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

WAQFS

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

Meaning and pronunciation

Noun

plural of waqf

Verb

third-person singular simple present indicative of waqf

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

Use WAQFS in a puzzle

As an opener, it rules out about 82.6% of possible answers.

Open Solver with WAQFS 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 WAQFS performs as a guess

Wordle accepts WAQFS 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 66.0% of games, misses completely in 34.0%, and leaves about 416 possible answers on average.

In the previous complete opener benchmark, it ranks #13,958 of 14,855 openers, averaging 3.90 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.

W___S W in the 1st position and S in the 5th position W__F_ W in the 1st position and F in the 4th position _A__S A in the 2nd position and S in the 5th position WA_FS W in the 1st position, A in the 2nd position, F in the 4th position, and S in the 5th position

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

First-turn measures

All four describe WAQFS 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.

3.30 Entropy (bits)
416 Avg remaining
0.0% Exact match
82.6% Avg ruled out

As an opening guess: previous benchmark

How WAQFS 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.

3.90 Avg guesses
99.96% Solved within six
0.69 Spread of game lengths
#13,958 Rank among openers
Opening with WAQFS 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 3.90 average. It ranks #13,958 of 14,855 openers by average guesses in games solved within six.
1 guess
0
2 guesses
22
3 guesses
608
4 guesses
1,333
5 guesses
370
6 guesses
20

Composition

5/5 unique
1 vowels
Common:
AS

Feedback chances

Any hit (G/Y)
66%
Green tile
19%
All gray
34%

When WAQFS is useful later

WAQFS 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 AUDIO: 3 candidates, normal mode

AUDIO: 11200 (0 = grey, 1 = yellow, 2 = green).

Remaining answers: LADDU, SADHU, UNDAM.

With a budget of 5 more guesses, WAQFS 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 WAQFS

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 → 492 after. This feedback leaves 492 candidates.

    All 492 surviving candidates

    AAPAS, BAALS, BAAPS, BABAS, BABUS, BACHS, BACKS, BAFFS, BAGHS, BAHUS, BAIKS, BAILS, BAJUS, BALAS, BALDS, BALKS, BALLS, BALMS, BALUS, BAMAS, BANCS, BANDS, BANGS, BANKS, BANNS, BAONS, BAPUS, BASAL, BASAN, BASAS, BASHA, BASHO, BASIC, BASIJ, BASIL, BASIN, BASIS, BASKS, BASON, BAUDS, BAUKS, BAWDS, BAWKS, BAWLS, BAWNS, BAYAS, BAZAS, CABAS, CACAS, CACKS, CADIS, CAFFS, CAIDS, CAINS, CALFS, CALKS, CALLS, CALMS, CALOS, CALPS, CAMAS, CAMIS, CAMOS, CAMPS, CAMUS, CANGS, CANNS, CAPAS, CAPHS, CAPOS, CASAS, CASCO, CASKS, CASKY, CASUS, CAUKS, CAULS, CAUMS, CAUPS, CAVAS, CAVUS, CAWKS, DAALS, DACKS, DADAS, DADIS, DADOS, DAFFS, DAGOS, DAHIS, DAHLS, DALIS, DAMNS, DAMPS, DANGS, DANKS, DASHI, DASHY, DAUBS, DAUDS, DAWDS, DAWGS, DAWKS, DAWNS, FADOS, FAFFS, FAIKS, FAILS, FAINS, FALLS, FANDS, FANGS, FANKS, FANOS, FASCI, FAUNS, FAVAS, FAVUS, FAWNS, GADIS, GAFFS, GAIDS, GAINS, GAJOS, GALAS, GALIS, GALLS, GAMAS, GAMBS, GAMPS, GANGS, GANKS, GAOLS, GAPOS, GASHY, GASPS, GASPY, GAUDS, GAUMS, GAUPS, GAWDS, GAWKS, GAWPS, HAAFS, HABUS, HACKS, HAFFS, HAGGS, HAHAS, HAIKS, HAILS, HAINS, HAJIS, HAKAS, HAKUS, HALFS, HALLS, HALMS, HALOS, HANDS, HANGS, HANKS, HAPAS, HAPUS, HASHY, HASKS, HASPS, HAUDS, HAUFS, HAULS, HAUNS, HAWKS, HAWMS, IAMBS, JAAPS, JACKS, JAFAS, JAGAS, JAGGS, JAILS, JAMBS, JANNS, JASPS, JAUKS, JAUPS, JAVAS, JAWNS, KACKS, KADIS, KAGOS, KAGUS, KAIDS, KAIFS, KAIKS, KAILS, KAIMS, KAINS, KAKAS, KAKIS, KALAS, KALIS, KAMAS, KAMIS, KANAS, KANGS, KAONS, KAPAS, KAPHS, KAPUS, KASHA, KAVAS, KAWAS, KAYOS, KAZIS, LABIS, LACIS, LACKS, LAICS, LAIDS, LAIKS, LAKHS, LALLS, LAMAS, LAMBS, LAMPS, LANAS, LANDS, LANKS, LAPAS, LAPIS, LAUDS, LAUFS, LAVAS, LAWKS, LAWNS, LAZOS, MACAS, MACHS, MACKS, MADOS, MAGAS, MAGGS, MAGUS, MAHIS, MAIDS, MAIKS, MAILS, MAIMS, MAINS, MAJAS, MAJOS, MAKIS, MAKOS, MALAS, MALIS, MALLS, MALMS, MALUS, MAMAS, MANAS, MANDS, MANGS, MANIS, MANKS, MANOS, MANUS, MASAS, MASHA, MASHY, MASKS, MASON, MASUS, MAUDS, MAULS, MAUMS, MAVIS, MAWKS, MAWNS, MAWPS, MAXIS, MAYAS, MAYOS, MAZAS, NAAMS, NAANS, NABIS, NABKS, NADAS, NAFFS, NAGAS, NAIBS, NAIDS, NAIFS, NAIKS, NAILS, NAINS, NAIOS, NAKAS, NALAS, NAMUS, NANAS, NANOS, NAPAS, NASAL, NASHI, NASHO, NASIS, NASON, NASUS, NAZIS, OAFOS, OASAL, OASIS, PAALS, PAANS, PACAS, PACKS, PACOS, PADAS, PADIS, PAHOS, PAHUS, PAIKS, PAILS, PAINS, PAIPS, PALAS, PALIS, PALLS, PALMS, PALPS, PALUS, PANDS, PANGS, PANKS, PAPAS, PASAG, PASCH, PASHA, PASHM, PASKA, PASMO, PASPY, PAUAS, PAULS, PAVAS, PAVIS, PAWAS, PAWKS, PAWLS, PAWNS, QADIS, QAIDS, SAAGS, SABAL, SABHA, SABIN, SABJI, SABOS, SABZI, SACKS, SADDO, SADDY, SADHU, SADIC, SADIS, SADLY, SADOS, SADZA, SAGAS, SAGGY, SAGOS, SAGUM, SAHAB, SAHIB, SAICK, SAICS, SAIDS, SAIGA, SAILS, SAIMS, SAINS, SAJOU, SAKAI, SAKIA, SAKIS, SALAD, SALAL, SALAS, SALIC, SALIS, SALIX, SALLY, SALMI, SALOL, SALON, SALOP, SALPA, SALPS, SALUD, SALVO, SAMAN, SAMAS, SAMBA, SAMBO, SAMFI, SAMFU, SAMMY, SAMPI, SAMPS, SANAD, SANDS, SANDY, SANGA, SANGH, SANGO, SANGS, SANKO, SAOLA, SAPAN, SAPID, SAPPY, SASIN, SAUBA, SAUCH, SAUCY, SAUGH, SAULS, SAUNA, SAUNF, SAVIN, SAVOY, SAVVY, SAWAH, SAYAS, SAYID, SAYON, VACAS, VADAS, VAGUS, VAIDS, VAILS, VAKAS, VALIS, VAMPS, VANGS, VASAL, WAACS, WACKS, WADAS, WADDS, WADIS, WAFFS, WAIFS, WAILS, WAINS, WAKAS, WAKFS, WALDS, WALIS, WALKS, WALLS, WAMUS, WANDS, WANGS, WANKS, WAQFS, WASHI, WASHY, WASMS, WASPS, WASPY, WAUKS, WAULS, WAWAS, WAWLS, YABAS, YACKS, YAFFS, YAGIS, YANGS, YANKS, YAPPS, YAUDS, YAUPS, YAWLS, YAWNS, YAWPS, YAYAS, ZACKS, ZAMIS, ZAWNS

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  2. Test POLES against the 492 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    492 before → 228 after. This feedback leaves 228 candidates.

