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

MENED

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

No dictionary definition for MENED is recorded in our sourced data.

Meaning and pronunciation

We do not have a sourced definition for this word yet.

Check MENED on Wiktionary or report a missing entry.

Use MENED in a puzzle

As an opener, it rules out about 88.8% of possible answers.

Open Solver with MENED 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 MENED performs as a guess

Wordle accepts MENED 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 72.2% of games, misses completely in 27.8%, and leaves about 268 possible answers on average.

In the previous complete opener benchmark, it ranks #6,703 of 14,855 openers, averaging 3.70 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.

M___D M in the 1st position and D in the 5th position M__E_ M in the 1st position and E in the 4th position _E__D E in the 2nd position and D in the 5th position ME_ED M in the 1st position, E in the 2nd position, E in the 4th position, and D in the 5th position

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

First-turn measures

All four describe MENED 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.

4.32 Entropy (bits)
268 Avg remaining
0.0% Exact match
88.8% Avg ruled out

As an opening guess: previous benchmark

How MENED 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.

3.70 Avg guesses
99.87% Solved within six
0.69 Spread of game lengths
#6,703 Rank among openers
Opening with MENED left 3 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 3.70 average. It ranks #6,703 of 14,855 openers by average guesses in games solved within six.
1 guess
0
2 guesses
54
3 guesses
847
4 guesses
1,225
5 guesses
207
6 guesses
18

Composition

4/5 unique
2 vowels
Common:
EN

Feedback chances

Any hit (G/Y)
72%
Green tile
34%
All gray
28%

When MENED is useful later

MENED 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 SLATE: 3 candidates, normal mode

SLATE: 10100 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

RASPS: 11002 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

ABRIS: 10202 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

HORAS: 00222 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

Remaining answers: DURAS, MURAS, UMRAS.

With a budget of 2 more guesses, MENED 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: 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, MENED 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 MENED

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 → 759 after. This feedback leaves 759 candidates.

