5 FiveLetterWords
Possible Accepted guess F tier for first-turn info

JANKY

JANKY is an accepted guess. Its modelled answer likelihood is possible; no globally completed appearance is recorded here.

Meaning and pronunciation

Pronunciation: /ˈd͡ʒæŋ.kiː/[ˈd͡ʒæŋ.kʰɪi̯]/ˈd͡ʒeɪ̯ŋ.ki/

Adjective

Of poor quality.

“It's barely holding together, it's so janky.”

Adjective

Strange, odd.

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

In a sentence

That janky software keeps crashing all the time.
© tatoeba.org contributor rul (CC BY 2.0 FR)

Use JANKY in a puzzle

As an opener, it rules out about 84.3% of possible answers.

Open Solver with JANKY Open Word Finder

Wordle status

Answer chance: possible. Roughly 9.86% within a year (about 1 in 10), 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 JANKY performs as a guess

Wordle accepts JANKY 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 67.3% of games, misses completely in 32.7%, and leaves about 375 possible answers on average.

In the previous complete opener benchmark, it ranks #13,771 of 14,855 openers, averaging 3.88 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.

J___Y J in the 1st position and Y in the 5th position J__K_ J in the 1st position and K in the 4th position _A__Y A in the 2nd position and Y in the 5th position JA_KY J in the 1st position, A in the 2nd position, K in the 4th position, and Y in the 5th position

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

First-turn measures

All four describe JANKY 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.

3.59 Entropy (bits)
375 Avg remaining
0.0% Exact match
84.3% Avg ruled out

As an opening guess: previous benchmark

How JANKY 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.

3.88 Avg guesses
99.96% Solved within six
0.69 Spread of game lengths
#13,771 Rank among openers
Opening with JANKY 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 3.88 average. It ranks #13,771 of 14,855 openers by average guesses in games solved within six.
1 guess
0
2 guesses
31
3 guesses
594
4 guesses
1,365
5 guesses
342
6 guesses
21

Composition

5/5 unique
1 vowels
Common:
AN

Feedback chances

Any hit (G/Y)
67%
Green tile
31%
All gray
33%

When JANKY is useful later

JANKY 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 SALET: 3 candidates, normal mode

SALET: 00110 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

RUBLE: 00011 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

HEXYL: 02002 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

Remaining answers: DEVIL, KEVIL, MENIL.

With a budget of 3 more guesses, JANKY 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 JANKY

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 → 522 after. This feedback leaves 522 candidates.