    All 228 surviving candidates

    BABAS, BABUS, BACHS, BACKS, BAFFS, BAGHS, BAHUS, BAIKS, BAJUS, BAMAS, BANCS, BANDS, BANGS, BANKS, BANNS, BASAS, BASIS, BASKS, BAUDS, BAUKS, BAWDS, BAWKS, BAWNS, BAYAS, BAZAS, CABAS, CACAS, CACKS, CADIS, CAFFS, CAIDS, CAINS, CAMAS, CAMIS, CAMUS, CANGS, CANNS, CASAS, CASKS, CASUS, CAUKS, CAUMS, CAVAS, CAVUS, CAWKS, DACKS, DADAS, DADIS, DAFFS, DAHIS, DAMNS, DANGS, DANKS, DAUBS, DAUDS, DAWDS, DAWGS, DAWKS, DAWNS, FAFFS, FAIKS, FAINS, FANDS, FANGS, FANKS, FAUNS, FAVAS, FAVUS, FAWNS, GADIS, GAFFS, GAIDS, GAINS, GAMAS, GAMBS, GANGS, GANKS, GAUDS, GAUMS, GAWDS, GAWKS, HAAFS, HABUS, HACKS, HAFFS, HAGGS, HAHAS, HAIKS, HAINS, HAJIS, HAKAS, HAKUS, HANDS, HANGS, HANKS, HASKS, HAUDS, HAUFS, HAUNS, HAWKS, HAWMS, IAMBS, JACKS, JAFAS, JAGAS, JAGGS, JAMBS, JANNS, JAUKS, JAVAS, JAWNS, KACKS, KADIS, KAGUS, KAIDS, KAIFS, KAIKS, KAIMS, KAINS, KAKAS, KAKIS, KAMAS, KAMIS, KANAS, KANGS, KAVAS, KAWAS, KAZIS, MACAS, MACHS, MACKS, MAGAS, MAGGS, MAGUS, MAHIS, MAIDS, MAIKS, MAIMS, MAINS, MAJAS, MAKIS, MAMAS, MANAS, MANDS, MANGS, MANIS, MANKS, MANUS, MASAS, MASKS, MASUS, MAUDS, MAUMS, MAVIS, MAWKS, MAWNS, MAXIS, MAYAS, MAZAS, NAAMS, NAANS, NABIS, NABKS, NADAS, NAFFS, NAGAS, NAIBS, NAIDS, NAIFS, NAIKS, NAINS, NAKAS, NAMUS, NANAS, NASIS, NASUS, NAZIS, QADIS, QAIDS, SAAGS, SACKS, SADIS, SAGAS, SAICS, SAIDS, SAIMS, SAINS, SAKIS, SAMAS, SANDS, SANGS, SAYAS, VACAS, VADAS, VAGUS, VAIDS, VAKAS, VANGS, WAACS, WACKS, WADAS, WADDS, WADIS, WAFFS, WAIFS, WAINS, WAKAS, WAKFS, WAMUS, WANDS, WANGS, WANKS, WAQFS, WASMS, WAUKS, WAWAS, YABAS, YACKS, YAFFS, YAGIS, YANGS, YANKS, YAUDS, YAWNS, YAYAS, ZACKS, ZAMIS, ZAWNS

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 18.385. Information: 2.689 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test MANKS against the 228 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    228 before → 75 after. This feedback leaves 75 candidates.

