Wordle #1,707: A Stinky Challenge Awaits
Wordle #1,707 has arrived, and it’s bringing a bit of a stink with it. This puzzle is a classic example of a word that feels common in conversation but can be surprisingly elusive when you’re staring at those six empty rows. The average player might find themselves sniffing around for the answer a little longer than usual today. According to the New York Times’ own WordleBot, the average solve for puzzle #1,707 is 4.1 guesses, whether you’re playing on easy or hard mode. That’s a solid tick above the typical average, signaling a puzzle with some bite.
Ready to dive in? Below, you’ll find our tiered hint system, a full strategy breakdown, and the ultimate answer. Consider this your official spoiler warning. If you want to solve today’s Wordle (#1,707) on your own, now is the time to turn back!
Need a Nudge? Our Progressive Hint System
Stuck but don’t want the full answer just yet? Work your way through these clues, from gentle to direct.
Hint Level 1: Gentle Nudges
Word Type: It can be a verb or a noun.
Number of Vowels: This word contains one vowel.
General Theme: It’s associated with a strong, and usually unpleasant, smell.
Hint Level 2: Getting Warmer
Starting Letter: The word begins with the letter S.
Vowel Position: The single vowel is an A, and it’s the second letter.
Context Clue: It’s a simple past tense of a more common verb for smelling bad.
Hint Level 3: Almost There
Letter Structure: S _ A _ _
Close Synonyms: Reeked, smelled foul, emitted an odor.
Common Use: Often used informally: “Whoa, your gym bag stank!”
Today’s Difficulty Analysis
| Factor | Level | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Common Letters | 8/10 | Contains S, T, A, N, K—four of the top ten most common letters. |
| Patterns | 3/10 | Words ending in “ANK” are less frequent than those ending in “ING” or “ENT.” |
| Vowels | 6/10 | Only one vowel (A) makes it simpler, but its position is very common. |
| Trickiness | 9/10 | Major red herrings like STAND, STAMP, and STALK can easily derail you. |
How to Solve Wordle #1,707: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Let’s break down a strategic path to victory, using a strong starting word.
1. The Opening Move: Starting with a word like SLATE is excellent. It gives you S, L, A, T, and E. The result? The ‘S’ turns green, the ‘A’ turns green, and the ‘T’ turns yellow. You now know the word starts with S, has an A in position 2, and contains a T somewhere else.
2. The Strategic Follow-up: Now you need to place the T and test other common consonants. A word like STAIN is perfect. It places the T right after the S (testing the common ST- start) and adds I and N. This yields a fantastic result: S, T, and A are all green, and N turns yellow. Your board now shows S T A _ _, with an N to place.
3. The Elimination Process: With the pattern “STAN_” locked in, your brain likely races to STAND. It’s the most obvious choice. But if you play it, you’ll hit a frustrating wall of gray. This is the puzzle’s cruel twist. You must now consider what other letter, besides D, can follow “STAN.” The list is very short.
4. The “Aha!” Moment: After STAND fails, you mentally run through the alphabet. STANA? No. STANB? No. STANC? Maybe, but that’s not a common word. STANG? Not really. STANK? Bingo. It’s the simple past tense of “stink,” and it fits the pattern perfectly.
5. Recommended Attempts: A solve in 4 guesses is a great, above-average score for this puzzle. Getting it in 3 would be exceptional, while 5 or 6 is completely understandable given the STAND trap.
Specific Strategies for Today’s Puzzle
If you’re stuck on “STAN_”: The trap is assuming the last letter is a common consonant like D, C, or G (as in “stang,” an archaic word). Force yourself to consider less common endings. The “NK” combination, while not ultra-rare, is specific enough to overlook.
Avoiding the K Trap: The letter K at the end is the real trick. We’re conditioned to look for words ending in common letters. When you have a strong pattern like “STAN_,” consciously ask: “What uncommon final letter could this have?”
Today’s Unique Pattern: The “ST” start followed immediately by the vowel “A” is a powerful combo that narrows the field quickly. The key was to not let that early success make you complacent with the obvious ending.
By The Numbers: Fun Stats on Today’s Word
Frequency in English: “Stank” is relatively common in informal spoken English but appears less often in formal written text.
Word Commonality Rank: It ranks far below its base form, “stink,” in usage frequency lists.
Comparison to Past Puzzles: This is a classic “past tense verb” Wordle, similar to puzzles like #1,706’s HOIST. They often trip players up because we think of the present tense first.
Estimated Player Success: Given the 4.1 average, we estimate a high solve rate (likely over 90%), but with a wider spread of guesses than usual. Many players will have that one frustrating wrong guess (STAND).
For the Truly Curious
The word “stank” comes from Middle English stanken, which itself comes from Old English stincan, meaning “to smell.” Interestingly, in its earliest uses, it could mean simply “to smell” without the negative connotation, but that faded over time. In Scottish dialects, a “stank” can also mean a pond or ditch, coming from a different etymological root. Culturally, it had a moment in hip-hop slang, most famously in the 1996 song “Stankonia” by OutKast, which later became the name of their album and studio.
Flashback: Yesterday’s Answer (Wordle #1,706)
If you’re just catching up, yesterday’s answer was HOIST. Compared to today’s puzzle, HOIST was slightly more straightforward despite being a less common word, as it contained more common letter patterns. Both puzzles shared a knack for offering very similar-looking alternative answers (MOIST, JOIST, FOIST for HOIST; STAND, STALK for STANK).
3 General Wordle Tips to Take Forward
1. Beware the Past Tense Trap: When your green letters form a clear pattern that matches a common verb (like STAND), immediately check if a simple past tense version (like STANK) also fits. It’s a favorite Wordle trick.
2. Test the Uncommon Ending: If you’re locked into a pattern and the obvious ending fails, run through the alphabet for less frequent final letters like K, J, Q, V, or Z.
3. Use Your Yellow Letters Aggressively: Like playing STAIN after SLATE today, your second guess should aim to reposition yellow letters and test new common consonants (N, R, I, C, L) simultaneously.