    All 522 surviving candidates

    AALII, BABBY, BABKA, BABOO, BABUL, BACCA, BACCO, BACCY, BACHA, BACKY, BACON, BADAM, BADDY, BADLY, BAFFY, BAGGY, BAGUA, BAIZA, BAJAN, BALDY, BALKY, BALLO, BALLY, BALMY, BALOI, BALON, BALOO, BALUN, BAMBI, BAMMA, BAMMY, BANAK, BANAL, BANCO, BANDA, BANDH, BANDY, BANIA, BANJO, BANKY, BANYA, BAOZI, BAPPU, BAULK, BAVIN, BAWDY, BAYOU, BAZOO, CABAL, CABBY, CABIN, CABOB, CABOC, CACAO, CACKY, CADDY, CADGY, CAHOW, CAJON, CAJUN, CALID, CALIF, CALIX, CALLA, CALMY, CALPA, CALYX, CAMAN, CAMPI, CAMPO, CAMPY, CANAL, CANDO, CANDY, CANID, CANNA, CANNY, CANON, CAPAX, CAPIZ, CAPON, CAPUL, CAUDA, CAULD, CAULK, CAVIL, CAXON, DABBA, DACHA, DADAH, DADDY, DADLA, DAFFY, DAGGA, DAGGY, DAIKO, DAILY, DALLY, DAMAN, DAMNA, DAMPY, DANCY, DANDA, DANDY, DANIO, DANNY, DAPPY, DAUBY, DAWAH, DAYAL, DAYAN, DAYCH, FABBO, FABBY, FACIA, FADDY, FAFFY, FAGGY, FAGIN, FALAJ, FANAL, FANCY, FANGA, FANGO, FANNY, FANON, FANUM, FAUCH, FAUGH, FAULD, FAUNA, FAWNY, GABBA, GABBY, GADDI, GADGY, GADID, GADJO, GAILY, GALAH, GALAX, GALIA, GALLY, GALOP, GALVO, GAMAY, GAMBA, GAMBO, GAMIC, GAMIN, GAMMA, GAMMY, GANCH, GANDY, GANJA, GANOF, GAPPY, GAUCH, GAUCY, GAUDY, GAUMY, GAUZY, GAWCY, GAWKY, GAYAL, GAYLY, GAZAL, GAZON, GAZOO, HACKY, HADAL, HADJI, HAFIZ, HAHAM, HAICK, HAIKA, HAIKU, HAILY, HAJJI, HAKAM, HAKIM, HALAL, HALDI, HALFA, HALID, HALLO, HALMA, HALON, HALVA, HALWA, HAMAL, HAMBA, HAMMY, HAMZA, HANAP, HANCH, HANDI, HANDY, HANGI, HANKY, HAOMA, HAPAX, HAPLY, HAPPI, HAPPY, HAUGH, HAUGO, HAULD, HAULM, HAVAN, HAVOC, HAZAN, IAMBI, JACAL, JACKY, JAFFA, JAGGY, JALAP, JALOP, JAMBO, JAMBU, JAMMY, JAMON, JAMUN, JANKY, JANNY, JAPAN, JAWAN, JAZZY, KAAMA, KABAB, KABOB, KACHA, KADAI, KAHAL, KAIAK, KAIKA, KAING, KAJAL, KALAM, KALIF, KALPA, KALUA, KAMIK, KANAL, KANDY, KANGA, KANJI, KANZU, KAPAI, KAPHA, KAPOK, KAPOW, KAPPA, KAUGH, KAVAL, KAWAU, KAYAK, KAZOO, LABDA, LABIA, LACCY, LACKA, LACKY, LADDU, LADDY, LADOO, LAGAN, LAGGY, LAHAL, LAICH, LAIGH, LAIKA, LAKIN, LALDY, LAMBY, LAMIA, LAMMY, LANAI, LANCH, LANKY, LAPIN, LAPPA, LAPPY, LAUAN, LAUCH, LAUGH, LAUND, LAVAL, LAVVY, LAWIN, LAWNY, LAXLY, LAYBY, LAYIN, LAYUP, LAZZI, LAZZO, MABAN, MACAW, MACCA, MACHI, MACHO, MACKA, MACON, MADAL, MADAM, MADDY, MADID, MADLY, MAFIA, MAFIC, MAGIC, MAGMA, MAGNA, MAHAL, MAHUA, MAHWA, MAIKO, MAILL, MAILO, MAKAF, MAKAI, MAKAN, MALAI, MALAM, MALAX, MALIC, MALIK, MALKY, MALMY, MALVA, MALWA, MAMAK, MAMBA, MAMBO, MAMBU, MAMIL, MAMMA, MAMMY, MANDI, MANDY, MANGA, MANGI, MANGO, MANGY, MANIA, MANIC, MANKY, MANLY, MANNA, MANNY, MANOA, MANUL, MANZO, MAPAU, MAPOU, MAPPY, MAQAM, MAQUI, MAUBY, MAUKA, MAULA, MAUMY, MAUND, MAUVY, MAUZY, MAVIN, MAWKY, MAWLA, MAXIM, MAYAN, MAZAC, MAZAK, NABAM, NABBY, NABLA, NABOB, NACHO, NAGGY, NAHAL, NAIAD, NAILY, NAJIB, NAKFA, NALLA, NAMAD, NAMAK, NAMAZ, NAMMA, NANCY, NANDU, NANNA, NANNY, NANUA, NAPOH, NAPOO, NAPPA, NAPPY, NAUCH, NAVAL, NAVVY, NAWAB, NAWAL, NAZZY, OAKUM, PAAHO, PACAI, PACAY, PACHA, PACKY, PADAM, PADDO, PADDY, PADMA, PADOU, PAGAN, PAGOD, PAKAY, PAKKA, PAKKI, PAKUA, PAKUL, PALAK, PALAY, PALKI, PALLA, PALLU, PALLY, PALMY, PALPI, PAMBY, PAMPA, PANAX, PANCH, PANDA, PANDY, PANGA, PANIC, PANIM, PANKO, PANNA, PANNI, PANNY, PAOLI, PAOLO, PAPAD, PAPAL, PAPAW, PAPPI, PAPPY, PAUXI, PAVAN, PAVID, PAVIN, PAVON, PAVVY, PAWAW, PAWKY, QAJAQ, QAPIK, VACAY, VACUA, VACUI, VACUO, VAGAL, VAKIL, VALID, VALLI, VAMPY, VANDA, VANGA, VAPID, VAUCH, WACKO, WACKY, WADDY, WAGGA, WAGON, WAGYU, WAHAY, WAHOO, WALDO, WALLA, WALLY, WANKY, WANLY, WANNA, WAUFF, WAUGH, WAULK, WAZOO, YABBA, YABBY, YACCA, YACKA, YADDA, YAGNA, YAHOO, YAJNA, YAKKA, YAKOW, YAMPA, YAMPY, YAMUN, YANDY, YAPOK, YAPON, YAPPY, YAULD, YAWNY, ZAIDA, ZAIDY, ZAMAC, ZAMAK, ZAMAN, ZAMBO, ZAMIA, ZANJA, ZANZA, ZAPPY, ZAYIN

