COOCH, COOKY, COOLY, COOMB, COOMY, COPPY, COQUI, COUCH, COUGH, COULD, COVIN, COXIB, COYLY, COYPU, CUBBY, CUBIC, CUDDY, CUFFO, CUING, CULCH, CULLY, CUMIN, CUNDY, CUNNY, CUPID, CUPPY, CYCLO, CYLIX, CYMOL, CYNIC, DHOBI, DHOLL, DHONI, DICKY, DIDDY, DILDO, DILLI, DILLY, DIMBO, DIMLY, DINGO, DINGY, DINIC, DINKY, DINLO, DIOCH, DIPPY, DIVVY, DIZZY, DJINN, DOBBY, DODDY, DODGY, DOGGO, DOGGY, DOGLY, DOHYO, DOILY, DOING, DOLCI, DOLLY, DOMIC, DONKO, DONNY, DOODY, DOOKY, DOOLY, DOOMY, DOOZY, DOUGH, DOWDY, DOWLY, DOWNY, DOYLY, DUBBO, DUBBY, DUCHY, DUCKY, DUDDY, DUING, DUKUN, DULLY, DUMBO, DUMKY, DUMMY, DUMPY, DUNCH, DUNGY, DUNNO, DUNNY, DUOMI, DUOMO, DUPLY, DUPPY, DYING, DYKON, FICHU, FICIN, FIGGY, FILCH, FILII, FILLO, FILLY, FILMI, FILMY, FILON, FILUM, FINCH, FINNY, FIZZY, FLICK, FLIMP, FLING, FLOCK, FLONG, FLOOD, FLOWN, FLOWY, FLUFF, FLUID, FLUKY, FLUMP, FLUNG, FLUNK, FLYBY, FLYIN, FOGGY, FOGOU, FOLIC, FOLIO, FOLKY, FOLLY, FONDU, FONIO, FONLY, FOODY, FOUND, FUBBY, FUDDY, FUDGY, FUFFY, FUGGY, FUGIO, FUGLY, FULLY, FUNDI, FUNDO, FUNDY, FUNGI, FUNGO, FUNIC, FUNKY, FUNNY, FUZIL, FUZZY, GHOUL, GHYLL, GIBLI, GIDDY, GILLY, GILPY, GIMPY, GINCH, GINNY, GINZO, GIPON, GIPPO, GIPPY, GIZMO, GLIFF, GLOBI, GLOBY, GLOGG, GLOOM, GLOOP, GLOWY, GLUGG, GLUON, GLYPH, GOBBI, GOBBO, GOBBY, GODLY, GOING, GOLDY, GOLLY, GOMBO, GONCH, GONIF, GONOF, GONZO, GOOBY, GOODO, GOODY, GOOFY, GOOKY, GOOLD, GOOLY, GOOMY, GOONY, GOOPY, GOPIK, GOUCH, GOYIM, GUCKY, GUGGL, GUIDO, GUILD, GUIMP, GULCH, GULFY, GULLY, GULPH, GULPY, GUMBO, GUMMI, GUMMY, GUNDI, GUNDY, GUNGY, GUNKY, GUNNY, GUPPY, GUQIN, GYNNY, GYPPO, GYPPY, HIKOI, HILCH, HILLO, HILLY, HILUM, HIMBO, HINKY, HINNY, HIPLY, HIPPO, HIPPY, HOBBY, HOGOH, HOICK, HOING, HOKKU, HOKUM, HOLLO, HOLLY, HOLON, HONGI, HONKY, HOOCH, HOODY, HOOGO, HOOKY, HOOLY, HOPPY, HOUFF, HOUGH, HOUND, HOWDY, HOWFF, HUBBY, HUDUD, HUFFY, HUGGY, HUKOU, HULKY, HULLO, HULLY, HUMIC, HUMID, HUMPH, HUMPY, HUNCH, HUNDO, HUNKY, HUZZY, HYING, HYLIC, HYOID, HYPHY, ICILY, ICING, IDIOM, IDYLL, IGLOO, ILIUM, IMIDO, IMINO, IMMIX, IMPLY, INBOX, INCOG, INDOL, INDOW, INFIX, INION, IODIC, IODID, IODIN, IONIC, IPPON, JIFFY, JIGGY, JIMMY, JIMPY, JINGO, JINNI, JOCKO, JOCKY, JOKOL, JOLLO, JOLLY, JOMON, JOWLY, JUDGY, JUGUM, JUICY, JUMBO, JUMBY, JUMPY, JUNCO, JUNKY, JUPON, KHOUM, KIBBI, KICKY, KIDDO, KIDDY, KIKOI, KILIG, KILIM, KIMBO, KINDY, KINGY, KININ, KINKY, KLICK, KLONG, KLOOF, KNICK, KNOCK, KNOLL, KNOOP, KNOUD, KNOWD, KNOWN, KOIWI, KOKUM, KOMBI, KOMBU, KONBU, KONDO, KOOKY, KUDZU, KULFI, KWINK, KYLIN, KYLIX, KYUDO, LICHI, LIKIN, LIMBI, LIMBO, LIMBY, LINCH, LINDY, LINGO, LINGY, LININ, LINKY, LINNY, LINUM, LINUX, LIPID, LIPIN, LIPPY, LIVID, LOBBY, LOCHY, LOCKY, LOCUM, LOGGY, LOGIC, LOGIN, LOGOI, LOGON, LOKUM, LOLLO, LOLLY, LOLOG, LOOBY, LOOKY, LOONY, LOOPY, LOPPY, LOUGH, LOUND, LOWLY, LOWND, LUCID, LUCKY, LUDIC, LUMBI, LUMMY, LUMPY, LUNCH, LUNGI, LUPIN, LUVVY, LYING, LYMPH, LYNCH, MICHI, MICKY, MIDDY, MIDGY, MIFFY, MIGOD, MILCH, MILKO, MILKY, MILLY, MIMIC, MINCY, MINDI, MINGI, MINGY, MINIM, MINNY, MINXY, MIVVY, MIXUP, MIZZY, MOBBY, MOCHI, MOCHY, MOCKY, MODII, MODIN, MODOC, MODOM, MOGGY, MOGUL, MOKKY, MOLDY, MOLLO, MOLLY, MOLOI, MOLVI, MOMMY, MONDO, MONGO, MONIC, MOOCH, MOODY, MOOLI, MOOLY, MOONG, MOONI, MOONY, MOPPY, MOUCH, MOULD, MOULY, MOUND, MUCHO, MUCIC, MUCID, MUCIN, MUCKO, MUCKY, MUDDY, MUDIF, MUDIM, MUFFY, MUGGY, MUGHO, MUGIL, MUHLY, MUJIK, MUKIM, MULCH, MUMBO, MUMMY, MUMPH, MUNCH, MUNDU, MUNGI, MUNGO, MUNGY, MUZZY, MVULI, MYOID, MYOPY, NGONI, NIBBY, NICKY, NICOL, NIFFY, NIHIL, NIMBI, NIMBY, NINNY, NINON, NIOPO, NIPPY, NMOLI, NOBBY, NOBLY, NODDY, NODUM, NOGGY, NOHOW, NOILY, NOMIC, NOMOI, NONCY, NONDO, NONIC, NONNO, NONNY, NONYL, NOOKY, NOULD, NOUNY, NOVIO, NOVUM, NUBBY, NUCIN, NUDDY, NUDGY, NUDZH, NUJOL, NULLO, NULLY, NUMMY, NUNKY, NUNNY, NYING, NYLON, NYMPH, NYONG, NYUNG, OBOLI, OCULI, ODDLY, ODIUM, ODOOM, OGGIN, OGMIC, OHING, OHMIC, OKING