    All 75 surviving candidates

    BABAS, BABUS, BACHS, BAFFS, BAGHS, BAHUS, BAJUS, BASAS, BASIS, BAUDS, BAWDS, BAYAS, BAZAS, CABAS, CACAS, CADIS, CAFFS, CAIDS, CASAS, CASUS, CAVAS, CAVUS, DADAS, DADIS, DAFFS, DAHIS, DAUBS, DAUDS, DAWDS, DAWGS, FAFFS, FAVAS, FAVUS, GADIS, GAFFS, GAIDS, GAUDS, GAWDS, HAAFS, HABUS, HAFFS, HAGGS, HAHAS, HAJIS, HAUDS, HAUFS, JAFAS, JAGAS, JAGGS, JAVAS, QADIS, QAIDS, SAAGS, SADIS, SAGAS, SAICS, SAIDS, SAYAS, VACAS, VADAS, VAGUS, VAIDS, WAACS, WADAS, WADDS, WADIS, WAFFS, WAIFS, WAQFS, WAWAS, YABAS, YAFFS, YAGIS, YAUDS, YAYAS

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 37.012. Information: 3.193 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Test WADAS against the 75 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 3 surviving candidates

    WAFFS, WAIFS, WAQFS

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 14.866. Information: 2.744 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  5. Test WAFFS against the 3 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 2 surviving candidates

    WAIFS, WAQFS

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.667. Information: 0.918 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  6. Test WAIFS against the 2 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    WAQFS

    Decision measures before feedback

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

This policy did not solve within six guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 6.

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 → 492 after. This feedback leaves 492 candidates.

