LARES swaps out the T in TARES for an L, creating a highly effective, high-entropy starting word that tests five of the most common letters in the English dictionary.
Deploys A and E, mathematically the optimal vowel pairing for maximizing candidate reduction.
Tests L, R, and S. While T is slightly more common than L, testing L provides exceptional structure-building information.
Takes a significant hit because it is a plural noun ending in S, meaning it can never be the answer on turn one.
Our analysis leverages Information Theory and candidate reduction to evaluate the true power of LARES.
We process LARES against all 2,309 Wordle solutions to calculate its elimination capability across every scenario.
We quantify the combined value of testing L, A, R, E, and S simultaneously on the first guess.
We observe how effectively LARES places these letters, knowing that S in position 5 will rarely yield a green tile for the actual answer.
LARES achieves a superb 4.15 bits of information gain, dividing the dictionary into highly manageable chunks.
On average, playing LARES leaves you with approximately 68 remaining possible answers.
Combining these metrics gives LARES a final score of 94/100.
LARES is an elite burner word. It swaps the traditional T used in words like TARES and STARE for an L. While T is slightly more common overall, L is a phenomenal letter for building consonant blends (BL, CL, FL, GL, PL, SL) and ending words (-EL, -AL, -LE).
By testing L, R, and S alongside A and E, LARES functions as a massive information-gathering net. The word excels at telling you the fundamental shape of the final answer. An all-gray LARES is extremely rare and points directly to words heavily reliant on O, U, I, N, C, and T.
Wordle explicitly curates its answer list to exclude simple four-letter plurals ending in S. LARES (the plural of Lare, or Roman deities protecting the household) falls into this category. It can never be the final answer. You are playing LARES purely as a strategic opening move to set up an easy second or third guess.
Let’s examine how each of LARES’s letters contributes to its overall effectiveness.
Frequency: High
Positional Strength: Strong
L is an excellent starting letter (e.g., LEMON, LIGHT, LATCH). If yellow, it often moves to position 2 (e.g., BLACK) or the end (e.g., STEAL).
Frequency: High
Positional Strength: Very Strong
A in position 2 is incredibly common (e.g., PAPER, BATCH, WATCH), making it an optimal spot for testing.
Frequency: Very High
Positional Strength: Strong
R in the middle bridges syllables (e.g., BERRY, CARRY) and forms complex endings (e.g., SHRED).
Frequency: Highest
Positional Strength: Very Strong
E in the 4th position is a staple of the Wordle dictionary, appearing in suffixes like -ED, -EL, -EN, and -ER.
Frequency: Highest
Positional Strength: Average
Because plural S endings are removed, an S here will only be green if the word is a non-plural S (e.g., BONUS, GLASS). A yellow S means it almost certainly belongs at the beginning.
LARES uses A and E. Because A and E are so dominant, testing them first allows you to quickly pivot to O, U, and I on your second guess if they miss, or lock in the word’s structure if they hit.
By testing L, R, and S, you are querying three of the most versatile consonants in English. If they are gray, you know immediately that you must rely on N, T, C, P, and D. If L and R are yellow, they often pair up to form blends (e.g., BL, CL, FL, PR, TR, CR) or end the word (e.g., -EL, -ER).
Looking at LARES through the lens of Information Theory:
How does LARES stack up against the best words in Wordle?
Winner: TARES
TARES uses T instead of L. Because T is slightly more frequent and versatile, TARES has a slightly higher entropy score (4.20 vs 4.15) and leaves fewer words on average (61 vs 68). Neither are on the answer list.
Winner: SLATE
SLATE is arguably the best word in the game. It uses T instead of R, puts S in the optimal position 1, and is a valid solution. LARES is strong, but SLATE is the gold standard.
Winner: LARES
LARES is its own worst enemy because it cannot win on turn one. If you want a word with these letters that can win, there aren’t many great options (LASER is an answer, but puts S in the middle and R at the end, lowering entropy to 4.09).
