Wordle #396 hints & answer for July 20, 2022
· Wednesday
This page always keeps Wordle #396 for July 20, 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 #396
What kind of word
Wiktionary lists it as an adjective, and also as a noun.
What it means
“A denomination of coinage in ancient Greece equivalent to one third of a stater.”
Source: Wiktionary contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected and lightly formatted from Wiktionary; long entries may be shortened.
The middle letter
The middle letter is I.
Where the vowels sit
The vowels are the third and fifth letters.
How it starts
Begins with T.
Reveal the answer and explanation
The answer to Wordle #396 was
TRITE: used so many times that it is commonplace, or no longer interesting or effective; worn out, hackneyed.
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 in general English, a repeated letter.
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: 1/100 (easier 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 #396, measured
This section compares TRITE'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, TRITE measured harder for the solver than about 1% of all 1,967 recorded answers to date. Its rating is easier for the solver. It repeats T; it has a 4-word TRI_E family.
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 5 of the 2,391 words in the site's working answer pool. At the other end, AUDIO left 277 candidates, about 55 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 | 5 |
| TARSE | TARSE | 8 |
| SLATE | SLATE | 12 |
| STARE | STARE | 13 |
| ARISE | ARISE | 17 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 17 |
| CRANE | CRANE | 26 |
| ADIEU | ADIEU | 53 |
| SALET | SALET | 53 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 277 |
“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 TRITE → It shows which guesses reduced the candidate pool on each turn.
How the solver finds TRITE
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.
-
The fixed opener tests its five letters.
14,855 before → 17 after. This feedback leaves 17 candidates.
All 17 surviving candidates
THERE, TITRE, TRIBE, TRICE, TRIDE, TRIKE, TRINE, TRIPE, TRITE, TRODE, TROKE, TRONE, TROPE, TROVE, TRUCE, TRYKE, TWIRE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 414.45. Information: 5.74 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRICE against the 17 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
17 before → 6 after. This feedback leaves 6 candidates.
All 6 surviving candidates
TRIBE, TRIDE, TRIKE, TRINE, TRIPE, TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.968. Information: 0.849 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test KANES against the 6 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
6 before → 4 after. This feedback leaves 4 candidates.
All 4 surviving candidates
TRIBE, TRIDE, TRIPE, TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.183. Information: 0.371 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRIBE against the 4 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
4 before → 3 after. This feedback leaves 3 candidates.
All 3 surviving candidates
TRIDE, TRIPE, TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 2.38. Information: 0.893 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRIPE against the 3 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
3 before → 2 after. This feedback leaves 2 candidates.
All 2 surviving candidates
TRIDE, TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.551. Information: 0.993 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRITE against the 2 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
2 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 0.688 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.
-
The fixed opener tests its five letters.
14,855 before → 17 after. This feedback leaves 17 candidates.
All 17 surviving candidates
THERE, TITRE, TRIBE, TRICE, TRIDE, TRIKE, TRINE, TRIPE, TRITE, TRODE, TROKE, TRONE, TROPE, TROVE, TRUCE, TRYKE, TWIRE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 414.45. Information: 5.74 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRICE against the 17 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
17 before → 6 after. This feedback leaves 6 candidates.
All 6 surviving candidates
TRIBE, TRIDE, TRIKE, TRINE, TRIPE, TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.968. Information: 0.849 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRIKE against the 6 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
6 before → 5 after. This feedback leaves 5 candidates.
All 5 surviving candidates
TRIBE, TRIDE, TRINE, TRIPE, TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.261. Information: 0.348 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRIBE against the 5 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
5 before → 4 after. This feedback leaves 4 candidates.
All 4 surviving candidates
TRIDE, TRINE, TRIPE, TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 3.131. Information: 0.868 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRIPE against the 4 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
4 before → 3 after. This feedback leaves 3 candidates.
All 3 surviving candidates
TRIDE, TRINE, TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 2.184. Information: 0.975 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRITE against the 3 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
3 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
TRITE
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 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.
