Wordle #1,698: A Puzzle That Might Make You Go Green
Welcome, word wizards, to another day of delightful deduction. Wordle #1,698 has arrived, and it’s a bit of a character. It’s not the kind of puzzle that will have you tearing your hair out in clumps, but it might just make you pause and reconsider your life choices—or at least your dietary ones. The New York Times’ trusty WordleBot reports that the average player is cracking this nut in about 4.0 moves on easy mode, or a slightly more disciplined 3.9 if you’re playing by hard rules. That suggests a moderate challenge with a potential for a satisfying “aha!” moment. Ready to see if you can keep your streak alive? Let’s dive into the clues.
⚠️ Friendly Spoiler Warning: We’re about to dissect today’s Wordle from gentle nudges to the full reveal. If you want to solve it completely on your own, your journey ends here. Otherwise, scroll on for hints, strategy, and the answer to game #1,698.
Need a Nudge? Here Are Your Progressive Hints
Level 1: Gentle Nudges
If you’re just looking for a steer in the right direction without any spoilers, here you go. Today’s answer is an adjective (and by extension, a noun). It contains two of the five standard vowels. Thematically, it’s a word deeply associated with lifestyle choices and ethics.
Level 2: Intermediate Clues
Okay, let’s get a bit more specific. The word begins with the letter V. One of the vowels is an ‘E’, and the other is an ‘A’. Think about things you won’t find on a certain kind of menu.
Level 3: Advanced Spoiler Hints
This is your last stop before the answer. The structure of the word is: V _ _ A _. Synonyms include “plant-based” or “dairy-free.” It’s a term you’ll commonly encounter in restaurants, supermarkets, and passionate online debates.
Breaking Down the Difficulty
So, why does today’s Wordle feel a bit tricky? Let’s score its difficulty factors.
| Factor | Level | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Common Letters | 6/10 | It features two of the top 10 most common Wordle letters (E, A), but the leading ‘V’ is less frequent. |
| Patterns | 5/10 | The “_ _ _ A N” ending is familiar, but the “V_E” start isn’t a classic combo. |
| Vowels | 7/10 | Two vowels in non-adjacent positions is standard, but their placement can be deceptive. |
| Trickiness | 8/10 | High! The starting letter narrows the field massively, and common words like “BEGIN” or “PECAN” can lead you astray. |
How to Solve It: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Let’s trace a potential winning path, similar to the expert solve.
First Move (ORATE): A classic starter. This likely gave you a yellow ‘A’ and a yellow ‘E’. A solid foundation, but with 100+ possible answers still in play, the work has just begun.
Second Move (Strategic Follow-up): Here, you want to test common consonants and pin down those yellow letters. A word like ALIEN or SLICE is perfect. Let’s say you used ALIEN. This might turn the ‘N’ green at the end and confirm the positions of ‘A’ and ‘E’, dramatically slashing your options.
The Elimination Process: With a green ‘N’ at the end and ‘A’ and ‘E’ locked in but not in their ORATE positions, your mind might race to words like BEGAN, SEDAN, or PECAN. This is the critical juncture.
The “Aha!” Moment: If you’ve tested enough consonants, you’ll realize the starting letter isn’t an S, B, or P. You need something less common. Thinking about the green ‘N’ and the pattern “_ E _ A N” might suddenly make the V-word click into place.
Recommended Attempts: Solving this in 4 tries is a great result. Getting it in 3 is excellent, and 5 is perfectly respectable given the tricky start letter.
Specific Strategies for Today’s Puzzle
If you found yourself stuck today, here’s what might have tripped you up and how to power through.
Stuck on the First Letter? The ‘V’ is the main hurdle. After a starter like ORATE, if you have yellow ‘A’ and ‘E’, deliberately try a word that includes less common starters like V, J, or Z alongside other vowels. ADIEU followed by VOILA is a combo that could crack this one wide open.
Avoiding the “PECAN/BEGAN” Trap: Many players will fixate on the “_ _ _ A N” ending. To avoid this, use your second or third guess to eliminate the common starting letters for those words (P, B, S) specifically.
Today’s Unique Letter Pattern: Remember that only 43 Wordle answers begin with ‘V’. When you suspect a rare starting letter, don’t be afraid to guess it outright to confirm or deny its presence, even if it feels like a “wasted” guess. Information is power.
By The Numbers: Fun Stats About Today’s Word
- Frequency in English: The word has seen a meteoric rise in usage over the last two decades, but it’s still far less common than its antonym.
- Wordle Commonality: It sits in the less-frequent half of the Wordle answer bank, making it a satisfying solve.
- Comparison: It’s objectively trickier than yesterday’s double-letter word, SCENE, due to its unconventional opening salvo.
- Success Rate: We estimate a slightly lower global success rate today, perhaps around 88-90%, with more failures and six-guess solves than average.
For the Curious: More Than Just an Answer
The word VEGAN was coined in 1944 by Donald Watson, a founder of the British Vegan Society. He took the beginning and end of the word “vegetarian,” arguing that veganism is “the beginning and end of vegetarian.”
Beyond diet, the philosophy excludes all forms of animal exploitation, from food to clothing. Culturally, it’s moved from fringe to mainstream, sparking endless debates and inspiring a vast industry. In other languages, it’s often a direct loanword, though some, like German, use “veganer” (adj.) and “Veganer” (noun).
Flashback: Yesterday’s Answer (Wordle #1,697)
If you’re catching up, yesterday’s solution was the double-E word SCENE. It was a more straightforward puzzle, with common letters and a familiar pattern. The double letter often feels intimidating but can actually narrow things down quickly. Compared to today’s VEGAN, SCENE was a walk in the park. You can read our full analysis of that puzzle if you need a recap.
Sharpen Your Skills: General Wordle Wisdom
Whether you sailed through or struggled today, these tips will help you tomorrow.
- Vary Your Vowel Hunt: Starters like ORATE are great, but if you get multiple yellow vowels, your next move should prioritize pinning down common consonants (L, S, N, C, R) to frame the word.
- Embrace the Elimination Guess: Don’t be afraid to use a turn to test 3-4 possible starting letters for a pattern you’ve identified. Proving what *isn’t* there is as valuable as proving what is.
- Beware the Common Ending: Patterns like “_ _ _ A N”, “_ _ _ E R”, or “_ _ _ T Y” host dozens of words. When you land on one, switch your focus to the unknown beginning immediately.
- Best Starters Based on Today: Today’s puzzle showed the value of covering A and E early. SLATE, CRANE, or ADIEU followed by a consonant-rich word like LYNCH or SPORT creates a powerful one-two punch.
And there you have it! The answer to Wordle #1,698 is VEGAN. We hope your streak remains intact, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow for the next linguistic challenge. Happy solving!