    All 492 surviving candidates

    AAPAS, BAALS, BAAPS, BABAS, BABUS, BACHS, BACKS, BAFFS, BAGHS, BAHUS, BAIKS, BAILS, BAJUS, BALAS, BALDS, BALKS, BALLS, BALMS, BALUS, BAMAS, BANCS, BANDS, BANGS, BANKS, BANNS, BAONS, BAPUS, BASAL, BASAN, BASAS, BASHA, BASHO, BASIC, BASIJ, BASIL, BASIN, BASIS, BASKS, BASON, BAUDS, BAUKS, BAWDS, BAWKS, BAWLS, BAWNS, BAYAS, BAZAS, CABAS, CACAS, CACKS, CADIS, CAFFS, CAIDS, CAINS, CALFS, CALKS, CALLS, CALMS, CALOS, CALPS, CAMAS, CAMIS, CAMOS, CAMPS, CAMUS, CANGS, CANNS, CAPAS, CAPHS, CAPOS, CASAS, CASCO, CASKS, CASKY, CASUS, CAUKS, CAULS, CAUMS, CAUPS, CAVAS, CAVUS, CAWKS, DAALS, DACKS, DADAS, DADIS, DADOS, DAFFS, DAGOS, DAHIS, DAHLS, DALIS, DAMNS, DAMPS, DANGS, DANKS, DASHI, DASHY, DAUBS, DAUDS, DAWDS, DAWGS, DAWKS, DAWNS, FADOS, FAFFS, FAIKS, FAILS, FAINS, FALLS, FANDS, FANGS, FANKS, FANOS, FASCI, FAUNS, FAVAS, FAVUS, FAWNS, GADIS, GAFFS, GAIDS, GAINS, GAJOS, GALAS, GALIS, GALLS, GAMAS, GAMBS, GAMPS, GANGS, GANKS, GAOLS, GAPOS, GASHY, GASPS, GASPY, GAUDS, GAUMS, GAUPS, GAWDS, GAWKS, GAWPS, HAAFS, HABUS, HACKS, HAFFS, HAGGS, HAHAS, HAIKS, HAILS, HAINS, HAJIS, HAKAS, HAKUS, HALFS, HALLS, HALMS, HALOS, HANDS, HANGS, HANKS, HAPAS, HAPUS, HASHY, HASKS, HASPS, HAUDS, HAUFS, HAULS, HAUNS, HAWKS, HAWMS, IAMBS, JAAPS, JACKS, JAFAS, JAGAS, JAGGS, JAILS, JAMBS, JANNS, JASPS, JAUKS, JAUPS, JAVAS, JAWNS, KACKS, KADIS, KAGOS, KAGUS, KAIDS, KAIFS, KAIKS, KAILS, KAIMS, KAINS, KAKAS, KAKIS, KALAS, KALIS, KAMAS, KAMIS, KANAS, KANGS, KAONS, KAPAS, KAPHS, KAPUS, KASHA, KAVAS, KAWAS, KAYOS, KAZIS, LABIS, LACIS, LACKS, LAICS, LAIDS, LAIKS, LAKHS, LALLS, LAMAS, LAMBS, LAMPS, LANAS, LANDS, LANKS, LAPAS, LAPIS, LAUDS, LAUFS, LAVAS, LAWKS, LAWNS, LAZOS, MACAS, MACHS, MACKS, MADOS, MAGAS, MAGGS, MAGUS, MAHIS, MAIDS, MAIKS, MAILS, MAIMS, MAINS, MAJAS, MAJOS, MAKIS, MAKOS, MALAS, MALIS, MALLS, MALMS, MALUS, MAMAS, MANAS, MANDS, MANGS, MANIS, MANKS, MANOS, MANUS, MASAS, MASHA, MASHY, MASKS, MASON, MASUS, MAUDS, MAULS, MAUMS, MAVIS, MAWKS, MAWNS, MAWPS, MAXIS, MAYAS, MAYOS, MAZAS, NAAMS, NAANS, NABIS, NABKS, NADAS, NAFFS, NAGAS, NAIBS, NAIDS, NAIFS, NAIKS, NAILS, NAINS, NAIOS, NAKAS, NALAS, NAMUS, NANAS, NANOS, NAPAS, NASAL, NASHI, NASHO, NASIS, NASON, NASUS, NAZIS, OAFOS, OASAL, OASIS, PAALS, PAANS, PACAS, PACKS, PACOS, PADAS, PADIS, PAHOS, PAHUS, PAIKS, PAILS, PAINS, PAIPS, PALAS, PALIS, PALLS, PALMS, PALPS, PALUS, PANDS, PANGS, PANKS, PAPAS, PASAG, PASCH, PASHA, PASHM, PASKA, PASMO, PASPY, PAUAS, PAULS, PAVAS, PAVIS, PAWAS, PAWKS, PAWLS, PAWNS, QADIS, QAIDS, SAAGS, SABAL, SABHA, SABIN, SABJI, SABOS, SABZI, SACKS, SADDO, SADDY, SADHU, SADIC, SADIS, SADLY, SADOS, SADZA, SAGAS, SAGGY, SAGOS, SAGUM, SAHAB, SAHIB, SAICK, SAICS, SAIDS, SAIGA, SAILS, SAIMS, SAINS, SAJOU, SAKAI, SAKIA, SAKIS, SALAD, SALAL, SALAS, SALIC, SALIS, SALIX, SALLY, SALMI, SALOL, SALON, SALOP, SALPA, SALPS, SALUD, SALVO, SAMAN, SAMAS, SAMBA, SAMBO, SAMFI, SAMFU, SAMMY, SAMPI, SAMPS, SANAD, SANDS, SANDY, SANGA, SANGH, SANGO, SANGS, SANKO, SAOLA, SAPAN, SAPID, SAPPY, SASIN, SAUBA, SAUCH, SAUCY, SAUGH, SAULS, SAUNA, SAUNF, SAVIN, SAVOY, SAVVY, SAWAH, SAYAS, SAYID, SAYON, VACAS, VADAS, VAGUS, VAIDS, VAILS, VAKAS, VALIS, VAMPS, VANGS, VASAL, WAACS, WACKS, WADAS, WADDS, WADIS, WAFFS, WAIFS, WAILS, WAINS, WAKAS, WAKFS, WALDS, WALIS, WALKS, WALLS, WAMUS, WANDS, WANGS, WANKS, WAQFS, WASHI, WASHY, WASMS, WASPS, WASPY, WAUKS, WAULS, WAWAS, WAWLS, YABAS, YACKS, YAFFS, YAGIS, YANGS, YANKS, YAPPS, YAUDS, YAUPS, YAWLS, YAWNS, YAWPS, YAYAS, ZACKS, ZAMIS, ZAWNS

    Decision measures before feedback

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

  2. Test PALIS against the 492 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    492 before → 191 after. This feedback leaves 191 candidates.

