Wordle #1,644: The Festive Puzzle That Could Break Your Streak
Welcome, Wordlers, to a puzzle that feels less like a gentle brain teaser and more like a festive ambush. If your December streak is still miraculously intact, today’s Wordle, #1,644, is the Grinch waiting to steal it. It’s the kind of word that makes you question your vocabulary, your spelling, and your life choices all before your second cup of coffee. Brace yourselves.
According to the New York Times’ own WordleBot, the average player will need about 4.0 moves in easy mode, or 3.8 if playing by hard rules. Don’t feel bad if you’re staring at a grid full of gray squares—this one is notoriously brutal.
Warning: Full spoilers for Wordle #1,644 lie ahead. If you haven’t played yet and want to preserve the challenge, this is your last chance to turn back!
Need a Nudge? Here Are Your Progressive Hints
Stuck but not ready to give up? Let’s walk through some clues, from gentle nudges to almost-there revelations.
Level 1: Gentle Nudges
Today’s answer is a noun. It contains zero of the standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U). Thematically, it has strong festive or historical connotations, often associated with gifts and ancient traditions.
Level 2: Intermediate Clues
The word begins with the letter M. Given the lack of standard vowels, the letter Y is doing heavy lifting as a surrogate vowel today. Think of a precious substance used long ago that is still referenced in seasonal stories.
Level 3: Advanced Hints
The letter structure is: M _ _ _ _. A key feature is a double letter in the middle. Synonyms include frankincense and incense. It is famously one of the three gifts brought by the Magi.
Why Was Today’s Wordle So Hard? A Difficulty Breakdown
Let’s break down exactly why Wordle #1,644 felt like running a linguistic marathon in quicksand.
| Factor | Difficulty Level | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Common Letters | 1/10 | It contains only one of the top 10 most common Wordle letters (R). |
| Letter Patterns | 9/10 | The starting ‘M’, double ‘R’, and ending ‘H’ is an extremely rare combination. |
| Vowel Situation | 10/10 | Zero standard vowels, relying entirely on ‘Y’. This is a major curveball. |
| Tricky Red Herrings | 8/10 | Words like “MERRY,” “MARRY,” or “MYTHS” can easily lead you astray before you realize the vowel trap. |
How to Solve It: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Here’s how a strategic approach could have unfolded, using common starting words.
First Guess (ORATE): A great opener that tests major vowels and common consonants. The result? A single yellow ‘R’. This tells you the word has an ‘R’, but it’s not in the last position. It also confirms there’s no O, A, T, or E—a huge clue that you’re dealing with a vowel-less word.
Second Guess (LURID): Time to test other vowels (U, I) and common consonants (L, D). The ‘R’ might turn green, moving to its correct spot. ‘U’ and ‘I’ stay gray, confirming your worst fear: this word has no normal vowels. The mental gears should now be grinding toward words with ‘Y’.
The Elimination Process: With ‘R’ green in the second spot (let’s say), you know the structure is _ R _ _ _. No A, E, I, O, U, T, L, D. You need a word starting with a consonant, followed by R, and ending with something like Y or H. Words like “CRYPT” or “TRYP-” forms come to mind, but the letters don’t fit.
The “Aha!” Moment: You recall the festive hint. Gifts. Magi. Gold, Frankincense, and… Myrrh. You double-check the spelling—yes, it has a double ‘R’. You nervously type in M Y R R H and watch all the tiles flip green. Victory in 3 or 4 moves feels like a genuine triumph.
Specific Strategies for This Brutal Puzzle
If you got stuck today, here’s what you should remember for next time a puzzle like this appears:
- If you’re stuck on the first letter: After eliminating vowels, consider less common starters like M, G, P, or B. The ‘M’ sound is not as rare as you think in tough Wordles.
- How to avoid the vowel trap: If your first two guesses eliminate A, E, I, O, U, immediately switch your brain to ‘Y’ mode. ‘Y’ at the end is common (FUNNY, CURLY), but ‘Y’ in the middle (like in MYRRH or LYNCH) is a classic Wordle trick.
- Today’s unique pattern: The double ‘R’ following a ‘Y’ is a killer combo. When you see a yellow ‘R’ and have a ‘Y’ in play, testing the double-letter possibility early can save you multiple guesses.
By The Numbers: Some Fascinating Stats
Just how obscure was today’s word? Let’s look at the data.
- Frequency in English: Extremely low. It’s a specialized word most commonly encountered in religious, historical, or aromatic contexts.
- Common Word Ranking: It ranks well outside the top 10,000 most commonly used words in contemporary English.
- Comparison to Past Puzzles: This is on par with past nightmares like “CAULK” or “FJORD”—words that are valid but not part of everyday vocabulary for many.
- Estimated Player Success Rate: Given the difficulty, we’d estimate the failure rate (running out of guesses) is significantly higher than the average puzzle, possibly over 15%.
For the Truly Curious: What Is Myrrh?
So you’ve solved the puzzle, but what exactly did you just guess? Let’s dive deeper.
Etymological Origin: The word “myrrh” comes from the Arabic “murr,” meaning “bitter,” which perfectly describes its taste. It entered English via ancient Greek and Latin.
Interesting Uses: Beyond the Christmas story, myrrh is a fragrant resin harvested from thorny trees. It has been used for millennia as perfume, incense, medicine, and even in embalming rituals.
Cultural Data: Along with gold and frankincense, myrrh symbolized one of the three aspects of Christ’s mission in Christian tradition: gold for kingship, frankincense for divinity, and myrrh, an embalming oil, for mortality.
In Other Languages: The word is surprisingly similar across many languages: “Mirra” (Italian, Spanish), “Myrrhe” (German, French), reflecting its ancient and widespread trade history.
Looking Back: Yesterday’s Answer (Wordle #1,643)
If you thought today was rough, yesterday offered a different kind of challenge. The answer to Wordle #1,643 was RUGBY. While not a common word for all players, it followed more standard letter patterns (ending in Y, starting with R) and contained a ‘U’, making it far more approachable than today’s vowel-starved enigma. The jump in difficulty from RUGBY to MYRRH is a stark reminder of Wordle’s unpredictable nature.
General Wordle Wisdom: Tips for Future Puzzles
Whether today broke you or made you stronger, here are some universal strategies to carry forward.
- Respect the ‘Y’: Always have a strategy for when your vowels are exhausted. ‘Y’ is your most likely savior, most often appearing at the end of a word.
- Double Trouble: If you’re down to your last few guesses and nothing fits, consider if a double letter (like SS, LL, RR, TT, NN) could be the missing piece. It’s a common trick.
- Theme is a Clue: The NYT occasionally uses words with seasonal or thematic ties. If you’re utterly stuck, think about dates, holidays, or current events—it might just spark the right connection.
- Best Starters from Today’s Data: Openers like SLATE, CRANE, or ADIEU (to test many vowels fast) would have quickly revealed the “no standard vowel” situation, allowing you to pivot to a ‘Y’-focused strategy much sooner.