, OLDLY, OLIGO, OLOGY, OMMIN, ONDOL, ONGON, ONION, ONIUM, ONMUN, OOMPH, OPIHI, OPING, OPIUM, OUNDY, OVOID, OVOLI, OVOLO, OWING, OWNIO, OXBOW, OXLIP, PHIZZ, PHLOX, PHONO, PHONY, PHOOH, PHOOO, PHYNX, PICCY, PICHI, PICKY, PICON, PICUL, PIGGY, PIGLY, PIGMY, PIING, PIKUL, PILCH, PILIN, PILON, PILOW, PILUM, PINCH, PINGO, PINKO, PINKY, PINNY, PINOL, PINON, PINUP, PIONY, PIPID, PIPPY, PIPUL, PIQUI, PLING, PLINK, PLOCK, PLOMB, PLONG, PLONK, PLOOK, PLOUK, PLUCK, PLUFF, PLUMB, PLUMP, PLUMY, PLUNG, PLUNK, POBBY, POBOY, POCHO, POCKY, PODDY, PODGY, POGGY, POILU, POIND, POLIO, POLLO, POLLY, POLYP, POMMY, PONCY, PONDY, PONGO, PONGY, PONZU, POOCH, POOFY, POOHY, POOLY, POOPY, POOVY, POPPY, POPUP, POUCH, POUFF, POUFY, POULP, POUND, POWIN, POWND, POWNY, POYOU, POZZY, PUBBY, PUBCO, PUBIC, PUDDY, PUDGY, PUDIC, PUFFY, PUGGY, PUGIL, PULIK, PULLI, PULLY, PULMO, PULPY, PUMPY, PUNCH, PUNGI, PUNGO, PUNGY, PUNIM, PUNJI, PUNKY, PUNNY, PUPIL, PUPPY, PUUKO, PYGMY, PYLON, PYOID, PYUFF, QUICH, QUICK, QUIFF, QUILL, QUINK, QUINO, QUIPO, QUIPU, QUOIF, QUOIN, QUOLL, QUONK, QUOUK, UDYOG, ULMIN, UNBID, UNBOX, UNCOY, UNDID, UNDUG, UNFIX, UNGOD, UNGUM, UNHIP, UNIFY, UNION, UNKID, UNLID, UNMIX, UNOLD, UNOWN, UNPIN, UNPLY, UNWON, UNZIP, UPBOW, UPFUL, VICHY, VIGIL, VILLI, VINHO, VINIC, VINNY, VINYL, VIOLD, VIVID, VODDY, VODOU, VODUN, VOICI, VOUCH, VOULU, VOZHD, VUGGY, VUGHY, VULGO, VYING, WHICH, WHIFF, WHILK, WHINY, WHIZZ, WHOMP, WHOOF, WHOOP, WHUMP, WICKY, WIDDY, WIDOW, WIGGY, WILCO, WILLY, WIMPY, WINCH, WINDY, WINGY, WINKY, WIZZO, WODGY, WOFUL, WOLLY, WOMBY, WOMYN, WONGI, WONKY, WOODY, WOOFY, WOOLD, WOOLY, WOOPY, WOOZY, WOULD, WOUND, WUDDY, XVIII, XYLIC, XYLOL, XYLYL, YCOND, YIPPY, YOBBO, YOBBY, YOGIC, YOGIN, YOICK, YOKUL, YOLKY, YOMIM, YONIC, YONNY, YOPPO, YOUNG, YUCCH, YUCKO, YUCKY, YUKKY, YUMMO, YUMMY, YUPON, YUPPY, ZHOMO, ZHUZH, ZILCH, ZIMBI, ZINCO, ZINCY, ZINGY, ZINKY, ZIPPO, ZIPPY, ZOCCO, ZOMBI, ZOOID, ZOOMY, ZOPPO, ZUZIM, ZYGON, ZYMIC