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  2. Test MANLY against the 522 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 21 surviving candidates

    BANDY, BANKY, CANDY, CANNY, DANCY, DANDY, DANNY, FANCY, FANNY, GANDY, HANDY, HANKY, JANKY, JANNY, KANDY, NANCY, NANNY, PANDY, PANNY, WANKY, YANDY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 36.353. Information: 3.416 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test BANKY against the 21 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    21 before → 3 after. This feedback leaves 3 candidates.

    All 3 surviving candidates

    HANKY, JANKY, WANKY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 2.978. Information: 1.191 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Test HANKY against the 3 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 2 surviving candidates

    JANKY, WANKY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.501. Information: 1.0 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

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

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    JANKY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 0.042 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 → 522 after. This feedback leaves 522 candidates.

    All 522 surviving candidates

    AALII, BABBY, BABKA, BABOO, BABUL, BACCA, BACCO, BACCY, BACHA, BACKY, BACON, BADAM, BADDY, BADLY, BAFFY, BAGGY, BAGUA, BAIZA, BAJAN, BALDY, BALKY, BALLO, BALLY, BALMY, BALOI, BALON, BALOO, BALUN, BAMBI, BAMMA, BAMMY, BANAK, BANAL, BANCO, BANDA, BANDH, BANDY, BANIA, BANJO, BANKY, BANYA, BAOZI, BAPPU, BAULK, BAVIN, BAWDY, BAYOU, BAZOO, CABAL, CABBY, CABIN, CABOB, CABOC, CACAO, CACKY, CADDY, CADGY, CAHOW, CAJON, CAJUN, CALID, CALIF, CALIX, CALLA, CALMY, CALPA, CALYX, CAMAN, CAMPI, CAMPO, CAMPY, CANAL, CANDO, CANDY, CANID, CANNA, CANNY, CANON, CAPAX, CAPIZ, CAPON, CAPUL, CAUDA, CAULD, CAULK, CAVIL, CAXON, DABBA, DACHA, DADAH, DADDY, DADLA, DAFFY, DAGGA, DAGGY, DAIKO, DAILY, DALLY, DAMAN, DAMNA, DAMPY, DANCY, DANDA, DANDY, DANIO, DANNY, DAPPY, DAUBY, DAWAH, DAYAL, DAYAN, DAYCH, FABBO, FABBY, FACIA, FADDY, FAFFY, FAGGY, FAGIN, FALAJ, FANAL, FANCY, FANGA, FANGO, FANNY, FANON, FANUM, FAUCH, FAUGH, FAULD, FAUNA, FAWNY, GABBA, GABBY, GADDI, GADGY, GADID, GADJO, GAILY, GALAH, GALAX, GALIA, GALLY, GALOP, GALVO, GAMAY, GAMBA, GAMBO, GAMIC, GAMIN, GAMMA, GAMMY, GANCH, GANDY, GANJA, GANOF, GAPPY, GAUCH, GAUCY, GAUDY, GAUMY, GAUZY, GAWCY, GAWKY, GAYAL, GAYLY, GAZAL, GAZON, GAZOO, HACKY, HADAL, HADJI, HAFIZ, HAHAM, HAICK, HAIKA, HAIKU, HAILY, HAJJI, HAKAM, HAKIM, HALAL, HALDI, HALFA, HALID, HALLO, HALMA, HALON, HALVA, HALWA, HAMAL, HAMBA, HAMMY, HAMZA, HANAP, HANCH, HANDI, HANDY, HANGI, HANKY, HAOMA, HAPAX, HAPLY, HAPPI, HAPPY, HAUGH, HAUGO, HAULD, HAULM, HAVAN, HAVOC, HAZAN, IAMBI, JACAL, JACKY, JAFFA, JAGGY, JALAP, JALOP, JAMBO, JAMBU, JAMMY, JAMON, JAMUN, JANKY, JANNY, JAPAN, JAWAN, JAZZY, KAAMA, KABAB, KABOB, KACHA, KADAI, KAHAL, KAIAK, KAIKA, KAING, KAJAL, KALAM, KALIF, KALPA, KALUA, KAMIK, KANAL, KANDY, KANGA, KANJI, KANZU, KAPAI, KAPHA, KAPOK, KAPOW, KAPPA, KAUGH, KAVAL, KAWAU, KAYAK, KAZOO, LABDA, LABIA, LACCY, LACKA, LACKY, LADDU, LADDY, LADOO, LAGAN, LAGGY, LAHAL, LAICH, LAIGH, LAIKA, LAKIN, LALDY, LAMBY, LAMIA, LAMMY, LANAI, LANCH, LANKY, LAPIN, LAPPA, LAPPY, LAUAN, LAUCH, LAUGH, LAUND, LAVAL, LAVVY, LAWIN, LAWNY, LAXLY, LAYBY, LAYIN, LAYUP, LAZZI, LAZZO, MABAN, MACAW, MACCA, MACHI, MACHO, MACKA, MACON, MADAL, MADAM, MADDY, MADID, MADLY, MAFIA, MAFIC, MAGIC, MAGMA, MAGNA, MAHAL, MAHUA, MAHWA, MAIKO, MAILL, MAILO, MAKAF, MAKAI, MAKAN, MALAI, MALAM, MALAX, MALIC, MALIK, MALKY, MALMY, MALVA, MALWA, MAMAK, MAMBA, MAMBO, MAMBU, MAMIL, MAMMA, MAMMY, MANDI, MANDY, MANGA, MANGI, MANGO, MANGY, MANIA, MANIC, MANKY, MANLY, MANNA, MANNY, MANOA, MANUL, MANZO, MAPAU, MAPOU, MAPPY, MAQAM, MAQUI, MAUBY, MAUKA, MAULA, MAUMY, MAUND, MAUVY, MAUZY, MAVIN, MAWKY, MAWLA, MAXIM, MAYAN, MAZAC, MAZAK, NABAM, NABBY, NABLA, NABOB, NACHO, NAGGY, NAHAL, NAIAD, NAILY, NAJIB, NAKFA, NALLA, NAMAD, NAMAK, NAMAZ, NAMMA, NANCY, NANDU, NANNA, NANNY, NANUA, NAPOH, NAPOO, NAPPA, NAPPY, NAUCH, NAVAL, NAVVY, NAWAB, NAWAL, NAZZY, OAKUM, PAAHO, PACAI, PACAY, PACHA, PACKY, PADAM, PADDO, PADDY, PADMA, PADOU, PAGAN, PAGOD, PAKAY, PAKKA, PAKKI, PAKUA, PAKUL, PALAK, PALAY, PALKI, PALLA, PALLU, PALLY, PALMY, PALPI, PAMBY, PAMPA, PANAX, PANCH, PANDA, PANDY, PANGA, PANIC, PANIM, PANKO, PANNA, PANNI, PANNY, PAOLI, PAOLO, PAPAD, PAPAL, PAPAW, PAPPI, PAPPY, PAUXI, PAVAN, PAVID, PAVIN, PAVON, PAVVY, PAWAW, PAWKY, QAJAQ, QAPIK, VACAY, VACUA, VACUI, VACUO, VAGAL, VAKIL, VALID, VALLI, VAMPY, VANDA, VANGA, VAPID, VAUCH, WACKO, WACKY, WADDY, WAGGA, WAGON, WAGYU, WAHAY, WAHOO, WALDO, WALLA, WALLY, WANKY, WANLY, WANNA, WAUFF, WAUGH, WAULK, WAZOO, YABBA, YABBY, YACCA, YACKA, YADDA, YAGNA, YAHOO, YAJNA, YAKKA, YAKOW, YAMPA, YAMPY, YAMUN, YANDY, YAPOK, YAPON, YAPPY, YAULD, YAWNY, ZAIDA, ZAIDY, ZAMAC, ZAMAK, ZAMAN, ZAMBO, ZAMIA, ZANJA, ZANZA, ZAPPY, ZAYIN

