Wordle #1,809: Today’s Answer, Hints, and a Full Breakdown for May 13
Welcome back, Wordle warriors. If you’re reading this, you’ve either conquered today’s puzzle with a stylish three-move win or you’re staring at a grid of gray squares wondering where it all went wrong. Either way, we’ve got your back. Wordle #1,809 is here, and while it’s not the nastiest puzzle we’ve seen this year, it does pack a sneaky little punch that has tripped up more than a few players.
According to the New York Times’ WordleBot, the average player solves today’s word in 3.7 moves on easy mode, or 3.6 if you’re playing by hard rules. That’s a tick above the usual 3.5 average, and there’s a good reason for it. The answer features a letter pattern that often sends solvers down the wrong path, especially if you’re not paying close attention to your second guess.
Spoiler warning: We’re about to dive deep into the clues, the strategy, and eventually the big reveal. If you want to solve it yourself, stop here. But if you’re stuck and need a nudge—or if you just love the post-puzzle analysis—read on. We’ve laid out three levels of hints so you can choose how much help you actually want.
Hints for Today’s Wordle
Level 1: Soft Hints (No Direct Spoilers)
Let’s start easy. Today’s word is a noun, and it refers to something foundational—the core idea or principle that everything else is built on. It contains two vowels, and neither of them is the letter ‘U’. Think of something you’d learn in a beginner’s class, or the starting point for a larger argument.
Level 2: Intermediate Hints
Now we’re turning up the heat. The first letter of today’s answer is B. The two vowels are in the second and third positions, and they’re both the same vowel—a repeat that makes this puzzle trickier than it first appears. The word is five letters long, but only four unique letters appear.
Level 3: Advanced Hints
For those who want a clearer picture without the full reveal: the word ends in ‘S’, but don’t be fooled—it’s not a plural. The structure is B A _ I S, with that blank being another ‘A’. Synonyms include “fundamental” or “cornerstone.” You might hear it in a sentence like, “That’s the _____ of our entire argument.”
Difficulty Analysis
We’ve broken down the trickiness of today’s puzzle into four key factors. Here’s how they stack up:
| Factor | Level (out of 10) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Common Letters | 6/10 | Only two of the ten most common letters (A and S) appear, but the ‘B’ and ‘I’ are solid middle-tier choices. |
| Patterns | 7/10 | Double letters always add a wrinkle, and the “_A_IS” pattern isn’t as common as other vowel placements. |
| Vowels | 5/10 | Two vowels is average, but their identical nature creates a predictable yet easily missed pattern. |
| Trickiness | 8/10 | The double ‘S’ at the end can trick players into guessing plurals or words like “BASES” or “BASIC” first. |
Step-by-Step Solving Guide
Let’s walk through a clean solve, the kind that feels like a small victory. If you started with a strong word, you were already ahead of the curve.
First guess: Let’s say you opened with ORATE, a favorite among Wordle veterans. It covers the five most common letters. Today, it only turns the ‘A’ yellow. That leaves you with a whopping 163 possible answers, according to WordleBot. Not great, but not a disaster.
Second guess: You need to narrow things down. A smart move is to play a word like NAILS. It tested four of the next most common consonants (N, L, S) and moved the yellow ‘A’ around. The result: ‘A’ and ‘S’ turn green, and ‘I’ turns yellow, now locked into either the first or fourth position. WordleBot says this leaves just one possible answer.
The “Aha!” moment: That one answer isn’t obvious at first. You might think of BASIC or BASES before realizing the double letter pattern. But once you land on BASIS, the grid lights up. Three moves, clean and satisfying.
Strategies Specific to This Puzzle
Today’s word has a few traps you can avoid with the right mindset. If you get stuck after discovering the first three letters (B, A, and S), don’t rush to fill in the remaining slots with common endings like ‘E’ or ‘C’. The double ‘A’ is the key. Focus on the fact that the first two letters are already set, and the last letter is also an ‘S’. That should narrow your mental list considerably.
Another common pitfall is the letter ‘I’. It appears in the fourth position, and many players assume it must be in the third slot for words like BASIC or BASIL. Resist that urge and map out the positions carefully.
Interesting Stats About This Word
Here’s some trivia to impress your fellow Wordle nerds. BASIS is a common English word, ranking in the top 5,000 most frequently used terms. It appears more often in academic writing than in casual conversation, which might explain why some players find it slippery. Compared to yesterday’s puzzle, today’s word is slightly less common but follows a more predictable pattern once you spot the double letters. Early estimates suggest about 60% of players solve it within four moves, while 15% need a lucky fifth or sixth guess.
For the Curious Minds: The Word’s Backstory
Ever wonder where BASIS comes from? It traces back to the Greek word “basis,” meaning “a step” or “a pedestal.” It entered Latin with the same meaning before jumping into English in the 16th century. The idea of a foundation or starting point has stayed with it ever since. In geometry, a basis is a set of vectors that define a space. In music theory, it’s a bass line. And in Wordle, it’s the word that tests your patience for double letters. Fun fact: The word “basis” is also used in legal contexts to describe the fundamental grounds for a case.
Yesterday’s Answer
If you’re reading this in a later time zone, yesterday’s puzzle (#1,808) was CHILI. That one had a double ‘L’ and a sneaky ‘C’ that threw off players who expected a more common starting letter. It was slightly easier than today’s puzzle, with a WordleBot average of 3.5 moves. The transition from a spicy food word to a foundational concept is quite the thematic leap, but that’s Wordle for you—no two days are alike.
General Strategy Tips for Future Puzzles
You made it through today, but the fight continues. Here are a few evergreen tips to keep your streak alive.
- Start strong every time. Use a word like ORATE, CRANE, or SLATE to test the most common letters in one go. It saves you from guessing in the dark.
- Don’t ignore double letters. If your early guesses suggest a letter appears twice, commit to it. Ignoring that possibility is one of the most common reasons for a lost streak.
- Use your second guess to eliminate. If your first guess turned only one or two letters yellow, pick a second word that tests as many new consonants as possible. Words like LIONS or SHOUT are great for this.
- Stay calm when you’re down to one row. If you’re on your fifth guess and still unsure, list the possible letters in your head. There’s no shame in getting it on the last try—a win is a win.
That’s all for today’s Wordle breakdown. Whether you solved it in three moves or just barely scraped through on the sixth, you’ve earned a moment of satisfaction. See you tomorrow for another round.