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  2. Test DOILY against the 1,022 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    1,022 before → 10 after. This feedback leaves 10 candidates.

    All 10 surviving candidates

    BULLY, CULLY, FUGLY, FULLY, GULLY, HULLY, MUHLY, NULLY, PULLY, UNPLY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 27.301. Information: 5.241 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test FUGLY against the 10 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    FUGLY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 3.323. Information: 1.9 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

Solved in 3 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 3.

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 → 1,022 after. This feedback leaves 1,022 candidates.

    All 1,022 surviving candidates

    BICCY, BICKY, BIDDY, BIDON, BIFFO, BIFFY, BIFID, BIGGY, BIGLY, BIHON, BIJOU, BIKKY, BILBO, BILBY, BILGY, BILLY, BIMBO, BINDI, BINGO, BINGY, BINKY, BIPOD, BIPPY, BIVVY, BIZZO, BIZZY, BLIMP, BLIMY, BLIND, BLING, BLINI, BLINK, BLINY, BLOCK, BLOND, BLONX, BLOOD, BLOOK, BLOOM, BLOOP, BLOWN, BLOWY, BLUDY, BLUFF, BLUID, BLUNK, BOBBY, BOBOL, BOCCI, BODGY, BODHI, BODOH, BOFFO, BOGGY, BOING, BOINK, BOLDO, BOLIX, BOMBO, BOMOH, BONGO, BONNY, BONUM, BOOBY, BOODY, BOOFY, BOOGY, BOOKY, BOOMY, BOONG, BOOZY, BOPPY, BOUGH, BOUND, BOVID, BOYLY, BUBBY, BUCHU, BUCKO, BUCKU, BUDDY, BUFFI, BUFFO, BUFFY, BUGGY, BUILD, BULGY, BULKY, BULLY, BUMBO, BUMPH, BUMPY, BUNCH, BUNCO, BUNDH, BUNDU, BUNDY, BUNGY, BUNJY, BUNKO, BUNNY, BUPPY, BUXOM, BUYIN, BUZZY, CHICH, CHICK, CHICO, CHIKO, CHILD, CHILI, CHILL, CHIMB, CHIMO, CHIMP, CHING, CHINK, CHINO, CHIVY, CHIZZ, CHOCK, CHOCO, CHOIL, CHOKO, CHOKY, CHOLI, CHOLO, CHOMP, CHOOF, CHOOK, CHOOM, CHOON, CHOUX, CHOWK, CHUCK, CHUFF, CHUMP, CHUNK, CHYND, CIBOL, CIGGY, CINCH, CIPPI, CIVIC, CIVIL, CIVVY, CLICK, CLIFF, CLIMB, CLING, CLINK, CLOCK, CLOFF, CLOMB, CLOMP, CLONK, CLOOP, CLOUD, CLOWN, CLUCK, CLUMP, CLUNG, CLUNK, COBBY, COCCI, COCCO, COCKY, CODON, COGON, COHOG, COIGN, COLBY, COLIC, COLIN, COLLY, COLOG, COLON, COMBI, COMBO, COMBY, COMFY, COMIC, COMIX, COMMO, COMMY, COMPO, CONCH, CONDO, CONGO, CONIC, CONIN, CONKY, CONVO, COOCH, COOKY, COOLY, COOMB, COOMY, COPPY, COQUI, COUCH, COUGH, COULD, COVIN, COXIB, COYLY, COYPU, CUBBY, CUBIC, CUDDY, CUFFO, CUING, CULCH, CULLY, CUMIN, CUNDY, CUNNY, CUPID, CUPPY, CYCLO, CYLIX, CYMOL, CYNIC, DHOBI, DHOLL, DHONI, DICKY, DIDDY, DILDO, DILLI, DILLY, DIMBO, DIMLY, DINGO, DINGY, DINIC, DINKY, DINLO, DIOCH, DIPPY, DIVVY, DIZZY, DJINN, DOBBY, DODDY, DODGY, DOGGO, DOGGY, DOGLY, DOHYO, DOILY, DOING, DOLCI, DOLLY, DOMIC, DONKO, DONNY, DOODY, DOOKY, DOOLY, DOOMY, DOOZY, DOUGH, DOWDY, DOWLY, DOWNY, DOYLY, DUBBO, DUBBY, DUCHY, DUCKY, DUDDY, DUING, DUKUN, DULLY, DUMBO, DUMKY, DUMMY, DUMPY, DUNCH, DUNGY, DUNNO, DUNNY, DUOMI, DUOMO, DUPLY, DUPPY, DYING, DYKON, FICHU, FICIN, FIGGY, FILCH, FILII, FILLO, FILLY, FILMI, FILMY, FILON, FILUM, FINCH, FINNY, FIZZY, FLICK, FLIMP, FLING, FLOCK, FLONG, FLOOD, FLOWN, FLOWY, FLUFF, FLUID, FLUKY, FLUMP, FLUNG, FLUNK, FLYBY, FLYIN, FOGGY, FOGOU, FOLIC, FOLIO, FOLKY, FOLLY, FONDU, FONIO, FONLY, FOODY, FOUND, FUBBY, FUDDY, FUDGY, FUFFY, FUGGY, FUGIO, FUGLY, FULLY, FUNDI, FUNDO, FUNDY, FUNGI, FUNGO, FUNIC, FUNKY, FUNNY, FUZIL, FUZZY, GHOUL, GHYLL, GIBLI, GIDDY, GILLY, GILPY, GIMPY, GINCH, GINNY, GINZO, GIPON, GIPPO, GIPPY, GIZMO, GLIFF, GLOBI, GLOBY, GLOGG, GLOOM, GLOOP, GLOWY, GLUGG, GLUON, GLYPH, GOBBI, GOBBO, GOBBY, GODLY, GOING, GOLDY, GOLLY, GOMBO, GONCH, GONIF, GONOF, GONZO, GOOBY, GOODO, GOODY, GOOFY, GOOKY, GOOLD, GOOLY, GOOMY, GOONY, GOOPY, GOPIK, GOUCH, GOYIM, GUCKY, GUGGL, GUIDO, GUILD, GUIMP, GULCH, GULFY, GULLY, GULPH, GULPY, GUMBO, GUMMI, GUMMY, GUNDI, GUNDY, GUNGY, GUNKY, GUNNY, GUPPY, GUQIN, GYNNY, GYPPO, GYPPY, HIKOI, HILCH, HILLO, HILLY, HILUM, HIMBO, HINKY, HINNY, HIPLY, HIPPO, HIPPY, HOBBY, HOGOH, HOICK, HOING, HOKKU, HOKUM, HOLLO, HOLLY, HOLON, HONGI, HONKY, HOOCH, HOODY, HOOGO, HOOKY, HOOLY, HOPPY, HOUFF, HOUGH, HOUND, HOWDY, HOWFF, HUBBY, HUDUD, HUFFY, HUGGY, HUKOU, HULKY, HULLO, HULLY, HUMIC, HUMID, HUMPH, HUMPY, HUNCH, HUNDO, HUNKY, HUZZY, HYING, HYLIC, HYOID, HYPHY, ICILY, ICING, IDIOM, IDYLL, IGLOO, ILIUM, IMIDO, IMINO, IMMIX, IMPLY, INBOX, INCOG, INDOL, INDOW, INFIX, INION, IODIC, IODID, IODIN, IONIC, IPPON, JIFFY, JIGGY, JIMMY, JIMPY, JINGO, JINNI, JOCKO, JOCKY, JOKOL, JOLLO, JOLLY, JOMON, JOWLY, JUDGY, JUGUM, JUICY, JUMBO, JUMBY, JUMPY, JUNCO, JUNKY, JUPON, KHOUM, KIBBI, KICKY, KIDDO, KIDDY, KIKOI, KILIG, KILIM, KIMBO, KINDY, KINGY, KININ, KINKY, KLICK, KLONG, KLOOF, KNICK, KNOCK, KNOLL, KNOOP, KNOUD, KNOWD, KNOWN, KOIWI, KOKUM, KOMBI, KOMBU, KONBU, KONDO, KOOKY, KUDZU, KULFI, KWINK, KYLIN, KYLIX, KYUDO, LICHI, LIKIN, LIMBI, LIMBO, LIMBY, LINCH, LINDY, LINGO, LINGY, LININ, LINKY, LINNY, LINUM, LINUX, LIPID, LIPIN, LIPPY, LIVID, LOBBY, LOCHY, LOCKY, LOCUM, LOGGY, LOGIC, LOGIN, LOGOI, LOGON, LOKUM, LOLLO, LOLLY, LOLOG, LOOBY, LOOKY, LOONY, LOOPY, LOPPY, LOUGH, LOUND, LOWLY, LOWND, LUCID, LUCKY, LUDIC, LUMBI, LUMMY, LUMPY, LUNCH, LUNGI, LUPIN, LUVVY, LYING, LYMPH, LYNCH, MICHI, MICKY, MIDDY, MIDGY, MIFFY, MIGOD, MILCH, MILKO, MILKY, MILLY, MIMIC, MINCY, MINDI, MINGI, MINGY, MINIM, MINNY, MINXY, MIVVY, MIXUP, MIZZY, MOBBY, MOCHI, MOCHY, MOCKY, MODII, MODIN, MODOC, MODOM, MOGGY, MOGUL, MOKKY, MOLDY, MOLLO, MOLLY, MOLOI, MOLVI, MOMMY, MONDO, MONGO, MONIC, MOOCH, MOODY, MOOLI, MOOLY, MOONG, MOONI, MOONY, MOPPY, MOUCH, MOULD, MOULY, MOUND, MUCHO, MUCIC, MUCID, MUCIN, MUCKO, MUCKY, MUDDY, MUDIF, MUDIM, MUFFY, MUGGY, MUGHO, MUGIL, MUHLY, MUJIK, MUKIM, MULCH, MUMBO, MUMMY, MUMPH, MUNCH, MUNDU, MUNGI, MUNGO, MUNGY, MUZZY, MVULI, MYOID, MYOPY, NGONI, NIBBY, NICKY, NICOL, NIFFY, NIHIL, NIMBI, NIMBY, NINNY, NINON, NIOPO, NIPPY, NMOLI, NOBBY, NOBLY, NODDY, NODUM, NOGGY, NOHOW, NOILY, NOMIC, NOMOI, NONCY, NONDO, NONIC, NONNO, NONNY, NONYL, NOOKY, NOULD, NOUNY, NOVIO, NOVUM, NUBBY, NUCIN, NUDDY, NUDGY, NUDZH, NUJOL, NULLO, NULLY, NUMMY, NUNKY, NUNNY, NYING, NYLON, NYMPH, NYONG, NYUNG, OBOLI, OCULI, ODDLY, ODIUM, ODOOM, OGGIN, OGMIC, OHING, OHMIC, OKING, OLDLY, OLIGO, OLOGY, OMMIN, ONDOL, ONGON, ONION, ONIUM, ONMUN, OOMPH, OPIHI, OPING, OPIUM, OUNDY, OVOID, OVOLI, OVOLO, OWING, OWNIO, OXBOW, OXLIP, PHIZZ, PHLOX, PHONO, PHONY, PHOOH, PHOOO, PHYNX, PICCY, PICHI, PICKY, PICON, PICUL, PIGGY, PIGLY, PIGMY, PIING, PIKUL, PILCH, PILIN, PILON, PILOW, PILUM, PINCH, PINGO, PINKO, PINKY, PINNY, PINOL, PINON, PINUP, PIONY, PIPID, PIPPY, PIPUL, PIQUI, PLING, PLINK, PLOCK, PLOMB, PLONG, PLONK, PLOOK, PLOUK, PLUCK, PLUFF, PLUMB, PLUMP, PLUMY, PLUNG, PLUNK, POBBY, POBOY, POCHO, POCKY, PODDY, PODGY, POGGY, POILU, POIND, POLIO, POLLO, POLLY, POLYP, POMMY, PONCY, PONDY, PONGO, PONGY, PONZU, POOCH, POOFY, POOHY, POOLY, POOPY, POOVY, POPPY, POPUP, POUCH, POUFF, POUFY, POULP, POUND, POWIN, POWND, POWNY, POYOU, POZZY, PUBBY, PUBCO, PUBIC, PUDDY, PUDGY, PUDIC, PUFFY, PUGGY, PUGIL, PULIK, PULLI, PULLY, PULMO, PULPY, PUMPY, PUNCH, PUNGI, PUNGO, PUNGY, PUNIM, PUNJI, PUNKY, PUNNY, PUPIL, PUPPY, PUUKO, PYGMY, PYLON, PYOID, PYUFF, QUICH, QUICK, QUIFF, QUILL, QUINK, QUINO, QUIPO, QUIPU, QUOIF, QUOIN, QUOLL, QUONK, QUOUK, UDYOG, ULMIN, UNBID, UNBOX, UNCOY, UNDID, UNDUG, UNFIX, UNGOD, UNGUM, UNHIP, UNIFY, UNION, UNKID, UNLID, UNMIX, UNOLD, UNOWN, UNPIN, UNPLY, UNWON, UNZIP, UPBOW, UPFUL, VICHY, VIGIL, VILLI, VINHO, VINIC, VINNY, VINYL, VIOLD, VIVID, VODDY, VODOU, VODUN, VOICI, VOUCH, VOULU, VOZHD, VUGGY, VUGHY, VULGO, VYING, WHICH, WHIFF, WHILK, WHINY, WHIZZ, WHOMP, WHOOF, WHOOP, WHUMP, WICKY, WIDDY, WIDOW, WIGGY, WILCO, WILLY, WIMPY, WINCH, WINDY, WINGY, WINKY, WIZZO, WODGY, WOFUL, WOLLY, WOMBY, WOMYN, WONGI, WONKY, WOODY, WOOFY, WOOLD, WOOLY, WOOPY, WOOZY, WOULD, WOUND, WUDDY, XVIII, XYLIC, XYLOL, XYLYL, YCOND, YIPPY, YOBBO, YOBBY, YOGIC, YOGIN, YOICK, YOKUL, YOLKY, YOMIM, YONIC, YONNY, YOPPO, YOUNG, YUCCH, YUCKO, YUCKY, YUKKY, YUMMO, YUMMY, YUPON, YUPPY, ZHOMO, ZHUZH, ZILCH, ZIMBI, ZINCO, ZINCY, ZINGY, ZINKY, ZIPPO, ZIPPY, ZOCCO, ZOMBI, ZOOID, ZOOMY, ZOPPO, ZUZIM, ZYGON, ZYMIC

