Wordle #265 hints & answer for March 11, 2022
· Friday
This page always keeps Wordle #265 for March 11, 2022. Check that number against your game before opening a hint. The answer remains below a separate reveal.
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Hints for Wordle #265
What kind of word
Wiktionary lists it as a noun.
What it means
“A portable or wearable timepiece.”
Source: Wiktionary contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected and lightly formatted from Wiktionary; long entries may be shortened.
Fill the gap
“_____ the clock will not make time go faster.”
Source: Wiktionary contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentence selected from Wiktionary, with the answer removed.
The middle letter
The middle letter is T.
How it starts
Begins with W.
Reveal the answer and explanation
The answer to Wordle #265 was
WATCH: A portable or wearable timepiece.
Source: Wiktionary contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected and lightly formatted from Wiktionary; long entries may be shortened.
Why it may be difficult: uncommon letters, only one vowel.
The word rating describes familiarity and letter features. The solver score below measures how a fixed strategy handles the puzzle; an unusual word can still be easy for that strategy.
How difficult was it for the solver?
Solver pressure: 99/100 (hard for the solver). This is a percentile among past puzzles under the same strategy: 0 is easiest and 100 is hardest for the solver.
This compares past puzzles under the same solver settings; it does not measure how players performed. Compare more puzzles →
Wordle #265, measured
This section compares WATCH's solver-difficulty percentile, first-guess results for ten familiar openers, and opt-in player reports. Each number identifies its dataset.
Solver difficulty, as a percentile
This score is a percentile, not an opinion. Under the site's fixed solver settings, WATCH measured harder for the solver than about 99% of all 1,967 recorded answers to date. Its rating is hard for the solver. The example solver route takes 5 turns; CRANE, SLATE and ADIEU leave a large group.
Solver pressure ranks the answer within the pool; it does not measure player performance. The opener table compares first-guess results, and the contributed ratings report player results.
CRANE, SLATE and ADIEU benchmark
TRACE left the fewest candidates: its first-guess feedback left 7 of the 2,391 words in the site's working answer pool. At the other end, AUDIO left 444 candidates, about 63 times as many. The vowel-heavy probes ADIEU and AUDIO revealed comparatively little here. Vowel coverage helps only when the answer's vowels are still in doubt.
| Opener | First-guess feedback | Answers still possible |
|---|---|---|
| TRACE | TRACE | 7 |
| CRANE | CRANE | 28 |
| SALET | SALET | 29 |
| TARSE | TARSE | 32 |
| SLATE | SLATE | 52 |
| STARE | STARE | 74 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 94 |
| ARISE | ARISE | 161 |
| ADIEU | ADIEU | 291 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 444 |
“Answers still possible” counts the words in the site's 2,391-word working answer pool whose feedback would match that opener exactly. This is pattern arithmetic, not a simulation. A smaller number means the opener left fewer possible answers after the first guess. It does not describe later turns.
Contributed player ratings
Not enough contributed games to publish player figures for this puzzle. Per-puzzle numbers appear only after at least 10 opt-in games arrive. See how the Observatory collects and publishes player data →
See the solver's route to WATCH → It shows which guesses reduced the candidate pool on each turn.
How the solver finds WATCH
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.
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The fixed opener tests its five letters.
14,855 before → 131 after. This feedback leaves 131 candidates.
All 131 surviving candidates
BAFTA, BAHUT, BAITH, BALOT, BALTI, BALUT, BANTU, BANTY, BANTZ, BATCH, BATIK, BATON, BATTA, BATTU, BATTY, BAWTY, CACTI, CAGOT, CANTI, CANTO, CANTY, CAPOT, CAPUT, CATCH, CATTY, DAINT, DATAL, DATIL, DATTO, DATUM, DAULT, DAUNT, DAVIT, DAYNT, FACTA, FACTO, FACTY, FAGOT, FAINT, FAITH, FATAL, FATLY, FATTY, FATWA, FAULT, GAITA, GAITT, GALUT, GAMUT, GATCH, GAULT, GAUNT, GAVOT, HABIT, HAFTA, HAINT, HAITH, HATCH, HATHA, HATHI, HATTY, HAULT, HAUNT, JABOT, JANTY, JATHA, JAUNT, KANAT, KAPUT, KATAL, KATTI, LAITH, LAITY, LATAH, LATCH, LATHI, LATHY, MAGOT, MAJAT, MALTY, MANAT, MANTA, MANTO, MANTY, MATAI, MATCH, MATIN, MATLO, MATTY, MATZA, MATZO, MAUNT, MAZUT, NANTI, NANTO, NANTY, NATAK, NATAL, NATCH, NATTO, NATTY, NATYA, NAUNT, PACTA, PAHIT, PAINT, PANTO, PANTY, PATCH, PATIA, PATIN, PATIO, PATKA, PATLY, PATTA, PATTU, PATTY, QANAT, VATHA, VATIC, VAULT, VAUNT, WAIFT, WALTY, WALTZ, WANTA, WANTY, WATAP, WATCH, YACHT, ZAKAT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 414.45. Information: 5.74 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test PATTA against the 131 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
131 before → 20 after. This feedback leaves 20 candidates.