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  2. Test MANLY against the 522 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 21 surviving candidates

    BANDY, BANKY, CANDY, CANNY, DANCY, DANDY, DANNY, FANCY, FANNY, GANDY, HANDY, HANKY, JANKY, JANNY, KANDY, NANCY, NANNY, PANDY, PANNY, WANKY, YANDY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 36.353. Information: 3.416 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test BANKY against the 21 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    21 before → 3 after. This feedback leaves 3 candidates.

    All 3 surviving candidates

    HANKY, JANKY, WANKY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 2.978. Information: 1.191 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Test HANKY against the 3 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 2 surviving candidates

    JANKY, WANKY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.501. Information: 1.0 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

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

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    JANKY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 0.042 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
Historical 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.

  1. The fixed opener tests its five letters.

    3,158 before → 93 after. This feedback leaves 93 candidates.

    All 93 surviving candidates

    BABKA, BACON, BADLY, BAGGY, BALDY, BALKY, BALMY, BANAL, BANDY, BANJO, BAWDY, BAYOU, CABAL, CABBY, CABIN, CACAO, CADDY, CAMPY, CANAL, CANDY, CANNY, CANON, CAULK, CAVIL, DACHA, DADDY, DAFFY, DAILY, DALLY, DANDY, FANCY, FAUNA, GABBY, GAILY, GAMMA, GAUDY, GAUZY, GAWKY, GAYLY, HACKY, HAIKU, HALAL, HANDY, HANKY, HAPPY, HAVOC, JANKY, JAZZY, KABOB, KAPPA, KAYAK, KAZOO, LANKY, LAUGH, LAYUP, MACAW, MACHO, MADAM, MADLY, MAFIA, MAGIC, MAGMA, MAMBA, MAMBO, MAMMA, MANGA, MANGO, MANGY, MANIA, MANIC, MANLY, MANNA, MAXIM, NABOB, NACHO, NAGGY, NANNY, NAPPY, NAVAL, PADDY, PAGAN, PANDA, PANIC, PAPAL, VALID, VAMPY, VAPID, WACKO, WACKY, WAGON, WANLY, YAHOO, YAPPY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 100.074. Information: 5.888 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  2. Test CHYND against the 93 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    93 before → 7 after. This feedback leaves 7 candidates.

    All 7 surviving candidates

    JANKY, LANKY, MANGY, MANLY, NAGGY, NAPPY, WANLY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 6.226. Information: 4.339 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test MANLY against the 7 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    JANKY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.286. Information: 2.522 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Submit the only remaining candidate.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    JANKY

    Decision measures before feedback

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

Solved in 4 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 3.

Continue this board in the Solver

Hard Mode

Selby’s proven-optimal strategy. July 2023 snapshot: 3,158 equally likely answers; minimum mean guesses.

  1. The fixed opener tests its five letters.

    3,158 before → 93 after. This feedback leaves 93 candidates.

    All 93 surviving candidates

    BABKA, BACON, BADLY, BAGGY, BALDY, BALKY, BALMY, BANAL, BANDY, BANJO, BAWDY, BAYOU, CABAL, CABBY, CABIN, CACAO, CADDY, CAMPY, CANAL, CANDY, CANNY, CANON, CAULK, CAVIL, DACHA, DADDY, DAFFY, DAILY, DALLY, DANDY, FANCY, FAUNA, GABBY, GAILY, GAMMA, GAUDY, GAUZY, GAWKY, GAYLY, HACKY, HAIKU, HALAL, HANDY, HANKY, HAPPY, HAVOC, JANKY, JAZZY, KABOB, KAPPA, KAYAK, KAZOO, LANKY, LAUGH, LAYUP, MACAW, MACHO, MADAM, MADLY, MAFIA, MAGIC, MAGMA, MAMBA, MAMBO, MAMMA, MANGA, MANGO, MANGY, MANIA, MANIC, MANLY, MANNA, MAXIM, NABOB, NACHO, NAGGY, NANNY, NAPPY, NAVAL, PADDY, PAGAN, PANDA, PANIC, PAPAL, VALID, VAMPY, VAPID, WACKO, WACKY, WAGON, WANLY, YAHOO, YAPPY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 100.074. Information: 5.888 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  2. Test CAMAN against the 93 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    93 before → 12 after. This feedback leaves 12 candidates.