    All 759 surviving candidates

    BEBOP, BEDEL, BEDEW, BEDIM, BEECH, BEEDI, BEEFY, BEFOG, BEGEM, BEGIN, BEGOB, BEGUM, BEGUN, BEIGY, BEING, BELCH, BELLI, BELLO, BELLY, BELON, BELOW, BEMIX, BEMUD, BENCH, BENDY, BENJI, BENNI, BENNY, BEVEL, BEVVY, BEWDY, BEWIG, BEZEL, BEZIL, BEZZY, BICEP, BIDED, BIELD, BIKED, BILED, BIPED, BLECH, BLEED, BLEEP, BLEND, BLUED, BLUEY, BODED, BOEUF, BOGEY, BOKED, BOKEH, BONED, BONEY, BOOED, BOWED, BOWEL, BOXED, BOXEN, BOYED, BOYEY, BUDED, BYDED, BYKED, CEBID, CECUM, CEDED, CEILI, CELEB, CELLI, CELLO, CELLY, CELOM, CHECK, CHEDI, CHEEB, CHEEK, CHEEP, CHELP, CHEMO, CHEVY, CHEWY, CHIEF, CHIEL, CIDED, CIMEX, CLECK, CLEEK, CLEEP, CLEIK, CLIED, CLUED, CLUEY, CODEC, CODED, CODEN, CODEX, COHEN, COKED, COKEY, COLED, COLEY, CONED, CONEX, CONEY, COOED, COOEY, COPED, COPEN, COVED, COVEN, COVEY, COWED, COXED, COYED, COZED, COZEN, COZEY, CUBEB, CUBED, CULEX, CUMEC, CUNEI, CUPEL, DEBBY, DEBEL, DEBUD, DEBUG, DECIM, DECKO, DECOY, DECYL, DEEDY, DEELY, DEFFO, DEFOG, DEGUM, DEIFY, DEIGN, DEINK, DEKED, DEKKO, DELED, DELLY, DELPH, DEMIC, DEMOB, DEMOI, DEMON, DENCH, DENIM, DEOCH, DEOXY, DEVEL, DEVIL, DEVON, DEWED, DICED, DICEY, DIKED, DIKEY, DINED, DIVED, DIVEY, DIZEN, DOGEY, DOLED, DOLEY, DOMED, DOPED, DOPEY, DOVED, DOVEN, DOWED, DOWEL, DOXED, DOYEN, DOZED, DOZEN, DUDED, DUKED, DUPED, DWEEB, DWELL, DYKED, DYKEY, DYNEL, EBBED, EBONY, EBOOK, ECHED, EDGED, EDIFY, EEVEN, EFFED, EGGED, EHING, EIKED, EIKON, EJIDO, EKING, ELBOW, ELCHI, ELDIN, ELEGY, ELEMI, ELFED, ELFIN, ELMEN, ELOGY, ELOIN, ELVEN, EMBED, EMBOG, EMBOW, EMBOX, EMEND, EMMEW, EMOJI, EMONG, ENDED, ENDEW, ENDOW, ENEMY, ENFIX, ENJOY, ENMEW, ENNOG, ENNUI, ENOKI, ENVOI, ENVOY, ENZYM, EOLID, EPHOD, EPOCH, EPOXY, EQUID, EQUIP, EUKED, EWHOW, EWKED, EXCEL, EXEEM, EXFIL, EXING, EXPEL, EYING, FEDEX, FEELY, FEIGN, FELCH, FELID, FELIX, FELLY, FELON, FEMIC, FEMMY, FENDY, FENNY, FEOFF, FEUED, FEYED, FEYLY, FEZZY, FIELD, FIEND, FIFED, FIKED, FILED, FINED, FIXED, FJELD, FLECK, FLEEK, FLEXI, FLEXO, FLIED, FLUED, FLUEY, FOEHN, FOGEY, FOLEY, FOXED, FUMED, FUZED, FYKED, GECKO, GEEKY, GELID, GELLY, GEMEL, GEMMY, GENIC, GENII, GENIN, GENIO, GENIP, GENNY, GENOM, GEOID, GIBED, GIBEL, GIMEL, GIVED, GIVEN, GLEBY, GLEED, GLEEK, GLUED, GLUEY, GOLEM, GONEF, GOOEY, GOVED, GUYED, GYBED, GYELD, GYVED, HEBEN, HEDGY, HEEDY, HEIGH, HELED, HELIO, HELIX, HELLO, HELLY, HEMIC, HEMIN, HEMPY, HENCH, HENNY, HEUCH, HEUGH, HEVEL, HEWED, HEWGH, HEXED, HEXYL, HEYED, HIDED, HIKED, HIPED, HIVED, HIZEN, HOGEN, HOHED, HOIED, HOKED, HOKEY, HOLED, HOLEY, HOMED, HOMEY, HONED, HONEY, HOOEY, HOPED, HOVED, HOVEL, HOVEN, HOXED, HOYED, HYDEL, HYLEG, HYMEN, HYPED, ICHED, IDLED, IGGED, ILEUM, IMBED, IMMEW, IMPED, IMPEL, INCEL, INDEW, INDEX, INKED, INNED, IVIED, JEBEL, JEELY, JELLO, JELLY, JEMMY, JENNY, JEWED, JEWEL, JHEEL, JIBED, JIVED, JIVEY, JOBED, JODEL, JOKED, JOKEY, JOLED, JOWED, JOYED, JUKED, JULEP, KEBOB, KEDGY, KEECH, KEENO, KELEP, KELIM, KELLY, KELPY, KEMBO, KEMPY, KENCH, KENDO, KEVEL, KEVIL, KEYED, KIBEI, KIDEL, KIDEO, KILEY, KLIEG, KNEED, KNEEL, KNELL, KOHEN, KOPEK, KUGEL, KVELL, LEBEN, LECCY, LEDGY, LEDUM, LEECH, LEGGO, LEGGY, LEGNO, LEMED, LEMEL, LEMON, LEPID, LEUCH, LEUCO, LEUGH, LEVEL, LEVIN, LEZZO, LEZZY, LIBEL, LIFEY, LIKED, LIKEN, LIMED, LIMEN, LIMEY, LINED, LINEN, LINEY, LIVED, LIVEN, LOBED, LODEN, LOKEY, LOLED, LOMED, LOOED, LOOEY, LOPED, LOUED, LOVED, LOVEY, LOWED, LOWEN, LOXED, LOZEN, LUBED, LUGED, LUMEN, LUXED, MECUM, MEDIC, MEDII, MEDIN, MEECH, MEIKO, MEINY, MELCH, MELIC, MELIK, MELON, MEMIC, MENED, MENIL, MEVED, MEWED, MEZZO, MIEUX, MIKED, MIMED, MIMEO, MINED, MIVEY, MIXED, MIXEN, MIZEN, MOBED, MOBEY, MODEL, MODEM, MOENI, MOHEL, MOKEY, MOLED, MOLEY, MONEY, MOOED, MOOEY, MOPED, MOPEY, MOVED, MOWED, MOZED, MULED, MULEY, MUXED, NEBBY, NEBEK, NEBEL, NEDDY, NEEDY, NEELD, NEEMB, NEIGH, NELLY, NEMIC, NEVEL, NEVVY, NEWED, NEWEL, NEWLY, NEXIN, NEXUM, NICED, NICEY, NIDED, NIVEL, NIXED, NODED, NOMEN, NOVEL, NOWED, NOYED, NUEVO, NUKED, NUMEN, OBELI, OBIED, ODEON, ODEUM, OFFED, OGEED, OGLED, OHELO, OILED, OLDEN, OLEIC, OLEIN, OLEUM, OLEYL, OMDEH, OMMEL, ONELY, ONNED, OOHED, OOPED, OOZED, OUPED, OUZEL, OWLED, OWNED, OXMEN, OZEKI, PECKY, PEDON, PEEKY, PEELY, PEEOY, PEEPY, PEEVO, PEGGY, PEKID, PEKIN, PELCH, PELOG, PELON, PENDU, PENED, PENGO, PENNI, PENNY, PEONY, PEPON, PEPPY, PEQUI, PEWED, PHEON, PICEY, PIEND, PIEZO, PIKED, PIKEL, PIKEY, PILED, PILEI, PILEY, PINED, PINEY, PIPED, PIXEL, PIZED, PLECK, PLEEP, PLEIN, PLENO, PLEON, PLEXI, PLIED, PODEX, POGEY, POHED, POKED, POKEY, POLED, POLEY, PONEY, POOED, POOEY, POXED, PUKED, PUKEY, PULED, PUZEL, PWNED, PYNED, PYXED, QUECK, QUEEK, QUEEM, QUEEN, QUELL, QUEYN, QUEYU, UGGED, UMBEL, UMMED, UMPED, UNBED, UNFED, UNKED, UNKEY, UNLED, UNLEG, UNMEW, UNPEG, UNPEN, UNWED, UPEND, UPLED, UPPED, VEGGO, VEILY, VEINY, VELUM, VENDU, VENEY, VENIN, VENOM, VEXED, VEXIL, VIBED, VIBEX, VIBEY, VICED, VIDEO, VIEUX, VIEWY, VIMEN, VINED, VINEW, VIXEN, VOLED, VOWED, VOWEL, VOXEL, WEBBY, WEDEL, WEDGY, WEEDY, WEENY, WEEPY, WEIGH, WELCH, WELLY, WENCH, WENNY, WEXED, WHEEK, WHEEL, WHEEN, WHEEP, WHELK, WHELM, WHELP, WIDEN, WIELD, WIFED, WIFEY, WILED, WINED, WINEY, WIPED, WIVED, WIZEN, WOKEN, WOMEN, WOOED, WOVEN, WOWED, WOXEN, WYLED, XEBEC, XENIC, XENON, XYLEM, YCLED, YECCH, YECHY, YEEEK, YEUCH, YEUKY, YEVEN, YEWEN, YEXED, YIELD, YIKED, YODEL, YOKED, YOKEG, YOKEL, YOWED, YUKED, ZEBEC, ZEBUB, ZENDO, ZINEB, ZIZEL, ZONED, ZOOEY