-
The fixed opener tests its five letters.
3,158 before → 9 after. This feedback leaves 9 candidates.
All 9 surviving candidates
THERE, TRIBE, TRICE, TRIKE, TRIPE, TRITE, TROPE, TROVE, TRUCE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 100.074. Information: 5.888 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test PRICK against the 9 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
9 before → 2 after. This feedback leaves 2 candidates.
All 2 surviving candidates
TRIBE, TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.222. Information: 2.948 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRIBE against the 2 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
2 before → 1 after. This feedback leaves 1 candidate.
All 1 surviving candidates
TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 1.0. Information: 1.0 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Submit the only remaining candidate.
1 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
TRITE
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 → 9 after. This feedback leaves 9 candidates.
All 9 surviving candidates
THERE, TRIBE, TRICE, TRIKE, TRIPE, TRITE, TROPE, TROVE, TRUCE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 100.074. Information: 5.888 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRICE against the 9 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
9 before → 4 after. This feedback leaves 4 candidates.
All 4 surviving candidates
TRIBE, TRIKE, TRIPE, TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 2.556. Information: 2.059 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRIBE against the 4 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
4 before → 3 after. This feedback leaves 3 candidates.
All 3 surviving candidates
TRIKE, TRIPE, TRITE
Decision measures before feedback
Expected remaining candidates: 2.5. Information: 0.811 bits. These measures describe the decision before its realised feedback.
-
Test TRITE against the 3 candidates consistent with the earlier rows.
3 before → 1 after. The answer is submitted and solved.
All 1 surviving candidates
TRITE
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 | 20102 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 17 | 6 | 6 |
| CRANE | 02002 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 80 | 5 | 5 |
| SLATE | 00022 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 49 | 3 | 3 |
| ADIEU | 00210 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 200 | Not solved in six | Not solved in six |
| STARE | 01012 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 39 | 3 | 3 |
| AUDIO | 00010 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 1387 | Not solved in six | Not solved in six |
| RAISE | 10202 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 36 | 6 | 6 |
| ROATE | 10022 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| SALET | 00011 (0 grey, 1 yellow, 2 green) | 228 | 3 | 3 |
- Normal mode
- 1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 1 · 3 guesses: 3 · 4 guesses: 0 · 5 guesses: 1 · 6 guesses: 2 · Failed in six: 2
- Hard Mode
- 1 guess: 0 · 2 guesses: 1 · 3 guesses: 3 · 4 guesses: 0 · 5 guesses: 1 · 6 guesses: 2 · Failed in six: 2
The nine openers use the same pool and continuation policy. Across both modes: 2–6 guesses among successes; 4 of 18 configurations failed. This is performance on this answer, not an overall opener ranking.
52 openers set up a two-turn opportunity; examples include TRUTH, WRITE, TREAT, TWIST, TROUT, TRAIT, STINT, PETIT, BRITT, TAINT. 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 T. Feedback allocates exact matches before misplaced copies; a grey duplicate does not erase another coloured copy.
The worked board still allows 6 different answers at one later decision: TRIBE, TRIDE, TRIKE, TRINE, TRIPE, TRITE. 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: TRIBE, TRIDE, TRIKE, TRINE, TRIPE, TRITE.
A lesson from this route
Before KANES, 6 words still fit. Its feedback left 4; 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 July 20, 2022?
- The Wordle answer for July 20, 2022 (puzzle #396) was TRITE.
- What does TRITE mean?
- TRITE: used so many times that it is commonplace, or no longer interesting or effective; worn out, hackneyed.
- Why was Wordle #396 tricky?
- TRITE is rated tricky for estimated word difficulty. Why it may be difficult: uncommon in general English, a repeated letter.
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 #396 · July 20, 2022
Not enough publishable evidence yet. The minimum is 10 reports per protected group; complementary suppression can also withhold a larger group.
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