Wordle #1,737: A Hint of Herbs and a Dash of Strategy
Welcome back, word wizards! Wordle #1,737 has arrived, and it’s serving up a fresh challenge that might just have you smelling victory. While not the most brutal puzzle we’ve seen, today’s answer is a classic case of common letters hiding in plain sight. According to the official New York Times WordleBot, the average player is cracking this one in about 3.7 moves on easy mode, or a slightly more disciplined 3.6 if you’re playing by hard rules. That suggests a smooth but not entirely straightforward solve.
Ready for some help? Below, you’ll find progressive hints, a full strategy breakdown, and some fascinating trivia. But be warned: spoilers for the March 22nd puzzle lie ahead! If you want to go in pure, solve your puzzle first. Otherwise, let’s dig in.
Need a Nudge? Here Are Your Progressive Hints
Level 1: Gentle Nudges
If you’re just looking for a general steer without any spoilers, here you go. Today’s Wordle is a noun. It contains two vowels. Think of something you might find in a kitchen garden or a delicious Italian sauce.
Level 2: Getting Warmer
Ready for a bit more? The word starts with the letter B. One of the vowels is an ‘A’, and it’s in the second position. This word is often associated with freshness and flavor.
Level 3: Almost There
Last stop before the answer! The letter structure is: B A _ I _. A close synonym would be “herb.” You’ll commonly find it paired with tomatoes and mozzarella.
Today’s Difficulty Breakdown
Why did this puzzle feel the way it did? Let’s break it down visually.
| Factor | Level | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Common Letters | 8/10 | Four of the top ten most common Wordle letters appear, but only one is in the top five. |
| Patterns | 6/10 | The “S” at the end is a very common pattern, but the “B” start is less frequent. |
| Vowels | 7/10 | Two vowels in clear positions (A second, I fourth) makes it manageable. |
| Trickiness | 5/10 | Few obvious trap words, though the less common starting letter can cause initial stalls. |
How to Solve It: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Let’s replay an optimal solving strategy. Imagine starting with a strong opener like CRANE. This might only give you a yellow ‘A’, which feels sparse but is actually key information.
For your second guess, you want to test other common consonants while respecting the hard mode rule if you’re using it. A word like SLIPS is brilliant here. It would likely turn the ‘S’ and ‘L’ yellow, and potentially the ‘I’ as well, while also confirming the ‘S’ isn’t at the start.
The elimination process now gets exciting. You know the word ends with an ‘S’ or an ‘L’. With an ‘A’ in position two, an ‘I’ likely in the middle, and an ‘S’ and ‘L’ to place, the options shrink fast. The “aha!” moment comes when you realize the pattern _A_I_ fits a very common kitchen herb.
Typing in BASIL on your third attempt would be a perfectly executed, satisfying solve.
Specific Strategies for Today’s Puzzle
If you got stuck today, it was probably at the beginning. A starting word with a ‘B’ isn’t typical, so many players wasted a turn or two before discovering it. The key was to quickly test less common starting consonants like B, P, or W after your first guess eliminated the top-tier starters.
Avoid the trap of fixating on the ‘S’ at the end. Yes, it’s a great guess, but it blinded some to the fact that the ‘L’ was the more crucial letter to place first. The unique pattern today was the “I” in the fourth position, which isn’t as common as having it in the second or third spot.
By The Numbers: Fun Wordle Stats
How common is today’s answer? BASIL ranks as the 7,851st most common word in the Oxford English Corpus’s contemporary word list. That makes it significantly less common than yesterday’s answer, SLICK, but more common than some truly obscure Wordle solutions.
We estimate the global success rate today to be quite high, likely above 90%. It’s a familiar word with a clear phonetic structure, even if its starting letter threw a small curveball.
For the Curious: More About “Basil”
Beyond Wordle, “basil” has a rich history. Its name comes from the Greek basilikón phutón, meaning “royal plant.” There are over 60 varieties, from sweet Genovese (the pesto star) to purple Opal and licorice-flavored Thai basil.
Culturally, it’s steeped in lore. In some traditions, it’s a symbol of love; in others, of hostility. It’s a key ingredient in cuisines from Italy to Southeast Asia. In Italian, it’s basilico; in Spanish, albahaca—quite a different set of letters for any multilingual Wordle fans!
Looking Back: Yesterday’s Answer (Wordle #1,736)
If you’re catching up, yesterday’s solution was SLICK. It was a trickier puzzle, with no letters from the top five most common and an opening guess like “ORATE” yielding nothing but gray squares. Compared to today’s BASIL, it was a more vocabulary-testing and pattern-defying challenge.
General Wordle Wisdom for Your Streak
Today’s puzzle reinforces some timeless strategies:
- Don’t Fear Uncommon Starters: Your second guess should often explore letters like B, P, W, and Y if your opener draws a blank.
- Place Common Consonants Early: Letters like L, S, N, and R are so frequent that confirming or eliminating them quickly is crucial.
- Use the “Vowel + Common Consonant” Combo: When your first word fails, a word like “SLIPS” or “MUSIC” efficiently checks remaining vowels and key consonants.
- Mind the Fourth Position: Vowels in the fourth spot (like today’s ‘I’) are a less common pattern that can be the key to unlocking the grid.
Happy solving, and may your streaks stay ever-green!
