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

QAJAQ

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

Meaning and pronunciation

Noun

Alternative form of kayak.

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

Use QAJAQ in a puzzle

As an opener, it rules out about 60.0% of possible answers.

Open Solver with QAJAQ 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 QAJAQ performs as a guess

Wordle accepts QAJAQ 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 40.8% of games, misses completely in 59.2%, and leaves about 956 possible answers on average.

In the previous complete opener benchmark, it ranks #14,855 of 14,855 openers, averaging 4.25 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.

Q__A_ Q in the 1st position and A in the 4th position _A__Q A in the 2nd position and Q in the 5th position

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

First-turn measures

All four describe QAJAQ 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.

1.89 Entropy (bits)
956 Avg remaining
0.0% Exact match
60.0% Avg ruled out

As an opening guess: previous benchmark

How QAJAQ 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.

4.25 Avg guesses
99.49% Solved within six
0.72 Spread of game lengths
#14,855 Rank among openers
Opening with QAJAQ left 12 of the snapshot's answers unsolved after six guesses. A spread of 0.72 means those games clustered within about 0.72 of a guess of the 4.25 average. It ranks #14,855 of 14,855 openers by average guesses in games solved within six.
1 guess
0
2 guesses
11
3 guesses
289
4 guesses
1,228
5 guesses
740
6 guesses
74

Composition

3/5 unique
2 vowels
Common:
A

Feedback chances

Any hit (G/Y)
41%
Green tile
20%
All gray
59%

When QAJAQ is useful later

QAJAQ 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 STARE: 4 candidates, normal mode

STARE: 02110 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

Remaining answers: ATRIA, ATRIP, ATTAR, OTTAR.

With a budget of 5 more guesses, QAJAQ 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 QAJAQ

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 → 88 after. This feedback leaves 88 candidates.

    All 88 surviving candidates

    BABKA, BABOO, BACCA, BACCO, BACHA, BAGUA, BAIZA, BAOZI, BAPPU, BAZOO, CABOB, CABOC, CACAO, CAHOW, CAPAX, CAPIZ, CAUDA, DABBA, DACHA, DADAH, DAGGA, DAIKO, DAWAH, FABBO, FACIA, FAUCH, FAUGH, GABBA, GADDI, GADID, GADJO, GAUCH, GAZOO, HADJI, HAFIZ, HAICK, HAIKA, HAIKU, HAJJI, HAPAX, HAPPI, HAUGH, HAUGO, HAVOC, JAFFA, KABAB, KABOB, KACHA, KADAI, KAIAK, KAIKA, KAPAI, KAPHA, KAPOK, KAPOW, KAPPA, KAUGH, KAWAU, KAZOO, PAAHO, PACAI, PACHA, PADDO, PADOU, PAGOD, PAKKA, PAKKI, PAKUA, PAPAD, PAPAW, PAPPI, PAUXI, PAVID, PAWAW, QAJAQ, QAPIK, VACUA, VACUI, VACUO, VAPID, VAUCH, WACKO, WAGGA, WAHOO, WAUFF, WAUGH, WAZOO, ZAIDA

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  3. Test KAPHA against the 88 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 2 surviving candidates

    CACAO, QAJAQ

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.677. Information: 2.512 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Test CACAO against the 2 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    QAJAQ

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 0.688 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

    QAJAQ

    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 → 88 after. This feedback leaves 88 candidates.

    All 88 surviving candidates

    BABKA, BABOO, BACCA, BACCO, BACHA, BAGUA, BAIZA, BAOZI, BAPPU, BAZOO, CABOB, CABOC, CACAO, CAHOW, CAPAX, CAPIZ, CAUDA, DABBA, DACHA, DADAH, DAGGA, DAIKO, DAWAH, FABBO, FACIA, FAUCH, FAUGH, GABBA, GADDI, GADID, GADJO, GAUCH, GAZOO, HADJI, HAFIZ, HAICK, HAIKA, HAIKU, HAJJI, HAPAX, HAPPI, HAUGH, HAUGO, HAVOC, JAFFA, KABAB, KABOB, KACHA, KADAI, KAIAK, KAIKA, KAPAI, KAPHA, KAPOK, KAPOW, KAPPA, KAUGH, KAWAU, KAZOO, PAAHO, PACAI, PACHA, PADDO, PADOU, PAGOD, PAKKA, PAKKI, PAKUA, PAPAD, PAPAW, PAPPI, PAUXI, PAVID, PAWAW, QAJAQ, QAPIK, VACUA, VACUI, VACUO, VAPID, VAUCH, WACKO, WAGGA, WAHOO, WAUFF, WAUGH, WAZOO, ZAIDA

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  3. Test KAPHA against the 88 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 2 surviving candidates

    CACAO, QAJAQ

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.677. Information: 2.512 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Test CACAO against the 2 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    QAJAQ

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 0.688 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

    QAJAQ

    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
CRANE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)148455
SLATE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)110166
ADIEU10000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)201966
STARE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)106155
AUDIO10000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)251366
RAISE02000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)56766
ROATE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)140455
SALET02000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)57155
Normal mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 0 · 4 guesses: 0 · 5 guesses: 5 · 6 guesses: 4 · Failed in six: 0
Hard Mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 0 · 4 guesses: 0 · 5 guesses: 5 · 6 guesses: 4 · Failed in six: 0

The nine openers use the same pool and continuation policy. Across both modes: 5–6 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 QUITS, RAFIQ, TALAQ, TRANQ, QUIST, QUINS, QUINA, QUOIN, QUIRT, QUINO. 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 Q, 2 copies of A. Feedback allocates exact matches before misplaced copies; a grey duplicate does not erase another coloured copy.

The worked board still allows 2 different answers at one later decision: CACAO, QAJAQ. 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: CACAO, QAJAQ.

A lesson from this route

Before CACAO, 2 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

QAJAQ can come back 18 different ways. These are the most likely, and how many of the possible answers give each one:

1415 answers
428 answers
280 answers
137 answers
32 answers
20 answers
17 answers
15 answers
14 answers
9 answers
9 answers
4 answers
3 answers
3 answers
2 answers
1 answer
1 answer
1 answer

Letter-value totals

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

Scrabble

Q10A1J8A1Q10
Total: 30 points

Words With Friends

Total: 32 points

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

Try next

TOILE SLATE RONTE CLEAR GLARE ROUET

Strategy after playing QAJAQ

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

Quick reference

Largest feedback groups after playing QAJAQ:

59% chance
Suggested:
TOILE
18% chance
Suggested:
SLATE
12% chance
Suggested:
RONTE

Follow-ups for common patterns

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

59.2% →
TOILE 5.90 bits
17.9% →
SLATE 5.37 bits
11.7% →
RONTE 4.77 bits
5.7% →
CLEAR 4.64 bits
1.3% →
GLARE 3.75 bits
0.8% →
ROUET 4.02 bits
0.7% →
CANAL 3.13 bits
0.6% →
SAMEN 2.87 bits
0.6% →
ROUET 3.52 bits
0.4% →
PLIER 3.17 bits

Research on QAJAQ

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

Optimal play

Opening with QAJAQ, a proven-optimal strategy averages 4.23 guesses and ranks #14,855 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 QAJAQ can guarantee a solve within six guesses.

Our six-turn simulation says 4.25; proven optimal play reaches 4.23. The fixed strategy accounts for the difference.

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.

Sources: Optimal-play values: Alex Selby's exhaustive Wordle analysis (MIT).