Knowing which letters are most common in Wordle answers gives you a huge advantage. The most frequent letters in Wordle solutions are E, A, R, O, T, L, I, S, N. Using words rich in these letters maximizes your chance of getting green and yellow feedback.
Position Matters
Letter frequency varies significantly by position. For example, S is very common as the first letter but rare in the middle. E is extremely common as the last letter. Understanding these patterns helps you make smarter guesses.
Vowels are Key
Every Wordle answer contains at least one vowel, and most contain two. Starting with a word that tests 2-3 vowels (like ADIEU or RAISE) gives you critical early information.
Wordle letter frequency measures how often each letter of the alphabet appears across the official list of Wordle answers. Unlike general English letter frequency, which is calculated from books, articles, and everyday text, Wordle letter frequency is derived from a specific curated pool of 2,309 five-letter words chosen by the game's creators.
This distinction matters because Wordle's answer list favors common, recognizable words. Letters like E and A remain dominant, but the relative rankings shift compared to standard English. For instance, S ranks higher in Wordle than in general English because many common five-letter words start with S (SLATE, STARE, SHINE, STORY).
Understanding Wordle letter frequency helps you in three concrete ways:
Choose better starting words — words packed with high-frequency letters are statistically more likely to produce green and yellow tiles on your first guess.
Eliminate candidates faster — testing common letters early narrows the pool of remaining answers more aggressively than testing rare ones.
Avoid wasted guesses — guessing words with low-frequency letters like Q, J, or X early in the game provides very little useful information.
For a deeper look at how frequency drives opener selection, see the Best Starting Words rankings.
How the Wordle Dataset Was Analyzed
Every statistic on this page is computed from the official Wordle answer list, which contains exactly 2,309 five-letter words. This is the complete set of words that can appear as the daily Wordle solution. The list was originally embedded in the game's source code and has been publicly documented since Wordle's viral rise in early 2022.
Our analysis counts every occurrence of each letter across all 2,309 words. Because each word has exactly five letters, the dataset contains 11,545 total letter slots (2,309 × 5). We track both overall frequency (how many words contain a given letter at least once) and positional frequency (how often each letter appears in positions 1 through 5 specifically).
Words with double letters (like TEETH or SLEEK) are counted carefully — the letter appears once in the overall word count but is counted in each position where it occurs for positional analysis. This prevents double-counting from inflating overall statistics while preserving accurate positional data.
All data is computed live in your browser using the same dictionary that powers the Wordle Solver and Wordle Analyzer, ensuring complete transparency and accuracy.
Top 10 Most Common Letters in Wordle
The following ten letters appear in the highest number of Wordle answers. Prioritizing these letters in your early guesses gives you the greatest statistical advantage.
Rank
Letter
Words Containing
% of Answers
Example Answers
1
E
~1,056
45.7%
CRANE, STARE, SHINE
2
A
~909
39.4%
RAISE, SLATE, ABOUT
3
R
~837
36.2%
CRANE, ROAST, RIVER
4
O
~673
29.1%
ROAST, FLOAT, VOICE
5
T
~667
28.9%
TRACE, TOAST, NIGHT
6
L
~648
28.1%
SLATE, LEVEL, LIGHT
7
I
~647
28.0%
RAISE, SHINE, BIRTH
8
S
~618
26.8%
STARE, SIREN, SHARP
9
N
~550
23.8%
CRANE, BEGUN, NIGHT
10
C
~475
20.6%
CRANE, COUCH, CATCH
E dominates Wordle letter frequency because it appears across a wide variety of word patterns: as a final silent-E (CRANE, STARE), as a mid-word vowel (TEETH, STEEL), and occasionally doubled (CREEP, GREET). Its versatility makes it the single most valuable letter to test early.
A is the second most common letter and the most frequent vowel in starting position. Words like RAISE, SLATE, and ABOUT all include A, making it a critical vowel to lock down in your first or second guess.
R ranks third overall and is especially powerful because it frequently appears in positions 2 and 4, providing strong positional information. The Wordle Strategy Guide explains how to leverage positional knowledge for faster solves.
