Wordle #1,707: The Answer That Stinks (But in a Good Way)
Wordle #1,707 has arrived, and it’s a bit of a stinker. Not because it’s a bad puzzle, but because the answer itself has a certain… aroma to it. If you’re here, you’re likely feeling a bit stuck, and that’s perfectly okay. According to the New York Times’ own WordleBot, the average player needed 4.1 moves to crack this one, so you’re in good company if it’s taking you a few tries.
We’re about to dive deep into hints, strategy, and the full solution. Consider this your official spoiler warning. If you want to solve it on your own, now’s the time to turn back. Otherwise, let’s roll up our sleeves and figure out why today’s word left so many of us scratching our heads.
Need a Nudge? Here Are Your Progressive Hints
Stuck but don’t want the full answer just yet? Use these hints, progressing from gentle to more revealing.
Level 1: Gentle Nudges
Word Type: It can be a verb or a noun.
Number of Vowels: This word contains just one vowel.
General Theme: It’s often associated with a strong, unpleasant smell from the past.
Level 2: Intermediate Clues
Starting Letter: The word begins with the letter S.
Vowel Position: The single vowel is an A, and it’s the second letter.
Specific Context: Think of what you might say about a gym locker room or forgotten leftovers.
Level 3: Advanced Pointers
Letter Structure: The pattern is S T A _ _.
Related Synonyms: Reeked, smelled bad, ponged.
Common Usage: Often used in the past tense to describe how something smelled.
Breaking Down Today’s Difficulty
Why was Wordle #1,707 trickier than it looked? Let’s analyze the key factors.
| Factor | Level | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Common Letters | 8/10 | It uses four of the top 10 most common letters (S, T, A, N), which is deceptively helpful. |
| Patterns | 6/10 | The “ST” start is common, but the “NK” ending is less frequent than options like “ND” or “CK”. |
| Vowels | 3/10 | Having only one vowel (A) limits possibilities but also makes it easier to lock down. |
| Tricky Traps | 9/10 | The major trap is the very common word STAND, which fits the pattern perfectly until the final letter. |
A Step-by-Step Solving Guide
Here’s how a strategic solve might have played out, aiming for that satisfying green grid.
1. The Recommended Opener: Starting with a strong word like SLATE or SPLAT was golden today. Using SLATE would have given you the ‘S’ and ‘T’ in the wrong place (yellow) and the ‘A’ in the correct spot (green). WordleBot says this leaves only 15 possible answers.
2. The Strategic Second Guess: Seeing the green ‘A’ in position two, you’d want to test other common consonants around it. A word like STAIN would be brilliant here, confirming the starting ‘S’ and ‘T’, and revealing the ‘N’ somewhere in the mix.
3. The Elimination Process: Now you have S, T, A, and N confirmed. The pattern is clearly S T A _ _. Your brain immediately jumps to STAND. It’s the obvious, common choice. But what if it’s wrong? You need to consider other consonants that pair with ‘N’ at the end.
4. The “Aha!” Moment: After typing STAND (and watching it turn yellow, not green), the realization hits. The final letter isn’t D. What other letters make a common sound with N? ‘K’ is a strong candidate. You run through the alphabet: STANK. It fits the smell-related hints and is a valid word. That’s your answer.
5. Recommended Attempts: A solve in 3-4 attempts is excellent today. Getting it in 5 is still a solid victory, especially if you fell into the STAND trap.
Specific Strategies for This Puzzle
If you got stuck today, here’s what tripped you up and how to avoid it next time.
If You Were Stuck on the Last Two Letters: The trap was the extremely common word STAND. When you have a pattern like _ _ A _ _, always force yourself to think of less common endings before committing to the obvious one. Run through letters like K, L, M, and R.
Avoiding the “D” Trap: The letter D is a very common ending. When it’s yellow or greyed out late in the game, it opens up a world of possibilities. Remember that consonant blends like “NK” (STANK, BLANK) and “ND” (STAND, BLAND) are classic Wordle alternatives.
Today’s Unique Letter Pattern: The “ANK” ending is a known Wordle pattern, but it’s less frequent than “AND”. Words like BLANK, CRANK, FRANK, and THANK all share this structure, making it a good one to keep in your mental database.
By The Numbers: Some Fun Stats
How does today’s word stack up in the grand scheme of things?
- Frequency in English: “Stank” is relatively uncommon in modern everyday writing but is a well-known past tense form of “stink.”
- Common Words List Position: It ranks far outside the top 1,000 most common words, making it a more obscure choice for Wordle.
- Comparison to Past Puzzles: This is a classic “common letters, uncommon word” puzzle, similar to past answers like VIVID or KNOLL.
- Estimated Player Success Rate: Given the 4.1 average and the STAND trap, we estimate a slightly higher-than-usual failure rate today, perhaps around 10-12%.
For the Truly Curious
So, what’s the deal with STANK? Let’s dig a little deeper.
The word comes from the Old English stincan, which meant “to smell.” Over time, “stink” became the present tense, with “stank” and “stunk” as past tense and past participle, respectively. It’s a great example of a strong verb in English (like sing/sang/sung).
Beyond describing bad odors, “stank” has found a niche in slang. In hip-hop and colloquial speech, “stank” can refer to a particularly funky, compelling style or attitude—a “stank face” is the grimace you make when a bassline is so good it’s physically affecting.
In other languages, the concept is just as vivid: in German, stanken; in Dutch, stonken. It seems a universal human experience to need a word for something that smells powerfully bad.
Looking Back: Yesterday’s Answer (Wordle #1,706)
If you’re just catching up, yesterday’s answer was HOIST. It was a more straightforward puzzle, with common letters and a clear path forward after the first guess. The difficulty jump from HOIST to today’s STANK is a perfect example of Wordle’s charming unpredictability—one day you’re lifting something up, the next you’re holding your nose.
Sharpen Your Skills: General Wordle Strategy Tips
Whether today was a breeze or a struggle, these tips will help you conquer tomorrow’s puzzle.
- Beware the Obvious Trap: As seen today, Wordle loves to dangle a common word (STAND) when the answer is a slightly less common variant (STANK). Always question your first instinct for the final letter.
- Consonant Teams Are Key: Pay attention to pairs like CH, SH, TH, PH, NK, NG, and GH. Eliminating or confirming these as units can save you multiple guesses.
- Use Your Second Guess Strategically: Don’t just hunt for greens. Use your second attempt to test multiple high-frequency consonants (L, N, R, S, T) that weren’t in your starter.
- Best Starters Based on Today: Today proved the power of starters with S, T, and A. Words like SLATE, SPLAT, and CRANE performed exceptionally well, giving players maximum information to avoid the final-letter trap.
