Wordle #1,664: A Blast from the Past or a Streak-Buster?
Welcome back, Wordlers! Another day, another five-letter mystery to unravel. If you’re here, you’re likely staring at a grid of yellow and green squares, or perhaps you’re gearing up for your daily brain teaser. Today’s puzzle, Wordle #1,664, has a reputation for being deceptively straightforward. According to the official New York Times WordleBot, the average player is cruising to victory in just 3.0 moves today, whether they’re playing on easy or hard mode. But don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security—even “easy” puzzles have their quirks.
Ready to dive in? Below, you’ll find everything from gentle nudges to a full-blown spoiler. Consider this your mission control for conquering today’s Wordle.
Need a Nudge? Our Progressive Hint System
Stuck but don’t want the answer just yet? We’ve got you covered with a tiered hint system. Start with Level 1 and work your way down only as far as you need.
Level 1: Gentle Nudges
Word Type: It can be both a noun and a verb.
Number of Vowels: This word contains just one vowel.
General Theme: Think of energy, sound, or a very good time.
Level 2: Intermediate Clues
Starting Letter: The word begins with the letter B.
Vowel Position: The single vowel is an A, and it’s the second letter.
Specific Context: It’s something you might hear at a concert, feel from an explosion, or receive from a boss for excellent work.
Level 3: Advanced Assistance
Letter Structure: The pattern is B _ A _ _.
Related Synonyms: Bang, burst, boom, gust, riot.
Common Usage: “We had a blast at the party!” or “The demolition crew will blast the rock.”
Difficulty Analysis: Why Today’s Wordle Feels “Easy”
So why is the average score so low today? Let’s break down the puzzle’s DNA in a simple table.
| Factor | Level (Out of 10) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Common Letters | 9/10 | Contains B, L, A, S, T. Three of these (A, S, T) are among the six most common letters in Wordle answers. |
| Patterns | 8/10 | The “ST” ending and “BL” beginning are very familiar and high-frequency combinations. |
| Vowels | 4/10 | Only one vowel (A) in a standard position. This simplifies deduction significantly. |
| Red Herrings | 3/10 | Very few common words fit the “B_A_T” structure. The main trick is the potential for a double letter, like in AVAST. |
A Step-by-Step Solving Guide
Let’s walk through a logical, bot-approved path to today’s answer in 3-4 guesses.
1. The Recommended Opener: Starting with a strong word like ORATE is a classic move. It would have given you a yellow ‘T’ and a green ‘A’, immediately placing that crucial vowel and identifying a common consonant. At this point, WordleBot says there were 28 possible solutions.
2. The Strategic Second Guess: Now, you want to test other common consonants. A word like STAIN is perfect here. It strategically places the ‘S’, ‘T’, ‘N’, and ‘I’ while respecting the green ‘A’ from guess one. This would turn the ‘S’ yellow and, importantly, confirm that ‘T’ cannot be in the last position. This brilliant move narrows the field down to just two possible words.
3. The Elimination & “Aha!” Moment: With the structure _ _ A S T becoming clear (thanks to the green ‘A’ and the knowledge that ‘S’ and ‘T’ are present but misplaced), your brain starts scanning. Words like “BOAST” or “BEAST” might come to mind, but they don’t fit the discovered letter positions. Then, it clicks: the powerful, energetic word BLAST fits every clue perfectly. The ‘B’ and ‘L’ are the only letters left to place, and they slot right in.
4. Recommended Attempts: Most efficient solvers will nail this in 3 guesses. With a less optimal start, 4 is still a fantastic score. If it took you 5 or 6, the potential double-letter trap (AVAST) might have been the culprit.
Specific Strategies for Today’s Puzzle
If you found yourself stuck today, here’s what might have tripped you up and how to overcome it:
- Stuck on the First Letter? After finding ” _ _ A S T”, many common letters (F, G, R) don’t form valid words. Remember that ‘B’ and ‘C’ are strong candidates for Wordle starts in this pattern. Running through the alphabet from the beginning helps.
- Avoiding the Double-Letter Trap: The word “AVAST” (a nautical command) is a valid but obscure Wordle answer that also fits a common pattern. If your guesses kept showing ‘A’ in yellow, you might have been chasing this ghost. The key is to test consonants like ‘B’, ‘C’, and ‘L’ earlier to rule it out.
- Today’s Unique Letter Pattern: The “BL-” beginning is a classic English phoneme (think block, blend, black). Recognizing this sound pattern can instantly point you toward the right starting letters.
By The Numbers: Fun Stats on Today’s Word
For the data lovers, here’s some trivia about our featured word:
- Frequency in English: “Blast” is a moderately common word, ranking within the top 5,000-6,000 most frequently used words in contemporary English.
- Wordle History: It has appeared as the answer once before, in the early days of the game. Compared to recent puzzles, it’s significantly more common and recognizable than some of the trickier, vowel-light words we’ve seen.
- Success Rate Estimate: Given the common letters and simple structure, we estimate a 95%+ solve rate today, with the majority of failures being due to running out of tries rather than not knowing the word.
For the Curious: More Than Just a Word
Today’s answer isn’t just a collection of letters—it has a rich backstory.
Etymology: “Blast” comes from the Old English “blǣst,” meaning a blowing or breath, which is related to the Old Norse “blástr.” Its meaning evolved from a simple gust of wind to the explosive force we associate it with today.
Interesting Uses: Beyond explosions and fun, it has specialized meanings: in biology, a “blast” is an early-stage embryo (blastocyst); in mining, it’s the process of using explosives; and in criticism, a “blasted” review is brutally negative.
Cultural Blast: The phrase “having a blast” became popular in mid-20th century America, perfectly capturing the energetic, post-war optimism. It’s a staple of casual English worldwide.
Flashback: Yesterday’s Answer (Wordle #1,663)
Just in case you’re catching up, yesterday’s answer was PECAN. That was a welcome relief after a string of tougher puzzles, featuring four very common letters. If you solved it in three or four, you were right on the money with the average. Compared to today’s answer, PECAN had a slightly higher “red herring” factor due to other “EA” and “AN” words, while today’s is more linear in its deduction.
General Wordle Wisdom: Tips for Tomorrow
Whether you aced today’s puzzle or struggled, these strategies will help you tomorrow and beyond:
- Prioritize Placement After Vowels: Like we did with STAIN, once you find a vowel (especially a green one), use your next guess to test multiple common consonants (S, T, L, N, C, R) around it. This is the fastest way to narrow the field.
- Beware the Obscure Double: If you have four letters locked in and are stuck, always consider if the missing letter could be a duplicate of one you already have in yellow. “AVAST” was today’s sneaky example.
- Start Word Strategy: Based on today’s common letters (A, S, T, L, B), starting words like SLATE, CRANE, or ADIEU (to quickly hunt vowels) continue to be excellent choices that set you up for success.
- Don’t Chase the First Idea: If you think of a word like “BOAST” early, don’t just guess it. Use it to test specific letters (the ‘O’ and the ‘B’) in other guesses first. Patience with the process saves tries.