    All 12 surviving candidates

    BANDY, BANJO, DANDY, HANDY, HANKY, JANKY, LANKY, NABOB, NAGGY, NANNY, NAPPY, WANLY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 11.387. Information: 3.957 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test BANDH against the 12 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    12 before → 4 after. This feedback leaves 4 candidates.

    All 4 surviving candidates

    JANKY, LANKY, NANNY, WANLY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 2.167. Information: 2.752 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Test LANKY against the 4 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    JANKY

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 2.0 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  5. Submit the only remaining candidate.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    JANKY

    Decision measures before feedback

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

Solved in 5 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 4.

Continue this board in the Solver

Source: Alex Selby’s Wordle analysis, MIT. Licence and attribution.

How the fixed opener panel performs on this answer

OpenerFirst feedbackSurvivorsNormalHard Mode
TARSE02000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)52255
CRANE00110 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)48565
SLATE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)110144
ADIEU10000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)201966
STARE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)106144
AUDIO10000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)251355
RAISE02000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)56766
ROATE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)140444
SALET02000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)57165
Normal mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 0 · 4 guesses: 3 · 5 guesses: 2 · 6 guesses: 4 · Failed in six: 0
Hard Mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 0 · 4 guesses: 3 · 5 guesses: 4 · 6 guesses: 2 · Failed in six: 0

The nine openers use the same pool and continuation policy. Across both modes: 4–6 guesses among successes; 0 of 18 configurations failed. This is performance on this answer, not an overall opener ranking.

63 openers set up a two-turn opportunity; examples include NINJA, JACKS, JUDAS, JUNTA, BANJO, HANKS, KANJI, JAZZY, CAJUN, JACKY. 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 3 different answers at one later decision: HANKY, JANKY, WANKY. 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: HANKY, JANKY, WANKY.

A lesson from this route

Before HANKY, 3 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

JANKY can come back 57 different ways. These are the most likely, and how many of the possible answers give each one:

783 answers
400 answers
202 answers
179 answers
157 answers
85 answers
70 answers
58 answers
57 answers
40 answers
37 answers
34 answers
30 answers
27 answers
24 answers
18 answers
18 answers
18 answers
13 answers
13 answers
12 answers
12 answers
10 answers
10 answers
9 answers
7 answers
7 answers
6 answers
6 answers
5 answers

Letter-value totals

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

Scrabble

J8A1N1K5Y4
Total: 19 points

Words With Friends

Total: 21 points

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

Try next

TOISE ALERT SOLDE CLOTE GRISE TRICE

Strategy after playing JANKY

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

Quick reference

Largest feedback groups after playing JANKY:

33% chance
Suggested:
TOISE
17% chance
Suggested:
ALERT
8% chance
Suggested:
TOISE

Follow-ups for common patterns

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

32.7% →
TOISE 6.09 bits
16.7% →
ALERT 5.58 bits
8.4% →
TOISE 5.46 bits
7.5% →
SOLDE 4.62 bits
6.6% →
CLOTE 4.73 bits
3.6% →
GRISE 4.73 bits
2.9% →
TRICE 4.44 bits
2.4% →
CRISE 4.73 bits
2.4% →
SLART 3.51 bits
1.7% →
SLADE 4.27 bits

Research on JANKY

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

Optimal play

Opening with JANKY, a proven-optimal strategy averages 3.89 guesses and ranks #13,602 of 14,855 legal openers. The best proven opener, TARSE, averages 3.55.

In hard mode it averages 4.04 guesses at best and is rank #6,692 of the 7,453 openers that can still guarantee a solve within six guesses.

Our six-turn simulation says 3.88, at or below the proven-optimal 3.89, 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
JANKY 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).