The Least Common Letters in Wordle
While high-frequency letters help you find answers quickly, understanding rare letters helps you avoid wasting guesses. These letters appear in very few Wordle answers:
Q — appears in fewer than 1% of answers. Almost always paired with U (QUERY, QUILT, QUEEN). Never guess Q unless you have strong evidence.
J — extremely rare in five-letter words. Examples include JOKER and JUICE. Save J for late-game guesses when other options are exhausted.
X — uncommon but slightly more frequent than Q or J. Found in words like EXTRA and EXPEL. X rarely appears in positions 1 or 5.
Z — rare overall but can surprise players. Words like DIZZY, BLAZE, and FROZE include Z. Test Z only when yellow or green feedback supports it.
V — more common than Q, J, X, and Z but still among the lowest-frequency consonants. Found in VALVE, VIVID, and VIGOR.
The most common mistake players make with rare letters is testing them too early. Using a word like QUIZZ or FJORD as a starting word wastes your most valuable guess on letters that appear in very few possible answers.
Wordle Letter Frequency Tiers
Letters grouped by how frequently they appear across all 2,309 Wordle answers.
Letter Frequency by Position
Wordle letter frequency changes dramatically depending on which of the five positions you examine. A letter can be very common overall but rare in a specific slot. Understanding positional patterns is the key to converting yellow tiles into green ones.
Most Common First Letters
The first position is dominated by S, which starts approximately 366 Wordle answers — more than any other letter by a wide margin. Other strong first letters include C (~198), B (~173), T (~149), P (~141), and A (~140). Notice that vowels are relatively rare as first letters except for A. Starting your guess with S, C, or T gives you the highest chance of an immediate green tile in position 1.
Most Common Second Letters
Position 2 is overwhelmingly dominated by vowels. A (~304), O (~279), E (~241), and I (~201) are far more common here than any consonant. The most common consonant in position 2 is L (~88) followed by R (~81). This makes sense because many English five-letter words follow a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern. Words like STARE, CRANE, and FLOAT all place vowels in position 2.
Most Common Third Letters
The middle position shows the most balanced distribution. A (~238), I (~188), O (~177), R (~163), and N (~139) lead the pack. Both vowels and consonants are well-represented here, making position 3 harder to predict. This is often the last position players solve.
Most Common Fourth Letters
Position 4 heavily favors certain consonants and the vowel E. E (~318) is the clear leader, followed by N (~182), S (~171), A (~162), and L (~162). The dominance of E in position 4 reflects common English word patterns like _A_ER, _I_ER, and _O_ER endings.
Most Common Fifth Letters
The final position is the most predictable. E (~422) appears as the last letter in roughly 18% of all Wordle answers — a massive lead. Y (~364), T (~253), R (~212), and D (~152) round out the top five. The dominance of E and Y as ending letters explains why many experienced players test these first when working on the final position. For a tool that helps you find words matching specific positional patterns, try the Pattern Finder.
Most Common Starting Letters in Wordle Answers
The letter that starts a Wordle answer provides critical information because it immediately confirms (green) or eliminates (gray) a significant chunk of possible solutions. Here are the ten most common starting letters:
Rank
Letter
Answers Starting
% of Total
Examples
1
S
~366
15.9%
SLATE, STARE, SHINE, STORY
2
C
~198
8.6%
CRANE, COUCH, CLIMB, CHIEF
3
B
~173
7.5%
BRAVE, BLOOM, BLAZE, BOUND
4
T
~149
6.5%
TRACE, TOAST, TIGHT, THEME
5
P
~141
6.1%
PLANT, PRIME, POISE, PLUME
6
A
~140
6.1%
ARISE, ABOUT, ANGEL, AUDIO
7
F
~136
5.9%
FLAME, FROST, FAITH, FLOOD
8
D
~111
4.8%
DRIFT, DENSE, DREAM, DWELT
9
G
~115
5.0%
GRACE, GRAIN, GLEAM, GLOBE
10
M
~107
4.6%
MOUNT, MAPLE, MIRTH, MOOSE
S starts nearly 16% of all Wordle answers, making it the single most valuable first letter to test. A starting word beginning with S (like SLATE, STARE, or SIREN) has the highest probability of producing a green tile in position 1. Explore Best Starting Words for comprehensive opener rankings.
