If you’re staring at a grid of gray boxes and wondering what went wrong with your life, you aren't alone. Honestly, today is one of those days where the New York Times decided to be a little bit mean. You’ve probably tried your usual starters—maybe "ADIEU" or "STARE"—and realized you’ve got almost nothing to show for it.
So, let's get right to it. What does Wordle begin with today?
Today's Wordle for Sunday, January 18, 2026 (Puzzle #1674) begins with the letter S.
But don't get too excited. Knowing it starts with an S is only about 20% of the battle because the rest of the word is... well, it’s a bit of a curveball. If you’re a fan of Middle Eastern cooking or you spend a lot of time in the spice aisle, you might have a leg up. For everyone else? You're probably going to need a few more hints before you lose that streak you’ve been building since last summer.
Why Today’s Wordle Is So Tricky
Most people have a routine. You wake up, grab coffee, and open the app. Usually, you expect a word like "TABLE" or "CHAIR." Something comfy. Today is not comfy.
Today's answer is SUMAC.
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Yes, SUMAC. It’s a five-letter word that refers to a genus of flowering plants, but more specifically, it's that tangy, deep-red spice you find on top of hummus or in a good fattoush salad.
The Letter Breakdown
If you’re still trying to solve it without just typing the answer in, here is the structural data for Puzzle #1674:
- Starting Letter: S
- Ending Letter: C
- Vowels: Two (U and A)
- Repeated Letters: None
- Consonants: S, M, C
The reason this one is killing everyone’s "WordleBot" score is the C at the end. We’re used to words ending in E, Y, or T. A word ending in C is statistically much rarer in the Wordle solution set. According to various MIT linguistic analyses and the New York Times' own tracking, words ending in hard consonants like C or K often lead to a "failed" puzzle for about 15% of the player base.
Decoding the Hints (If You Still Want to Guess)
If you haven't given up and just typed it in, think about your second and third guesses carefully. If you know it starts with S and has an A and U in it, you might be tempted to try something like "SAUCE."
Don't do that.
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You already know there’s no E (if you used a standard starter). If you’ve narrowed it down to S _ _ A _ or S U _ _ _, you’re in the home stretch.
I actually saw someone on Reddit today mention they were "stumped for a solid twenty minutes" because they kept trying to force a "T" or an "R" into the middle. The word SUMAC doesn’t use the most common consonants. That’s the trap. It avoids the "R-S-T-L-N-E" cluster that we all rely on.
The Best Strategy for a Word Like SUMAC
Look, we've all been there. You have two guesses left and your heart starts racing. You don't want to see that "streak broken" notification.
When you encounter a word that feels "weird" or "botanical," the best thing you can do is stop guessing "possible" words and start guessing "information" words. If you have S _ _ _ _, and you’re lost, try a word that uses completely different letters like POUCH or CLIMB.
Wait, why would you guess POUCH? Because it tests the U, the C, and the H all at once. Even if they all come back gray, you’ve ruled out a massive chunk of the alphabet. In the case of today’s puzzle, POUCH would have given you a green U and a green C. Suddenly, SUMAC becomes the only logical choice.
Common Misconceptions About Wordle Today
A lot of people think the NYT changed the algorithm to make the game harder once they bought it from Josh Wardle. That’s actually a myth. The word list was mostly set in stone years ago. However, the editors do occasionally move words around to match holidays or avoid being too repetitive.
Is SUMAC too obscure? Some would say yes. If you didn't grow up eating it, it’s just a word you might have seen once on a nature documentary about poisonous plants (though the spice comes from the non-poisonous variety).
Actionable Steps for Your Next Move
- Don't panic. If you have three guesses left and you know it starts with S, you are in a safe spot.
- Test the U and the A. Most people find the vowels first. If you have those, look at the end of the word.
- Think spices. If you’re a foodie, this puzzle was a gift. If not, consider this your sign to go buy some Za'atar and learn about Middle Eastern cuisine.
- Save your streak. If you’re on guess six and you still don't have it, just type in SUMAC. There’s no shame in living to play another day.
The puzzle resets at midnight local time. Tomorrow will likely be something much more mundane, like "TRAIN" or "HOUSE." Use today as a lesson: sometimes the Wordle is a spice, and sometimes it's just a bitter pill to swallow. Check back tomorrow if the letters start looking like gibberish again.