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  2. Test DOILY against the 1,022 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    1,022 before → 10 after. This feedback leaves 10 candidates.

    All 10 surviving candidates

    BULLY, CULLY, FUGLY, FULLY, GULLY, HULLY, MUHLY, NULLY, PULLY, UNPLY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 27.301. Information: 5.241 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test FUGLY against the 10 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    FUGLY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 3.323. Information: 1.9 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

Solved in 3 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 3.

Continue this board in the Solver

How the fixed opener panel performs on this answer

OpenerFirst feedbackSurvivorsNormalHard Mode
TARSE00000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)102233
CRANE00000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)178755
SLATE01000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)32544
ADIEU00001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)94166
STARE00000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)102233
AUDIO02000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)61544
RAISE00000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)75033
ROATE00000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)103144
SALET00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)30244
Normal mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 3 · 4 guesses: 4 · 5 guesses: 1 · 6 guesses: 1 · Failed in six: 0
Hard Mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 3 · 4 guesses: 4 · 5 guesses: 1 · 6 guesses: 1 · 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.

23 openers set up a two-turn opportunity; examples include FULLY, BUGGY, FOGGY, GULLY, BUGLE, GUILE, INGLE, GAILY, FOGLE, KUGEL. 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 10 different answers at one later decision: BULLY, CULLY, FUGLY, FULLY, GULLY, HULLY, MUHLY, NULLY, PULLY, UNPLY. 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: BULLY, CULLY, FUGLY, FULLY, GULLY, HULLY, MUHLY, NULLY, PULLY, UNPLY.

A lesson from this route

Before FUGLY, 10 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

FUGLY can come back 83 different ways. These are the most likely, and how many of the possible answers give each one:

873 answers
287 answers
188 answers
155 answers
108 answers
76 answers
71 answers
42 answers
41 answers
40 answers
36 answers
36 answers
34 answers
33 answers
32 answers
28 answers
22 answers
21 answers
17 answers
16 answers
15 answers
13 answers
12 answers
11 answers
10 answers
9 answers
9 answers
7 answers
7 answers
6 answers

Letter-value totals

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

Scrabble

F4U1G2L1Y4
Total: 12 points

Words With Friends

Total: 14 points

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

Try next

TARSE RAISE SARED TRONE RAINE TRACE

Strategy after playing FUGLY

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

Quick reference

Largest feedback groups after playing FUGLY:

37% chance
Suggested:
TARSE
12% chance
Suggested:
RAISE
8% chance
Suggested:
SARED

Follow-ups for common patterns

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

36.5% →
TARSE 6.34 bits
12.0% →
RAISE 5.39 bits
7.9% →
SARED 5.05 bits
6.5% →
TRONE 5.49 bits
4.5% →
RAINE 5.47 bits
3.2% →
TRACE 4.71 bits
3.0% →
STADE 4.82 bits
1.8% →
IRATE 4.91 bits
1.7% →
STIRE 4.77 bits
1.7% →
DAINE 3.66 bits

Research on FUGLY

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

Optimal play

Opening with FUGLY, a proven-optimal strategy averages 3.80 guesses and ranks #10,668 of 14,855 legal openers. The best proven opener, TARSE, averages 3.55.

In hard mode it averages 3.93 guesses at best and is rank #4,850 of the 7,453 openers that can still guarantee a solve within six guesses.

Our six-turn simulation says 3.73, at or below the proven-optimal 3.80, 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
FUGLY 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).