Wordle #1,698: The Answer That Might Test Your Dietary Resolve
Wordle #1,698 has arrived, and it’s serving up a puzzle that’s a bit more niche than your average five-letter fare. If you’re finding today’s grid particularly stubborn, you’re not alone. The New York Times’ own WordleBot reports that the average player needs about 4.0 moves to crack this one on easy mode, or 3.9 if you’re playing by the strict hard rules. That suggests a slight bump in difficulty, likely due to a less common starting letter and a specific theme. Ready for some help? We’ve got hints, a full strategy breakdown, and yes—the answer. But be warned: spoilers for Wordle #1,698 lie ahead. If you want to solve it yourself, stop reading now!
Today’s Wordle Hints (Progressive Help)
Stuck but don’t want the full answer just yet? Work through these progressive clues, from gentle nudges to almost-there reveals.
Gentle Nudges (No Direct Spoilers)
Word Type: It can be both a noun and an adjective.
Vowel Count: This word contains two vowels.
General Theme: The answer relates to a specific lifestyle or dietary choice.
Intermediate Clues
Starting Letter: The word begins with the letter V.
Vowel Positions: The two vowels are an ‘E’ and an ‘A’. The ‘E’ appears in the second position.
Specific Context: This word is often found on restaurant menus and food packaging.
Advanced, Almost-There Hints
Letter Structure: The pattern is V E _ A _.
Related Synonyms: Plant-based, dairy-free, herbivore (in a modern context).
Common Use: It describes someone who consumes no animal products whatsoever.
Difficulty Analysis: Why Today’s Wordle is Tricky
| Factor | Level (1-10) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Common Letters | 6/10 | It uses several common letters (E, A, N), but the uncommon ‘V’ start throws off standard strategies. |
| Patterns | 4/10 | “V_E_A” is not a highly frequent pattern, making it harder to narrow down logically. |
| Vowels | 7/10 | Two vowels in non-standard positions (second and fourth) can create misleading guesses. |
| Traps | 8/10 | Words like “VENAL,” “VOCAL,” or “VITAL” can easily sidetrack players before landing on the correct term. |
Step-by-Step Solving Guide
Let’s walk through a strategic approach to today’s puzzle, mirroring an optimal playthrough.
First Word (Recommended Start): Using a strong starter like CRANE is excellent. It would reveal the ‘A’ and ‘E’ as yellow, confirming two vowels are present but misplaced.
Second Strategic Move: A great follow-up is SLATE. This would likely turn the ‘E’ green in the second position and might place the ‘A’ elsewhere, while testing other common consonants (S, L, T).
The Elimination Process: With a green ‘E’ in spot two and a yellow ‘A’, your mind might jump to words like “HEAVY” or “LEAFY.” But knowing the word starts with ‘V’ (perhaps from a strategic third guess like “VOILA” to test the ‘V’ and ‘O’), changes everything. You’re now looking for a V_E_A pattern.
The “Aha!” Moment: Running through the alphabet for that third letter—V_E_A_. You might try ‘G’ and land on VEGAN. It fits the dietary theme hinted at by the letters and makes perfect sense.
Recommended Attempts: Solving this in 4 or 5 attempts is a very solid performance. The uncommon starting letter is the main hurdle.
Specific Strategies for Today’s Puzzle
If You’re Stuck on the Third Letter: The blank in “V_E_A_” is a tough spot. Think of consonants that frequently pair with ‘E’ and ‘A’. ‘G’ (VEGAN), ‘N’ (VENAL), and ‘C’ (VOCAL) are top candidates. Context is your best clue here.
Avoiding the ‘VENAL’ Trap: “VENAL” is a classic Wordle trap word that fits the common pattern. If you guess it, don’t despair—it brilliantly eliminates letters and confirms the structure, pointing you directly to the answer.
Today’s Unique Letter Pattern: The “V-start, E-in-second” combo is rare. Only 43 Wordle answers begin with ‘V’, which immediately narrows the field dramatically if you can confirm that initial letter.
Interesting Word Stats
- Frequency in English: The word has seen a massive surge in usage over the last decade, but historically, it’s a relatively low-frequency term.
- Wordle Commonality: It sits far outside the list of most common Wordle answer choices due to its specialized meaning and ‘V’ start.
- Comparison to Past Puzzles: This is more akin to previous “niche” answers like “EPOCH” or “ULCER” than common nouns like “CHAIR” or “LIGHT.”
- Estimated Player Success Rate: Given the Bot’s average of ~4 guesses, we estimate a 90-95% solve rate, but likely with more 5s and 6s than usual.
For the Curious Minds
The term 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 starts with vegetarianism and carries it through to its logical conclusion.” It’s a uniquely modern word with a very specific origin story, unlike most words that evolve over centuries.
A culturally interesting tidbit: while the diet is ancient in practice, the specific lexical container for it is less than 100 years old. In other languages, it’s often a direct loanword (like “vegano” in Spanish or Italian) or a descriptive phrase, highlighting its relatively recent formalization.
Yesterday’s Answer (Wordle #1,697) Recap
If you’re just catching up, yesterday’s answer was SCENE. That double ‘E’ puzzle was statistically more straightforward, with common letters and a familiar pattern. Today’s “VEGAN” presents a different kind of challenge—not complex letter arrangements, but a less common lexical entry point. It’s a good reminder that Wordle tests vocabulary breadth as much as it tests deductive logic.
General Wordle Strategy Tips
Based on today’s puzzle, here are some evergreen tips to strengthen your game:
- Don’t Fear Uncommon Starters: Once you’ve identified a vowel or two with your first guess, consider a second word that tests less common starters like V, J, X, or Z. It can dramatically narrow the field, as it did today.
- Use Semantic Clues: When the letter pattern points to several possible words, think about category. Was the last puzzle a food word? An emotion? A place? Wordle answers are always common words, but they often cluster in themes.
- The Trap Word is Your Friend: Guessing a word like “VENAL” that fits the pattern but is wrong isn’t a waste. It’s a powerful elimination tool that often lights the path to the correct answer.
- Mind the Modern Lexicon: Wordle includes contemporary words. Don’t limit yourself to only classical vocabulary; terms from modern life, technology, and culture are all fair game.