    All 191 surviving candidates

    BABAS, BABUS, BACHS, BACKS, BAFFS, BAGHS, BAHUS, BAJUS, BAMAS, BANCS, BANDS, BANGS, BANKS, BANNS, BAONS, BASAS, BASKS, BAUDS, BAUKS, BAWDS, BAWKS, BAWNS, BAYAS, BAZAS, CABAS, CACAS, CACKS, CAFFS, CAMAS, CAMOS, CAMUS, CANGS, CANNS, CASAS, CASKS, CASUS, CAUKS, CAUMS, CAVAS, CAVUS, CAWKS, DACKS, DADAS, DADOS, DAFFS, DAGOS, DAMNS, DANGS, DANKS, DAUBS, DAUDS, DAWDS, DAWGS, DAWKS, DAWNS, FADOS, FAFFS, FANDS, FANGS, FANKS, FANOS, FAUNS, FAVAS, FAVUS, FAWNS, GAFFS, GAJOS, GAMAS, GAMBS, GANGS, GANKS, GAUDS, GAUMS, GAWDS, GAWKS, HAAFS, HABUS, HACKS, HAFFS, HAGGS, HAHAS, HAKAS, HAKUS, HANDS, HANGS, HANKS, HASKS, HAUDS, HAUFS, HAUNS, HAWKS, HAWMS, JACKS, JAFAS, JAGAS, JAGGS, JAMBS, JANNS, JAUKS, JAVAS, JAWNS, KACKS, KAGOS, KAGUS, KAKAS, KAMAS, KANAS, KANGS, KAONS, KAVAS, KAWAS, KAYOS, MACAS, MACHS, MACKS, MADOS, MAGAS, MAGGS, MAGUS, MAJAS, MAJOS, MAKOS, MAMAS, MANAS, MANDS, MANGS, MANKS, MANOS, MANUS, MASAS, MASKS, MASUS, MAUDS, MAUMS, MAWKS, MAWNS, MAYAS, MAYOS, MAZAS, NAAMS, NAANS, NABKS, NADAS, NAFFS, NAGAS, NAKAS, NAMUS, NANAS, NANOS, NASUS, OAFOS, SAAGS, SABOS, SACKS, SADOS, SAGAS, SAGOS, SAMAS, SANDS, SANGS, SAYAS, VACAS, VADAS, VAGUS, VAKAS, VANGS, WAACS, WACKS, WADAS, WADDS, WAFFS, WAKAS, WAKFS, WAMUS, WANDS, WANGS, WANKS, WAQFS, WASMS, WAUKS, WAWAS, YABAS, YACKS, YAFFS, YANGS, YANKS, YAUDS, YAWNS, YAYAS, ZACKS, ZAWNS

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 19.34. Information: 2.481 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  3. Test MANKS against the 191 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    191 before → 66 after. This feedback leaves 66 candidates.

    All 66 surviving candidates

    BABAS, BABUS, BACHS, BAFFS, BAGHS, BAHUS, BAJUS, BASAS, BAUDS, BAWDS, BAYAS, BAZAS, CABAS, CACAS, CAFFS, CASAS, CASUS, CAVAS, CAVUS, DADAS, DADOS, DAFFS, DAGOS, DAUBS, DAUDS, DAWDS, DAWGS, FADOS, FAFFS, FAVAS, FAVUS, GAFFS, GAJOS, GAUDS, GAWDS, HAAFS, HABUS, HAFFS, HAGGS, HAHAS, HAUDS, HAUFS, JAFAS, JAGAS, JAGGS, JAVAS, OAFOS, SAAGS, SABOS, SADOS, SAGAS, SAGOS, SAYAS, VACAS, VADAS, VAGUS, WAACS, WADAS, WADDS, WAFFS, WAQFS, WAWAS, YABAS, YAFFS, YAUDS, YAYAS

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 32.309. Information: 3.162 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  4. Test VADAS against the 66 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

    66 before → 22 after. This feedback leaves 22 candidates.

