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

PANKO

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

Meaning and pronunciation

Pronunciation: /ˈpæŋ.kəʊ//ˈpæŋ.koʊ//ˈpɑŋ.koʊ/

Noun

Coarse, dry breadcrumbs used in Japanese cuisine.

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

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese パン粉 (panko).

Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)

How it sounds

Two syllables, stress on the first syllable Say it PANGKOH.

Rhymes with BANCO SANKO

Use PANKO in a puzzle

As an opener, it rules out about 91.1% of possible answers.

Open Solver with PANKO 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 PANKO performs as a guess

Wordle accepts PANKO 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 79.1% of games, misses completely in 20.9%, and leaves about 212 possible answers on average.

In the previous complete opener benchmark, it ranks #6,189 of 14,855 openers, averaging 3.69 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.

P___O P in the 1st position and O in the 5th position P__K_ P in the 1st position and K in the 4th position _A__O A in the 2nd position and O in the 5th position

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

First-turn measures

All four describe PANKO 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.

4.44 Entropy (bits)
212 Avg remaining
0.0% Exact match
91.1% Avg ruled out

As an opening guess: previous benchmark

How PANKO 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.

3.69 Avg guesses
99.92% Solved within six
0.69 Spread of game lengths
#6,189 Rank among openers
Opening with PANKO left 2 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 3.69 average. It ranks #6,189 of 14,855 openers by average guesses in games solved within six.
1 guess
0
2 guesses
51
3 guesses
874
4 guesses
1,199
5 guesses
212
6 guesses
16

Composition

5/5 unique
2 vowels
Common:
ANO

Feedback chances

Any hit (G/Y)
79%
Green tile
26%
All gray
21%

When PANKO is useful later

PANKO 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 TARSE: 3 candidates, normal mode

TARSE: 00002 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

BUNDE: 00002 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

OXIME: 00002 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

LEEZE: 12002 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

Remaining answers: HELVE, PEPLE, WELKE.

With a budget of 2 more guesses, PANKO 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: 00011 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

OUEDS: 00211 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

STEED: 20222 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

Remaining answers: SKEED, SNEED, SPEED, SWEED.

With a budget of 3 more guesses, PANKO 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, PANKO 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 PANKO

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 → 41 after. This feedback leaves 41 candidates.

    All 41 surviving candidates

    BANAK, BANCO, BANDA, BANDH, BANIA, BANJO, CANDO, CANID, CANNA, CANON, DANDA, DANIO, FANGA, FANGO, FANON, GANCH, GANJA, GANOF, HANAP, HANCH, HANDI, HANGI, KANGA, KANJI, KANZU, NANDU, NANNA, NANUA, PANAX, PANCH, PANDA, PANGA, PANIC, PANKO, PANNA, PANNI, VANDA, VANGA, WANNA, ZANJA, ZANZA

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  3. Test PANDA against the 41 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 4 surviving candidates

    PANCH, PANIC, PANKO, PANNI

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 2.235. Information: 1.19 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

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

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    PANKO

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 1.612 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

    PANKO

    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

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 → 41 after. This feedback leaves 41 candidates.

    All 41 surviving candidates

    BANAK, BANCO, BANDA, BANDH, BANIA, BANJO, CANDO, CANID, CANNA, CANON, DANDA, DANIO, FANGA, FANGO, FANON, GANCH, GANJA, GANOF, HANAP, HANCH, HANDI, HANGI, KANGA, KANJI, KANZU, NANDU, NANNA, NANUA, PANAX, PANCH, PANDA, PANGA, PANIC, PANKO, PANNA, PANNI, VANDA, VANGA, WANNA, ZANJA, ZANZA

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  3. Test PANDA against the 41 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 4 surviving candidates

    PANCH, PANIC, PANKO, PANNI

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 2.235. Information: 1.19 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

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

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    PANKO

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 1.612 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

    PANKO

    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

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)48566
SLATE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)110166
ADIEU10000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)201944
STARE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)106155
AUDIO10002 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)10165
RAISE02000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)56744
ROATE01100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)28033
SALET02000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)57155
Normal mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 1 · 4 guesses: 2 · 5 guesses: 3 · 6 guesses: 3 · Failed in six: 0
Hard Mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 1 · 4 guesses: 2 · 5 guesses: 4 · 6 guesses: 2 · 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.

33 openers set up a two-turn opportunity; examples include PIANO, KORAN, POLKA, PANTO, TONKA, CAPON, PINKO, KAPOW, POKAL, POOKA. 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: PANCH, PANIC, PANKO, PANNI. 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: PANCH, PANIC, PANKO, PANNI.

A lesson from this route

Before PANIC, 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.

Methods and limitations

Feedback distribution

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

500 answers
302 answers
287 answers
164 answers
123 answers
92 answers
83 answers
77 answers
64 answers
55 answers
44 answers
42 answers
39 answers
34 answers
31 answers
29 answers
26 answers
23 answers
23 answers
23 answers
20 answers
20 answers
17 answers
15 answers
15 answers
15 answers
15 answers
14 answers
14 answers
12 answers

Letter-value totals

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

Scrabble

P3A1N1K5O1
Total: 11 points

Words With Friends

Total: 13 points

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

Try next

STIRE STARE TRODE STILE SIREN SLIER

Strategy after playing PANKO

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

Quick reference

Largest feedback groups after playing PANKO:

21% chance
Suggested:
STIRE
13% chance
Suggested:
STARE
12% chance
Suggested:
TRODE

Follow-ups for common patterns

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

20.9% →
STIRE 6.00 bits
12.6% →
STARE 5.65 bits
12.0% →
TRODE 5.15 bits
6.9% →
STILE 4.86 bits
5.1% →
STIRE 5.17 bits
3.8% →
SIREN 4.43 bits
3.5% →
SLIER 5.43 bits
3.2% →
MOLAR 4.19 bits
2.7% →
GRISE 4.67 bits
2.3% →
SLICE 4.31 bits

Research on PANKO

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

Optimal play

Opening with PANKO, a proven-optimal strategy averages 3.72 guesses and ranks #6,404 of 14,855 legal openers. The best proven opener, TARSE, averages 3.55.

In hard mode it averages 3.83 guesses at best and is rank #2,270 of the 7,453 openers that can still guarantee a solve within six guesses.

Our six-turn simulation says 3.69, 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

Frequency
PANKO 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); Pronunciation: CMU Pronouncing Dictionary (BSD); Word frequency: wordfreq (data CC BY-SA 4.0).