LARES performs adequately in Hard Mode (Rating: 76/100). The S at the end helps prevent falling into -E traps. However, if you get _ A R E _ green, you are in the dreaded -ARE trap (CARE, DARE, FARE, HARE, MARE, PARE, RARE). Because you tested L instead of T or C, you still have many of those trap words left. You must navigate carefully or use a burner word if playing in default mode.
How to handle feedback from LARES:
Meaning: The word starts with L and contains an S (likely not at the end). Best next move: LUSTY (if A/R/E were gray) or LOUSE. Common mistakes: Trying S at the end again.
Meaning: The S belongs somewhere else, heavily favored to be position 1. Best next move: SNOOT, STING, or SPONG. Common mistakes: Testing S in the middle positions.
Meaning: L, A, R, E, and S are absent. Best next move: POUND, COUNT, or THICK. Common mistakes: Re-guessing A or E.
Yes, it is mathematically superb. It checks five of the most common letters in English (L, A, R, E, S).
No! LARES is a plural noun, and plurals ending in S are excluded from the Wordle answer list.
No. STARE uses T instead of L, tests S in the optimal position (first), and is a valid solution.
No. TARES is slightly higher in entropy (4.20 vs 4.15) because T is marginally more useful than L in position 1. Neither can win on turn one.
They are very close. RATES uses T instead of L. RATES has slightly more entropy (4.16 vs 4.15).
RAISE is an answer list word, making it arguably better for humans. LARES tests more consonants.
Yes, it is solid. However, if you get _ A R E _ green, you are trapped (CARE, DARE, FARE, etc.).
If LARES is entirely gray, guess POUND, COUNT, or MOUND to test O, U, I, N, C, T.
It uses the famous ‘Wheel of Fortune’ letters (R, S, T, L, N, E) minus T and N, providing massive candidate reduction.
SLATE is strictly better. It’s an answer list word, tests S in position 1, uses T, and has higher entropy.
WordleBot recognizes it as mathematically strong but penalizes it heavily because it isn’t a potential solution.
LARES has an elite entropy score of 4.15 bits, meaning it eliminates over 96% of the dictionary.
It’s an okay word for learning candidate reduction, but beginners should know they can’t get a 1/6 win.
An all-gray LARES means the word heavily relies on O, U, I, N, C, T. Guess POUND or COUNT.
Yes, LARES is superior to ADIEU. ADIEU wastes too many slots on vowels; LARES balances vowels with elite consonants.
Yes. AUDIO is mathematically very weak compared to the candidate reduction LARES provides.
It means the word contains an S, and it almost certainly belongs in position 1 (e.g., SNOOP).
On average, LARES reduces the 2,309 possible words down to roughly 68 remaining candidates.
Getting caught in the _ A R E _ trap in Hard Mode (e.g., PARE, HARE, BARE, CARE, DARE).
Yes. SALET is the absolute best mathematically. Or switch to SLATE to use the same L-A-E-S letters in a winning combination.
TRACE is an answer list word and tests T and C. LARES tests L and S. TRACE is generally preferred for human play.
If E, A, S are gray, Y becomes a highly probable ending letter.
Yes, Lares are ancient Roman deities protecting the household (plural of Lare).
Yes, it is excellent for multi-board games because of its sheer information gathering power.
Rarely. A green S in position 5 means the word ends in a non-plural S (e.g., GLASS, VIRUS).
Candidate reduction measures how many words are eliminated from the answer list. LARES excels at this (68 remaining).
CRANE tests C and N, while LARES tests L and S. CRANE is an answer list word, making it superior for human play.
None. Every single letter in LARES is a top-tier letter, though L is slightly less common than T or N.
L is incredibly common in consonant blends (BL-, CL-, FL-) and endings (-LE, -AL).
Use our Wordle Analyzer tool to input LARES against any specific daily answer and see its exact performance.
Input your LARES 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 LARES against STARE, RAISE, and SLATE.