Most Common Ending Letters in Wordle Answers
The fifth and final letter is often the easiest to predict because a small number of letters dominate this position. Understanding common endings dramatically improves your late-game strategy.
Rank
Letter
Answers Ending
% of Total
Common Patterns
1
E
~422
18.3%
_RANE, _OUSE, _ASTE, _RIME
2
Y
~364
15.8%
_ERRY, _USTY, _APPY, _URRY
3
T
~253
11.0%
_IGHT, _OIST, _RAFT, _RUST
4
R
~212
9.2%
_OWER, _IVER, _IDER, _OVER
5
D
~152
6.6%
_OUND, _IELD, _ORED, _UILD
6
N
~130
5.6%
_RAIN, _ROWN, _OKEN, _OVEN
7
K
~113
4.9%
_LACK, _RINK, _LOCK, _REEK
8
L
~96
4.2%
_RAWL, _HELL, _OVAL, _RILL
9
H
~69
3.0%
_ATCH, _OUTH, _EACH, _OUCH
10
A
~63
2.7%
EXTRA, ULTRA, TIARA, OPERA
Over one-third of all Wordle answers end in either E or Y. When you reach your third or fourth guess and the last letter is still unknown, testing E and Y first is almost always the correct strategic play. For live solving assistance with ending patterns, try the Wordle Solver.
Double Letter Frequency Analysis
Approximately 25-30% of Wordle answers contain at least one repeated letter. This is a common source of difficulty because many players instinctively avoid double letters, especially in early guesses. Understanding which letters repeat most often helps you navigate these tricky answers.
The most commonly doubled letters in Wordle answers are:
L — SHELL, SKILL, SPELL, STALL, DWELL
S — GROSS, DRESS, BLISS, PRESS, CLASS
E — CREEP, GREET, STEEL, FLEET, SHEET
O — FLOOD, BLOOD, FLOOR, TROOP, DROOL
T — LATTE, KITTY, ATTIC, MOTTO, OTTER
Strategic tip: Do not test for double letters in your first guess. Use your opener to cover as many unique high-frequency letters as possible. If your second or third guess still leaves multiple candidates, consider that the answer might contain a repeated letter — especially L, S, or E. The Hard Mode Solver is particularly useful when navigating double-letter scenarios.
Vowel Frequency in Wordle
Vowels are the backbone of every Wordle answer. Every solution contains at least one vowel, and the average answer contains approximately two vowels. Here is how each vowel ranks:
E — most common vowel overall, dominant in positions 4 and 5
A — the most common vowel in positions 1, 2, and 3
I — frequently appears in positions 2 and 3
O — strong in position 2, less common elsewhere
U — the least common standard vowel, but still appears in ~14% of answers
Y — technically a consonant but functions as a vowel in many Wordle answers, particularly in position 5 (HAPPY, RUSTY, EARLY)
Optimal vowel strategy: Your first two guesses should test at least 3-4 different vowels. Words like RAISE (A, I, E) and SHOUT (O, U) together cover all five standard vowels. Knowing which vowels are present dramatically narrows the answer pool because vowel placement is highly predictable.
Consonant Frequency in Wordle
Not all consonants are created equal in Wordle. They fall into three distinct tiers based on frequency:
High-value consonants (20%+ frequency): R, T, L, S, N. These five consonants appear in the most Wordle answers and should be prioritized in your first two guesses. A single word like SLATE tests three of them (S, L, T).
Medium-value consonants (10-20% frequency): C, D, P, G, H, M, B. These consonants appear often enough to be worth testing in your second or third guess. Words like CHAMP or BLIMP help cover this tier.
Low-value consonants (below 10%): W, F, K, V, X, Z, J, Q. These letters appear in relatively few answers and should be saved for later guesses when you have specific positional evidence suggesting they are present.