    All 22 surviving candidates

    BABUS, BACHS, BAFFS, BAGHS, BAHUS, BAJUS, CAFFS, CASUS, FAFFS, GAFFS, GAJOS, HABUS, HAFFS, HAGGS, HAUFS, JAGGS, OAFOS, SABOS, SAGOS, WAFFS, WAQFS, YAFFS

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 13.606. Information: 2.692 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  5. Test BAGHS against the 22 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 7 surviving candidates

    CAFFS, CASUS, FAFFS, OAFOS, WAFFS, WAQFS, YAFFS

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 3.455. Information: 3.077 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

  6. Test CAFFS against the 7 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.

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

    All 1 surviving candidates

    WAQFS

    Decision measures before feedback

    Expected remaining candidates: 1.857. Information: 2.128 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.

This policy did not solve within six guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 6.

Continue this board in the Solver

How the fixed opener panel performs on this answer

OpenerFirst feedbackSurvivorsNormalHard Mode
TARSE02010 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)492Not solved in sixNot solved in six
CRANE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)1484Not solved in sixNot solved in six
SLATE10100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)685Not solved in sixNot solved in six
ADIEU10000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)2019Not solved in sixNot solved in six
STARE10100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)662Not solved in sixNot solved in six
AUDIO10000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)2513Not solved in sixNot solved in six
RAISE02010 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)4946Not solved in six
ROATE00100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)1404Not solved in sixNot solved in six
SALET12000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green)466Not solved in sixNot solved in six
Normal mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 0 · 4 guesses: 0 · 5 guesses: 0 · 6 guesses: 1 · Failed in six: 8
Hard Mode
1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 0 · 4 guesses: 0 · 5 guesses: 0 · 6 guesses: 0 · Failed in six: 9

The nine openers use the same pool and continuation policy. Across both modes: 6–6 guesses among successes; 17 of 18 configurations failed. This is performance on this answer, not an overall opener ranking.

57 openers set up a two-turn opportunity; examples include QUITE, SQUAD, QUIET, QURAN, QUASI, SQUID, QUITS, QUILT, QUAIL, PIQUE. 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: WAFFS, WAIFS, WAQFS. 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: WAFFS, WAIFS, WAQFS.

A lesson from this route

Before WAFFS, 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

WAQFS can come back 42 different ways. These are the most likely, and how many of the possible answers give each one:

814 answers
372 answers
321 answers
223 answers
138 answers
101 answers
56 answers
50 answers
47 answers
31 answers
26 answers
24 answers
18 answers
16 answers
14 answers
14 answers
13 answers
12 answers
11 answers
10 answers
9 answers
9 answers
8 answers
7 answers
7 answers
4 answers
4 answers
4 answers
4 answers
3 answers

Letter-value totals

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

Scrabble

W4A1Q10F4S1
Total: 20 points

Words With Friends

Total: 20 points

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

Try next

RIONE ALERT ROUET RONTE REACT TOILE

Strategy after playing WAQFS

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

Quick reference

Largest feedback groups after playing WAQFS:

34% chance
Suggested:
RIONE
16% chance
Suggested:
ALERT
13% chance
Suggested:
ROUET

Follow-ups for common patterns

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

34.0% →
RIONE 5.97 bits
15.6% →
ALERT 5.50 bits
13.4% →
ROUET 5.49 bits
9.3% →
RONTE 4.79 bits
5.8% →
REACT 4.73 bits
4.2% →
TOILE 5.17 bits
2.3% →
STILE 4.02 bits
2.1% →
DRONE 4.70 bits
2.0% →
RONTE 4.51 bits
1.3% →
FERAL 4.35 bits

Research on WAQFS

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

Optimal play

Opening with WAQFS, a proven-optimal strategy averages 3.93 guesses and ranks #14,217 of 14,855 legal openers. The best proven opener, TARSE, averages 3.55.

In hard mode it averages 4.06 guesses at best and is rank #6,830 of the 7,453 openers that can still guarantee a solve within six guesses.

Our six-turn simulation says 3.90, at or below the proven-optimal 3.93, 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.

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