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  2. Test OLDEN against the 759 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 21 surviving candidates

    DINED, FINED, INKED, INNED, KNEED, MENED, MINED, NEWED, NICED, NIXED, NUKED, PENED, PINED, PWNED, PYNED, UNBED, UNFED, UNKED, UNWED, VINED, WINED

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 32.339. Information: 4.551 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

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

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

    All 3 surviving candidates

    MENED, PENED, PYNED

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 3.611. Information: 2.356 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

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

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    MENED

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 1.585 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

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 → 759 after. This feedback leaves 759 candidates.

    All 759 surviving candidates

    BEBOP, BEDEL, BEDEW, BEDIM, BEECH, BEEDI, BEEFY, BEFOG, BEGEM, BEGIN, BEGOB, BEGUM, BEGUN, BEIGY, BEING, BELCH, BELLI, BELLO, BELLY, BELON, BELOW, BEMIX, BEMUD, BENCH, BENDY, BENJI, BENNI, BENNY, BEVEL, BEVVY, BEWDY, BEWIG, BEZEL, BEZIL, BEZZY, BICEP, BIDED, BIELD, BIKED, BILED, BIPED, BLECH, BLEED, BLEEP, BLEND, BLUED, BLUEY, BODED, BOEUF, BOGEY, BOKED, BOKEH, BONED, BONEY, BOOED, BOWED, BOWEL, BOXED, BOXEN, BOYED, BOYEY, BUDED, BYDED, BYKED, CEBID, CECUM, CEDED, CEILI, CELEB, CELLI, CELLO, CELLY, CELOM, CHECK, CHEDI, CHEEB, CHEEK, CHEEP, CHELP, CHEMO, CHEVY, CHEWY, CHIEF, CHIEL, CIDED, CIMEX, CLECK, CLEEK, CLEEP, CLEIK, CLIED, CLUED, CLUEY, CODEC, CODED, CODEN, CODEX, COHEN, COKED, COKEY, COLED, COLEY, CONED, CONEX, CONEY, COOED, COOEY, COPED, COPEN, COVED, COVEN, COVEY, COWED, COXED, COYED, COZED, COZEN, COZEY, CUBEB, CUBED, CULEX, CUMEC, CUNEI, CUPEL, DEBBY, DEBEL, DEBUD, DEBUG, DECIM, DECKO, DECOY, DECYL, DEEDY, DEELY, DEFFO, DEFOG, DEGUM, DEIFY, DEIGN, DEINK, DEKED, DEKKO, DELED, DELLY, DELPH, DEMIC, DEMOB, DEMOI, DEMON, DENCH, DENIM, DEOCH, DEOXY, DEVEL, DEVIL, DEVON, DEWED, DICED, DICEY, DIKED, DIKEY, DINED, DIVED, DIVEY, DIZEN, DOGEY, DOLED, DOLEY, DOMED, DOPED, DOPEY, DOVED, DOVEN, DOWED, DOWEL, DOXED, DOYEN, DOZED, DOZEN, DUDED, DUKED, DUPED, DWEEB, DWELL, DYKED, DYKEY, DYNEL, EBBED, EBONY, EBOOK, ECHED, EDGED, EDIFY, EEVEN, EFFED, EGGED, EHING, EIKED, EIKON, EJIDO, EKING, ELBOW, ELCHI, ELDIN, ELEGY, ELEMI, ELFED, ELFIN, ELMEN, ELOGY, ELOIN, ELVEN, EMBED, EMBOG, EMBOW, EMBOX, EMEND, EMMEW, EMOJI, EMONG, ENDED, ENDEW, ENDOW, ENEMY, ENFIX, ENJOY, ENMEW, ENNOG, ENNUI, ENOKI, ENVOI, ENVOY, ENZYM, EOLID, EPHOD, EPOCH, EPOXY, EQUID, EQUIP, EUKED, EWHOW, EWKED, EXCEL, EXEEM, EXFIL, EXING, EXPEL, EYING, FEDEX, FEELY, FEIGN, FELCH, FELID, FELIX, FELLY, FELON, FEMIC, FEMMY, FENDY, FENNY, FEOFF, FEUED, FEYED, FEYLY, FEZZY, FIELD, FIEND, FIFED, FIKED, FILED, FINED, FIXED, FJELD, FLECK, FLEEK, FLEXI, FLEXO, FLIED, FLUED, FLUEY, FOEHN, FOGEY, FOLEY, FOXED, FUMED, FUZED, FYKED, GECKO, GEEKY, GELID, GELLY, GEMEL, GEMMY, GENIC, GENII, GENIN, GENIO, GENIP, GENNY, GENOM, GEOID, GIBED, GIBEL, GIMEL, GIVED, GIVEN, GLEBY, GLEED, GLEEK, GLUED, GLUEY, GOLEM, GONEF, GOOEY, GOVED, GUYED, GYBED, GYELD, GYVED, HEBEN, HEDGY, HEEDY, HEIGH, HELED, HELIO, HELIX, HELLO, HELLY, HEMIC, HEMIN, HEMPY, HENCH, HENNY, HEUCH, HEUGH, HEVEL, HEWED, HEWGH, HEXED, HEXYL, HEYED, HIDED, HIKED, HIPED, HIVED, HIZEN, HOGEN, HOHED, HOIED, HOKED, HOKEY, HOLED, HOLEY, HOMED, HOMEY, HONED, HONEY, HOOEY, HOPED, HOVED, HOVEL, HOVEN, HOXED, HOYED, HYDEL, HYLEG, HYMEN, HYPED, ICHED, IDLED, IGGED, ILEUM, IMBED, IMMEW, IMPED, IMPEL, INCEL, INDEW, INDEX, INKED, INNED, IVIED, JEBEL, JEELY, JELLO, JELLY, JEMMY, JENNY, JEWED, JEWEL, JHEEL, JIBED, JIVED, JIVEY, JOBED, JODEL, JOKED, JOKEY, JOLED, JOWED, JOYED, JUKED, JULEP, KEBOB, KEDGY, KEECH, KEENO, KELEP, KELIM, KELLY, KELPY, KEMBO, KEMPY, KENCH, KENDO, KEVEL, KEVIL, KEYED, KIBEI, KIDEL, KIDEO, KILEY, KLIEG, KNEED, KNEEL, KNELL, KOHEN, KOPEK, KUGEL, KVELL, LEBEN, LECCY, LEDGY, LEDUM, LEECH, LEGGO, LEGGY, LEGNO, LEMED, LEMEL, LEMON, LEPID, LEUCH, LEUCO, LEUGH, LEVEL, LEVIN, LEZZO, LEZZY, LIBEL, LIFEY, LIKED, LIKEN, LIMED, LIMEN, LIMEY, LINED, LINEN, LINEY, LIVED, LIVEN, LOBED, LODEN, LOKEY, LOLED, LOMED, LOOED, LOOEY, LOPED, LOUED, LOVED, LOVEY, LOWED, LOWEN, LOXED, LOZEN, LUBED, LUGED, LUMEN, LUXED, MECUM, MEDIC, MEDII, MEDIN, MEECH, MEIKO, MEINY, MELCH, MELIC, MELIK, MELON, MEMIC, MENED, MENIL, MEVED, MEWED, MEZZO, MIEUX, MIKED, MIMED, MIMEO, MINED, MIVEY, MIXED, MIXEN, MIZEN, MOBED, MOBEY, MODEL, MODEM, MOENI, MOHEL, MOKEY, MOLED, MOLEY, MONEY, MOOED, MOOEY, MOPED, MOPEY, MOVED, MOWED, MOZED, MULED, MULEY, MUXED, NEBBY, NEBEK, NEBEL, NEDDY, NEEDY, NEELD, NEEMB, NEIGH, NELLY, NEMIC, NEVEL, NEVVY, NEWED, NEWEL, NEWLY, NEXIN, NEXUM, NICED, NICEY, NIDED, NIVEL, NIXED, NODED, NOMEN, NOVEL, NOWED, NOYED, NUEVO, NUKED, NUMEN, OBELI, OBIED, ODEON, ODEUM, OFFED, OGEED, OGLED, OHELO, OILED, OLDEN, OLEIC, OLEIN, OLEUM, OLEYL, OMDEH, OMMEL, ONELY, ONNED, OOHED, OOPED, OOZED, OUPED, OUZEL, OWLED, OWNED, OXMEN, OZEKI, PECKY, PEDON, PEEKY, PEELY, PEEOY, PEEPY, PEEVO, PEGGY, PEKID, PEKIN, PELCH, PELOG, PELON, PENDU, PENED, PENGO, PENNI, PENNY, PEONY, PEPON, PEPPY, PEQUI, PEWED, PHEON, PICEY, PIEND, PIEZO, PIKED, PIKEL, PIKEY, PILED, PILEI, PILEY, PINED, PINEY, PIPED, PIXEL, PIZED, PLECK, PLEEP, PLEIN, PLENO, PLEON, PLEXI, PLIED, PODEX, POGEY, POHED, POKED, POKEY, POLED, POLEY, PONEY, POOED, POOEY, POXED, PUKED, PUKEY, PULED, PUZEL, PWNED, PYNED, PYXED, QUECK, QUEEK, QUEEM, QUEEN, QUELL, QUEYN, QUEYU, UGGED, UMBEL, UMMED, UMPED, UNBED, UNFED, UNKED, UNKEY, UNLED, UNLEG, UNMEW, UNPEG, UNPEN, UNWED, UPEND, UPLED, UPPED, VEGGO, VEILY, VEINY, VELUM, VENDU, VENEY, VENIN, VENOM, VEXED, VEXIL, VIBED, VIBEX, VIBEY, VICED, VIDEO, VIEUX, VIEWY, VIMEN, VINED, VINEW, VIXEN, VOLED, VOWED, VOWEL, VOXEL, WEBBY, WEDEL, WEDGY, WEEDY, WEENY, WEEPY, WEIGH, WELCH, WELLY, WENCH, WENNY, WEXED, WHEEK, WHEEL, WHEEN, WHEEP, WHELK, WHELM, WHELP, WIDEN, WIELD, WIFED, WIFEY, WILED, WINED, WINEY, WIPED, WIVED, WIZEN, WOKEN, WOMEN, WOOED, WOVEN, WOWED, WOXEN, WYLED, XEBEC, XENIC, XENON, XYLEM, YCLED, YECCH, YECHY, YEEEK, YEUCH, YEUKY, YEVEN, YEWEN, YEXED, YIELD, YIKED, YODEL, YOKED, YOKEG, YOKEL, YOWED, YUKED, ZEBEC, ZEBUB, ZENDO, ZINEB, ZIZEL, ZONED, ZOOEY