All 20 surviving candidates
BATCH, BATIK, BATON, CATCH, DATIL, DATUM, FATLY, GATCH, HATCH, HATHI, LATCH, LATHI, LATHY, MATCH, MATIN, MATLO, MATZO, NATCH, VATIC, WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 14.781. Information: 2.81 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test HATHI against the 20 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
20 before → 7 after. This feedback leaves 7 candidates.
All 7 surviving candidates
BATCH, CATCH, GATCH, LATCH, MATCH, NATCH, WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 3.659. Information: 1.624 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test BALES against the 7 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
7 before → 5 after. This feedback leaves 5 candidates.
All 5 surviving candidates
CATCH, GATCH, MATCH, NATCH, WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 3.532. Information: 1.315 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test CAMES against the 5 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
5 before → 3 after. This feedback leaves 3 candidates.
All 3 surviving candidates
GATCH, NATCH, WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.841. Information: 1.561 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test WATCH against the 3 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
3 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.311. Information: 0.894 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
Solved in 6 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 6.
Continue this board in the SolverHard Mode
Our solver: bounded weighted policy. Current-pool replay over 14,855 accepted words. Model through 2026-11-05.
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The fixed opener tests its five letters.
14,855 before → 131 after. This feedback leaves 131 candidates.
All 131 surviving candidates
BAFTA, BAHUT, BAITH, BALOT, BALTI, BALUT, BANTU, BANTY, BANTZ, BATCH, BATIK, BATON, BATTA, BATTU, BATTY, BAWTY, CACTI, CAGOT, CANTI, CANTO, CANTY, CAPOT, CAPUT, CATCH, CATTY, DAINT, DATAL, DATIL, DATTO, DATUM, DAULT, DAUNT, DAVIT, DAYNT, FACTA, FACTO, FACTY, FAGOT, FAINT, FAITH, FATAL, FATLY, FATTY, FATWA, FAULT, GAITA, GAITT, GALUT, GAMUT, GATCH, GAULT, GAUNT, GAVOT, HABIT, HAFTA, HAINT, HAITH, HATCH, HATHA, HATHI, HATTY, HAULT, HAUNT, JABOT, JANTY, JATHA, JAUNT, KANAT, KAPUT, KATAL, KATTI, LAITH, LAITY, LATAH, LATCH, LATHI, LATHY, MAGOT, MAJAT, MALTY, MANAT, MANTA, MANTO, MANTY, MATAI, MATCH, MATIN, MATLO, MATTY, MATZA, MATZO, MAUNT, MAZUT, NANTI, NANTO, NANTY, NATAK, NATAL, NATCH, NATTO, NATTY, NATYA, NAUNT, PACTA, PAHIT, PAINT, PANTO, PANTY, PATCH, PATIA, PATIN, PATIO, PATKA, PATLY, PATTA, PATTU, PATTY, QANAT, VATHA, VATIC, VAULT, VAUNT, WAIFT, WALTY, WALTZ, WANTA, WANTY, WATAP, WATCH, YACHT, ZAKAT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 414.45. Information: 5.74 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test PATTA against the 131 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
131 before → 20 after. This feedback leaves 20 candidates.
All 20 surviving candidates
BATCH, BATIK, BATON, CATCH, DATIL, DATUM, FATLY, GATCH, HATCH, HATHI, LATCH, LATHI, LATHY, MATCH, MATIN, MATLO, MATZO, NATCH, VATIC, WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 14.781. Information: 2.81 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test HATHI against the 20 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
20 before → 7 after. This feedback leaves 7 candidates.
All 7 surviving candidates
BATCH, CATCH, GATCH, LATCH, MATCH, NATCH, WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 3.659. Information: 1.624 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test BATCH against the 7 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
7 before → 6 after. This feedback leaves 6 candidates.
All 6 surviving candidates
CATCH, GATCH, LATCH, MATCH, NATCH, WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 5.083. Information: 0.688 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test CATCH against the 6 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
6 before → 5 after. This feedback leaves 5 candidates.
All 5 surviving candidates
GATCH, LATCH, MATCH, NATCH, WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 4.101. Information: 0.769 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test LATCH against the 5 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
5 before → 4 after. This feedback leaves 4 candidates.
All 4 surviving candidates
GATCH, MATCH, NATCH, WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 3.131. Information: 0.868 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
This policy did not solve within six guesses.
Continue this board in the SolverHistorical proven-optimal benchmark: July 2023
Alex Selby’s strategy minimises the mean over its complete 3,158-answer snapshot. A route for one answer is not proof of the shortest possible route for that answer, and is separate from the current weighted model.
