Honestly, we have all been there. You wake up, grab your coffee, and open that familiar grid of empty white boxes, only to realize your go-to starting word just gave you five gray squares of absolute nothingness. It is Saturday, January 17, 2026, and if you are currently staring at the screen wondering if the New York Times is actively trying to ruin your weekend, you aren’t alone. The NYT Wordle Mashable today discourse is already heating up because today's puzzle, #1673, is a bit of a spicy one. Literally.
If you just want the answer because your streak is at 200 days and you're panicking, skip to the bottom. But if you want to actually solve this thing like a pro, let's talk about why today is tripping people up.
The Strategy Behind Today's Wordle
Most people use "ADIEU" or "AUDIO" as their opener. It's a classic move, right? Knock out the vowels early. But today, those words might leave you feeling a little cold. Today's word has a specific phonetic structure that rewards "Y" as a vowel placement, something many players ignore until their fourth or fifth guess.
Why the NYT Wordle Mashable Today Hints Matter
The team over at Mashable usually focuses on a "vibes-based" hint system, and today they are leaning heavily into the temperature. If you've been reading their daily roundup, you've probably seen mentions of things being "intense" or "blazing."
They aren't just being dramatic.
The word today is an adjective. It describes something that isn't just hot, but potentially dangerous or emotionally charged. Think of a personality that doesn't back down or a sunset that looks like it's painted in blood orange and deep reds.
Hints for Puzzle #1673
If you aren't ready for the reveal, here are three clues to keep your streak alive:
- The Vowel Count: There are two vowels, but one of them is acting as a "pseudo-vowel" at the end.
- Starting Letter: It starts with a consonant that often gets paired with "L" or "R," but here it stands alone with an "I." It starts with F.
- The "Y" Factor: If you haven't guessed a word ending in "Y" yet, now is the time to start.
People often get stuck in "hard mode" traps on words like this because there are several words that look similar. However, the vowel placement here is relatively unique once you nail the first three letters.
What Most People Get Wrong About Wordle Strategy
We see it every day in the comments. People complain that the NYT has made the game harder since the acquisition from Josh Wardle.
The truth? It's the same word list.
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The human brain just looks for patterns where they don't exist. We remember the "hard" days like today and forget the weeks of easy four-letter-vowel words. If you're struggling with the NYT Wordle Mashable today clues, it's likely because you're trying to find a "theme." While the NYT editor, Tracy Bennett, has occasionally admitted to a bit of playful curation, the game remains a test of vocabulary and elimination, not a secret code.
The Wordle Archive and Why It Matters Now
Ever since the NYT took down the unofficial archives and replaced them with their subscriber-only version, players have become much more protective of their daily stats. Missing a day like today feels like a genuine loss.
If you're playing the "Connections" sports edition or "Strands" alongside Wordle, you're likely seeing a theme of frustration today. Today's Strands theme—"Foiled Again"—is basically a mood for anyone who guessed "FLARE" or "FIRES" on their fifth attempt today.
The Big Reveal: Today's Wordle Answer
Okay, no more dancing around it. You've used five guesses. Your phone is at 10% battery. You just want to keep the streak.
The answer to the NYT Wordle Mashable today, Saturday, January 17, 2026, is:
FIERY
Why "FIERY" is a Streak-Killer
It's the "I-E" sequence. In English, we are conditioned to think "I before E except after C," but "FIERY" (derived from fire) breaks the visual rhythm for a lot of people. Many players instinctively want to type "FIREY," but that extra "E" makes it a six-letter word, which obviously won't fit the grid.
The word "FIERY" means having the nature of fire, or being easily excited or agitated. If you're feeling a bit fiery after almost losing your streak, it's a very meta moment.
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Practical Next Steps for Tomorrow's Puzzle:
- Switch your opener: If "ADIEU" failed you today, try a consonant-heavy word like "STERN" or "CRANE" for Sunday's game.
- Check the vowels early: If you get a yellow "I" and "E," don't assume they are side-by-side.
- Use a burner word: If you are on guess four and have three possible answers, use a word that contains all the remaining "conflicting" consonants to narrow it down, even if you know that word can't be the answer. It's better to lose a turn than to lose the whole game.
Go grab your win and share those green squares. See you for the next one.