The most powerful consonant combinations for starting words pair high-frequency consonants with common vowels. For example, R + S + T + A + E (as in STARE) covers three top consonants and two top vowels.
Dominant Letters at Each Position
Which letters dominate each of the five positions in Wordle answers.
Best Starting Words Based on Letter Frequency
The strongest Wordle openers combine high-frequency letters with good positional coverage. Here are the top starting words ranked by letter frequency score:
Word
Letters
Freq Coverage
Strengths
Weakness
SLATE
S, L, A, T, E
Very High
5 unique top-10 letters, strong positional fit
Missing R
CRANE
C, R, A, N, E
Very High
Covers R and N, excellent vowel pair
Missing S, T, L
TRACE
T, R, A, C, E
Very High
Strong consonant mix with two top vowels
No S or L
ARISE
A, R, I, S, E
High
Three vowels, covers common letters
Limited consonant coverage
STARE
S, T, A, R, E
Very High
Four top-5 letters, great positional fit
Only one vowel pair (A, E)
ROATE
R, O, A, T, E
High
Three vowels with strong consonants
Not a common word, no S
AUDIO
A, U, D, I, O
Medium-High
Four vowels in a single word
Weak consonant coverage (only D)
IRATE
I, R, A, T, E
High
Three vowels with R and T
Missing S, L, N
RAISE
R, A, I, S, E
High
Three vowels plus R and S
Only two consonants
SOARE
S, O, A, R, E
Very High
Top-tier letters across the board
Obscure word, lacks T and L
For a complete ranking of starting words with entropy and information gain scores, visit the Best Starting Words page.
Why SLATE Performs So Well
SLATE consistently ranks among the top Wordle openers because every letter targets the sweet spot of frequency and positional probability:
S (position 1) — the most common first letter in Wordle answers at 15.9%. SLATE places it exactly where it appears most often.
L (position 2) — while L is not the most common second letter overall, it still appears in ~88 answers at position 2 and provides strong consonant coverage.
A (position 3) — A is one of the top three letters at position 3, making this placement statistically sound.
T (position 4) — T appears in many answers at position 4 and is the 5th most common letter overall.
E (position 5) — E is the single most common letter in position 5, appearing in ~422 answers. SLATE places E exactly where it is most likely to land green.
Compare SLATE to a weaker opener like FUZZY: F appears in only ~5.9% of answers as a starting letter, U is the least common standard vowel, Z is one of the rarest consonants, and the double-Z wastes a letter slot entirely. SLATE tests five high-frequency letters; FUZZY tests mostly low-frequency ones. The information difference is enormous.
Frequency-Based Wordle Strategy
Letter frequency data powers every phase of optimal Wordle play. Here is how to apply it at each stage:
Early Game (Guesses 1-2)
Your first two guesses should maximize letter coverage by using words packed with high-frequency letters. Aim to test 8-10 unique letters from the top tiers (E, A, R, O, T, L, I, S, N, C). A popular two-word combo is SLATE + CORNI or CRANE + SLOTH, which together cover 10 unique high-frequency letters. Learn more in our Wordle Strategy Guide.
Mid Game (Guess 3)
By guess 3, you should have significant feedback from green and yellow tiles. Use positional frequency data to place confirmed letters in their most likely positions. If you know E is in the word but not the position, the heatmap above shows that positions 4 and 5 are the most likely slots. Prioritize medium-frequency consonants (C, D, P, G, H) if you have not tested them yet.
Late Game (Guesses 4-6)
In the endgame, frequency shifts from overall coverage to precise positional targeting. Check which ending letters (E, Y, T, R, D) have been eliminated and test the remaining ones. If multiple candidates remain, choose the guess that distinguishes between them most effectively. The Wordle Solver can compute this for you in real time.
Hard Mode Strategy
In hard mode, confirmed green and yellow letters must be reused. This makes positional frequency data even more critical because you cannot explore freely. Use the position heatmap to place known letters in their most statistically likely positions. If you are stuck, the Hard Mode Solver computes the optimal guess under hard mode constraints.