Normal mode
Selby’s proven-optimal strategy. July 2023 snapshot: 3,158 equally likely answers; minimum mean guesses.
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The fixed opener tests its five letters.
3,158 before → 39 after. This feedback leaves 39 candidates.
All 39 surviving candidates
BATCH, BATIK, BATON, BATTY, CACTI, CAPUT, CATCH, CATTY, DATUM, DAUNT, FAINT, FAITH, FATAL, FATTY, FATWA, FAULT, GAMUT, GAUNT, HABIT, HATCH, HAUNT, JAUNT, KAPUT, LAITY, LATCH, MALTY, MATCH, MATZO, NATAL, PAINT, PANTY, PATCH, PATIO, PATTY, VAULT, VAUNT, WALTZ, WATCH, YACHT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 100.074. Information: 5.888 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test CLIPT against the 39 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
39 before → 4 after. This feedback leaves 4 candidates.
All 4 surviving candidates
BATCH, HATCH, MATCH, WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 3.308. Information: 3.926 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test EMBOW against the 4 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
4 before → 1 after. This feedback leaves 1 candidate.
All 1 surviving candidates
WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 2.0 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Submit the only remaining candidate.
1 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 0.0 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
Solved in 4 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 3.
Continue this board in the SolverHard Mode
Selby’s proven-optimal strategy. July 2023 snapshot: 3,158 equally likely answers; minimum mean guesses.
-
The fixed opener tests its five letters.
3,158 before → 39 after. This feedback leaves 39 candidates.
All 39 surviving candidates
BATCH, BATIK, BATON, BATTY, CACTI, CAPUT, CATCH, CATTY, DATUM, DAUNT, FAINT, FAITH, FATAL, FATTY, FATWA, FAULT, GAMUT, GAUNT, HABIT, HATCH, HAUNT, JAUNT, KAPUT, LAITY, LATCH, MALTY, MATCH, MATZO, NATAL, PAINT, PANTY, PATCH, PATIO, PATTY, VAULT, VAUNT, WALTZ, WATCH, YACHT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 100.074. Information: 5.888 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test BALTI against the 39 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
39 before → 17 after. This feedback leaves 17 candidates.
All 17 surviving candidates
CAPUT, CATCH, DATUM, DAUNT, FATWA, GAMUT, GAUNT, HATCH, HAUNT, JAUNT, KAPUT, MATCH, MATZO, PATCH, VAUNT, WATCH, YACHT
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 9.051. Information: 2.776 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test CAPOT against the 17 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
17 before → 3 after. This feedback leaves 3 candidates.
All 3 surviving candidates
HATCH, MATCH, WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 3.235. Information: 2.778 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
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Test WATCH against the 3 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
3 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
WATCH
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.667. Information: 0.918 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
Solved in 4 guesses. Uniquely identified on turn 4.
Continue this board in the SolverSource: Alex Selby’s Wordle analysis, MIT. Licence and attribution.
How the fixed opener panel performs on this answer
| Opener | First feedback | Survivors | Normal | Hard Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TARSE | 12000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 131 | 6 | Not solved in six |
| CRANE | 10100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 175 | 6 | Not solved in six |
| SLATE | 00110 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 240 | 6 | Not solved in six |
| ADIEU | 10000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 2019 | Not solved in six | Not solved in six |
| STARE | 01100 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 315 | Not solved in six | Not solved in six |
| AUDIO | 10000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 2513 | Not solved in six | Not solved in six |
| RAISE | 02000 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 567 | 6 | Not solved in six |
| ROATE | 00110 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 283 | 6 | Not solved in six |
| SALET | 02001 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 154 | Not solved in six | Not solved in six |
- Normal mode
- 1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 0 · 3 guesses: 0 · 4 guesses: 0 · 5 guesses: 0 · 6 guesses: 5 · Failed in six: 4
- 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; 13 of 18 configurations failed. This is performance on this answer, not an overall opener ranking.
67 openers set up a two-turn opportunity; examples include WATER, WHITE, WORTH, WRITE, TWICE, WASTE, WITCH, WIDTH, WHEAT, WHATS. 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 7 different answers at one later decision: BATCH, CATCH, GATCH, LATCH, MATCH, NATCH, WATCH. 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: BATCH, CATCH, GATCH, LATCH, MATCH, NATCH, WATCH.
A lesson from this route
Before BALES, 7 words still fit. Its feedback left 5; 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.
Common questions
- What was the Wordle answer for March 11, 2022?
- The Wordle answer for March 11, 2022 (puzzle #265) was WATCH.
- What does WATCH mean?
- WATCH: A portable or wearable timepiece.
- Why was Wordle #265 tricky?
- WATCH is rated tricky for estimated word difficulty. Why it may be difficult: uncommon letters, only one vowel.
Reported player results
Voluntary self-reported sample, not representative of all players. Solver scores do not measure human difficulty. Small or complementary cells stay private.
Wordle #265 · March 11, 2022
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