A structurally sound two-vowel word that hunts for O and U while deploying the high-value consonants C, L, and D.
Targets the O-U pair, completely avoiding A, E, and I. If O or U hit, you immediately establish the word’s core.
C, L, and D are extremely strong consonants. C and L form one of the most common blends (CL-).
C is excellent in position 1. L is strong in position 2. D is highly effective in position 5.
We evaluate CLOUD based on its ability to test the CL- blend and isolate the secondary vowel pair O and U.
O and U frequently appear together (e.g., WOULD, PROUD, COURT). Testing them simultaneously is a contrarian but highly effective strategy if paired properly on guess two.
C, L, and D are top-tier. Finding out if a word contains C and L immediately informs you if you are looking for a CL- blend.
The layout of CLOUD is fantastic. C in position 1 and L in position 2 perfectly test one of the most common openings in English.
With an entropy score of 3.65 bits, CLOUD is slightly lower than words containing R, S, T, A, or E, but it remains highly viable.
An average CLOUD play cuts the dictionary down to about 145 remaining answers.
CLOUD is a valid Wordle answer, keeping the dream of a 1/6 win alive.
If you prefer to save A and E for your second guess, CLOUD is a very strong setup word.
By skipping A, E, and I, CLOUD forces you to play a specific two-guess strategy. If CLOUD hits on O, U, C, or L, you gain immense structural knowledge. If CLOUD misses entirely, you can confidently follow up with a word like STARE, SHARE, or TEARS to sweep the board for the remaining critical letters.
The CL- consonant blend is one of the best prefixes to test early, and placing D at the end accurately probes for common suffixes.
Let’s examine how each of CLOUD’s letters performs.
Frequency: High
Positional Strength: Very Strong
C is an excellent starting letter, especially because it pairs with L (CLOUD, CLEAN, CLOCK) or R (CRANE, CROWD).
Frequency: High
Positional Strength: Strong
L is incredibly common in position 2, often serving as the second half of a consonant blend (BL-, FL-, SL-, CL-, GL-, PL-).
Frequency: High
Positional Strength: Average
While O is common in position 3, it slightly prefers position 2. Still, it works well here alongside U.
Frequency: Medium
Positional Strength: Average
U in position 4 is mostly useful for trapping -OU- words or words ending in -US (like VIRUS).
Frequency: High
Positional Strength: Strong
D frequently ends words (especially past tense verbs or words ending in -ND, -RD, -LD).
By relying on O and U, CLOUD intentionally bypasses A, E, and I. If you miss on O and U, you must immediately hunt for A, E, and I on guess two. A setup like CLOUD followed by STARE is incredibly powerful, covering 10 of the best letters in the game across two guesses.
C, L, and D are extremely informative. Finding a C or L often gives away the prefix of the word (e.g., CH-, CL-, L-). D provides solid information about the suffix.
Looking at CLOUD through the lens of Information Theory:
How does CLOUD compare to other popular strategies?
Winner: ROUND (Slightly)
R and N are generally better consonants for dividing the dictionary than C and L. ROUND boasts a higher entropy (3.88) than CLOUD (3.65).
Winner: CRANE
CRANE (4.25 entropy) tests A and E, which are vastly more important than O and U for eliminating possibilities. CRANE is significantly stronger for a one-word setup.
Winner: CLOUD (For structure), AUDIO (For vowels)
AUDIO relies entirely on four vowels. CLOUD relies on three strong consonants. We generally prefer testing strong consonants early, making CLOUD a slightly more balanced play.
In Hard Mode, CLOUD is slightly risky (Rating: 70/100). Hitting -OUD can trap you between ALOUD and PROUD. However, it completely bypasses the much deadlier -O-N-D and -A-T-C-H traps.
How to handle feedback from CLOUD:
Meaning: Starts with C, but L, O, U, D are absent. Best next move: CRANE, CHEAT, CHAMP. Note: You must test R, H, A, and E immediately.
Meaning: Starts with CL-. Best next move: CLEAN, CLIMB, CLASH. Note: Test A, E, I and common consonants like N, M, S.
Meaning: C, L, O, U, D are all absent. Best next move: STARE, SHARE, or TEARS. Note: You have effectively eliminated a chunk of the dictionary. A strong A/E word will likely crack the puzzle.
Yes, it is a very solid word that tests the common CL- blend and isolates O and U.
Yes. CLOUD is on the official Wordle solution list.
Yes. CLOUD tests vastly superior consonants (C, L), making it much easier to determine the structure of the word.
No. CRANE (4.25 entropy) mathematically outclasses CLOUD (3.65 entropy) by testing A and E.
It focuses on the secondary vowels O and U. This is useful if you plan to play a strong A/E word on guess two.
ROUND is slightly better mathematically because R and N are slightly more frequent than C and L.
Guess STARE, SHARE, or TEARS to check A, E, S, T, R, H.
It is popular among players who want to test O and U while securing high-value consonants like C, L, and D.
It means C is in the word but not in position 1. It is highly likely to be in position 4 (e.g., TRACK) or position 2 (e.g., OCEAN).
CLOUD has a solid entropy score of 3.65 bits.
Yes, it is straightforward and teaches players the value of the CL- blend.
You have found a word starting with C and ending with D, like CHILD, CLOUD, or CHORD.
Yes. CLOUD is much better for candidate reduction than AUDIO because of its strong consonants.
On average, CLOUD reduces the dictionary down to about 145 remaining candidates.
Missing all letters, which leaves you needing to hunt for A, E, I.
Absolutely. It is an effective upgrade to your strategy.
If you miss O and U, Y becomes a highly probable ending letter.
Yes. Wordle accepts it, and it is on the answer list.
Yes, it is excellent for multi-board games as part of a two-word opening sequence (e.g., CLOUD + STARE).
Fairly often. C is a very common starting letter.
It’s a measure of how many words are eliminated by a guess. CLOUD leaves 145 words.
U is the weakest letter, but it pairs nicely with O.
D is a very common final letter, especially in words ending in -ND, -RD, or -LD.
Use our Wordle Analyzer tool to input CLOUD against any specific daily answer.
If you prefer a strategy that isolates O and U, CLOUD is a fantastic choice.
Try to reposition them into a new structure, like BLIND or FIELD.
SLATE (4.30 entropy) is mathematically superior, but CLOUD is a fun alternative.
Many words start with a consonant blend (BL-, FL-, SL-, CL-), making position 2 its dominant home.
Look for words starting with C that have O in position 2 (e.g., COUNT, COUCH).
WordleBot prefers CRANE or SLATE, but CLOUD is highly efficient and can easily play at an optimal human level.
Input your CLOUD results to get the exact remaining words.
Match word shapes instantly using our visual tool.
Review your finished game and see your efficiency score.
Compare CLOUD against CRANE, SLATE, and ROUND.