Common Wordle Mistakes Related to Letter Frequency
Even experienced players make frequency-related mistakes. Here are the most common ones to avoid:
Using rare letters first. Starting with words like QUERY, JAZZY, or BOXER wastes your most valuable guess on letters that appear in very few answers. Always start with high-frequency letters.
Ignoring position frequency. Knowing that E is common is not enough — knowing that E appears most often in positions 4 and 5 lets you convert yellow tiles into green tiles faster.
Using duplicate letters too early. Words like TEETH or SPEED test only 3-4 unique letters instead of 5. In your first guess, maximize unique letter coverage.
Chasing yesterday's pattern. Each Wordle answer is independent. Just because yesterday's answer started with T does not make T more or less likely today.
Guessing without information. After guess 1, every subsequent guess should incorporate feedback. Randomly guessing a second word without considering your tiles wastes critical information.
Review your past games with the Wordle Analyzer to identify which of these mistakes you make most often.
Frequency Examples in Real Games
To illustrate the power of letter frequency, compare these opener choices side-by-side:
SLATE vs FUZZY
SLATE tests 5 of the top 8 most common letters (S, L, A, T, E), covering approximately 45% of all letter occurrences in Wordle answers. Even in the worst case, SLATE eliminates a massive portion of candidates. FUZZY tests only 3 unique letters (F, U, Z, Y — with Z doubled), covering under 15% of letter occurrences. SLATE will outperform FUZZY as an opener in virtually every game.
CRANE vs JUMBO
CRANE covers C, R, A, N, E — four of the top 10 letters plus C at #10. Its letter frequency score is in the top tier. JUMBO covers J, U, M, B, O — only O and U appear commonly, while J is one of the rarest letters. CRANE provides roughly 3x more information than JUMBO on average.
RAISE vs VODKA
RAISE tests R, A, I, S, E — five letters that collectively appear in over 70% of all Wordle answers. VODKA tests V, O, D, K, A — only O and A are high-frequency. RAISE will reliably produce 2-3 colored tiles on the first guess, while VODKA averages closer to 1.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wordle Letter Frequency
Answers to the most common questions about letter frequency in Wordle, from basic concepts to advanced strategy.
What is the most common letter in Wordle?+
E is the most common letter in Wordle answers, appearing in approximately 1,056 of the 2,309 official solutions (about 45.7%). It is especially dominant in position 5, where it appears far more often than any other letter.
What are the top 5 most common Wordle letters?+
The top 5 most common letters in Wordle are E, A, R, O, and T. Together these five letters cover the majority of all Wordle answers. Starting with a word that includes several of these letters gives you the best chance of getting early feedback.
Does letter position matter in Wordle?+
Yes, letter position matters significantly. For example, S is the most common first letter but rarely appears in position 5. E is by far the most common fifth letter. Understanding positional frequency helps you make smarter guesses that are more likely to produce green tiles.
What is the best starting word in Wordle based on letter frequency?+
SLATE is widely considered one of the best starting words because it contains five of the most frequent Wordle letters: S, L, A, T, and E. Other strong options include CRANE, TRACE, ARISE, and STARE.
How many words are in the official Wordle answer list?+
The official Wordle answer list contains 2,309 five-letter words. These are the only words that can appear as the daily Wordle answer. Letter frequency analysis is based on this specific curated list, not the broader English dictionary.
What is the least common letter in Wordle?+
Q is the least common letter in Wordle answers, appearing in fewer than 1% of all solutions. Other rare letters include J, X, and Z. Avoid guessing words with these letters early in the game.
How many vowels does the average Wordle answer have?+
The average Wordle answer contains approximately 2 vowels. Every Wordle answer has at least one vowel. Starting with a word that tests 2-3 vowels gives you critical early information about the answer.
What letters should I guess first in Wordle?+
Start with high-frequency letters like E, A, R, O, T, L, I, S, and N. These letters appear in the most Wordle answers, so testing them first maximizes your chance of getting useful feedback.
Is Wordle letter frequency the same as English letter frequency?+
No, Wordle letter frequency differs from general English because Wordle uses a curated list of 2,309 common five-letter words. The frequencies are specific to the Wordle answer pool, not general English text.