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  2. Test OLDEN against the 759 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 21 surviving candidates

    DINED, FINED, INKED, INNED, KNEED, MENED, MINED, NEWED, NICED, NIXED, NUKED, PENED, PINED, PWNED, PYNED, UNBED, UNFED, UNKED, UNWED, VINED, WINED

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 32.339. Information: 4.551 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

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

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

    All 3 surviving candidates

    MENED, PENED, PYNED

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 3.611. Information: 2.356 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

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

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    MENED

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 1.585 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
TARSE00001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)75944
CRANE00011 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)40333
SLATE00001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)94244
ADIEU01020 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)30754
STARE00001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)75944
AUDIO00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)24955
RAISE00001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)73655
ROATE00001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)116755
SALET00020 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)60844
Normal mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 1 · 4 guesses: 4 · 5 guesses: 4 · 6 guesses: 0 · Failed in six: 0
Hard Mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 1 · 4 guesses: 5 · 5 guesses: 3 · 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.

26 openers set up a two-turn opportunity; examples include DENSE, MINED, MANDI, DENTE, MENDS, DEMAN, EMEND, MENES, MENGE, DENES. 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 E. Feedback allocates exact matches before misplaced copies; a grey duplicate does not erase another coloured copy.

The worked board still allows 3 different answers at one later decision: MENED, PENED, PYNED. 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: MENED, PENED, PYNED.

A lesson from this route

Before MENED, 3 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

MENED can come back 90 different ways. These are the most likely, and how many of the possible answers give each one:

665 answers
301 answers
212 answers
126 answers
102 answers
84 answers
80 answers
64 answers
61 answers
53 answers
48 answers
46 answers
37 answers
36 answers
32 answers
28 answers
25 answers
23 answers
21 answers
20 answers
18 answers
17 answers
14 answers
13 answers
13 answers
12 answers
12 answers
12 answers
11 answers
9 answers

Letter-value totals

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

Scrabble

M3E1N1E1D2
Total: 8 points

Words With Friends

Total: 10 points

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

Try next

SLART SAINT SOLAR SAURY DROIT ARISE

Strategy after playing MENED

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

Quick reference

Largest feedback groups after playing MENED:

28% chance
Suggested:
SLART
13% chance
Suggested:
SLART
9% chance
Suggested:
SAINT

Follow-ups for common patterns

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

27.8% →
SLART 6.08 bits
12.6% →
SLART 5.81 bits
8.9% →
SAINT 5.37 bits
5.3% →
SOLAR 4.40 bits
4.3% →
SAURY 4.71 bits
3.5% →
SLART 5.03 bits
3.3% →
DROIT 4.93 bits
2.7% →
ARISE 4.63 bits
2.6% →
SAUCY 4.36 bits
2.2% →
ALURE 4.48 bits

Research on MENED

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

Optimal play

Opening with MENED, a proven-optimal strategy averages 3.72 guesses and ranks #6,380 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 MENED can guarantee a solve within six guesses.

Our six-turn simulation says 3.70, at or below the proven-optimal 3.72, 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

Dominant sense
Lancaster raters associated it most strongly with sight (4.6 of 5).

Sources: Optimal-play values: Alex Selby's exhaustive Wordle analysis (MIT); Lancaster Sensorimotor Norms (CC BY 4.0).