What is the most common first letter in Wordle?+
S is the most common first letter in Wordle answers, starting approximately 366 of the 2,309 solutions (15.9%). Other common starting letters include C, B, T, and P.
What is the most common last letter in Wordle?+
E is the most common last letter in Wordle, ending approximately 422 answers (18.3%). Y is the second most common ending letter at 15.8%. Together, E and Y account for over one-third of all Wordle endings.
How common are double letters in Wordle?+
Approximately 25-30% of Wordle answers contain at least one repeated letter. The most commonly doubled letters are L, S, E, O, and T. Do not test for double letters in your first guess — prioritize unique letter coverage instead.
Should I use vowel-heavy or consonant-heavy starting words?+
A balanced approach works best. The ideal starting word contains 2 vowels and 3 consonants from the high-frequency tier. Words like SLATE (1 vowel: A, plus E) or CRANE (2 vowels: A, E) strike the right balance between vowel discovery and consonant coverage.
Why is ADIEU considered a good starting word?+
ADIEU tests four out of five vowels (A, I, E, U) in a single guess, which provides massive vowel coverage. However, it only tests one consonant (D), leaving consonant information for later guesses. It works best as part of a two-word strategy paired with a consonant-heavy second guess.
What is positional frequency in Wordle?+
Positional frequency measures how often a specific letter appears in a specific position (1 through 5) across all Wordle answers. For example, S appears in position 1 in 15.9% of answers but is much rarer in positions 2-5. Positional data helps you convert yellow tiles into green tiles.
How does letter frequency help in hard mode?+
In hard mode, you must reuse confirmed green and yellow letters. Positional frequency data is critical because you need to place known letters in their most likely positions. The position heatmap on this page shows exactly where each letter is most likely to appear.
What two-word combo covers the most frequent letters?+
SLATE + CORNI covers 10 unique letters including 7 of the top 10 most frequent. CRANE + SILKY is another strong combination. The goal is to test as many high-frequency letters as possible across your first two guesses.
Does letter frequency change over time in Wordle?+
The New York Times occasionally adds or removes words from the Wordle answer list, which could slightly shift letter frequencies. However, the overall distribution remains stable because the list is large (2,309 words) and changes are minor. Our tool uses the latest known answer list.
Why does S rank so high in Wordle letter frequency?+
S ranks high because many common five-letter words start with S (SLATE, STARE, SHINE, STORY, SHARP, etc.). S is the most common first letter by a wide margin, appearing in position 1 in approximately 366 Wordle answers.
What is a frequency score for a Wordle word?+
A frequency score sums the individual frequencies of each unique letter in a word. Words with higher frequency scores contain more commonly occurring letters and are statistically better starting guesses. SLATE, CRANE, and STARE all have top-tier frequency scores.
How do I use the position heatmap on this page?+
The position heatmap shows a color-coded grid where brighter colors indicate higher frequency. Each row is a letter and each column is a position (1-5). Use it to see where each letter most commonly appears, helping you place confirmed letters in the right position.
Should I avoid uncommon letters entirely?+
Not entirely — just avoid them in your early guesses. After 2-3 guesses, if your feedback suggests uncommon letters might be present (e.g., many common letters are gray), then testing rare letters like K, V, or W becomes appropriate.
How is Wordle letter frequency different from Scrabble letter frequency?+
Scrabble uses all valid English words of any length, while Wordle uses only 2,309 curated five-letter words. Scrabble tile distribution is designed for game balance, not word frequency. The letter rankings differ significantly between the two games.
Can I download the Wordle letter frequency data?+
The data on this page is computed live from the official Wordle answer list. You can view all statistics in the interactive charts above. The same dataset powers our Wordle Analyzer, Wordle Solver, and Best Starting Words tools.
What is information gain in Wordle?+
Information gain measures how much a guess reduces the number of remaining possible answers. Words with high-frequency letters tend to have higher information gain because they are more likely to produce colored tile feedback that eliminates large groups of candidates.
Related tools
Letter frequency is most useful when paired with a practical solving or review tool.