You've been there. It’s early. Your coffee is still too hot to sip, and you’re staring at those six empty rows, wondering if "ADIEU" is actually a trap. We've all felt that weird spike of morning adrenaline when the first box turns yellow instead of green—or worse, stays gray. If you are hunting for what is the first letter of today's wordle, you are likely down to your last two guesses or just want to save your streak from a catastrophic failure.
The first letter for the Wordle puzzle on Sunday, January 18, 2026, is S.
Why Starting With S Matters So Much Today
Honestly, seeing an S at the start of a Wordle word is both a blessing and a curse. It's the most common starting letter in the English language for five-letter words. Josh Wardle, the creator of the game, famously used a curated list of about 2,300 words for the original answer key, and the letter S dominates that list. But that's exactly the problem. Because it's so common, having the "S" doesn't actually narrow things down as much as you'd think.
Think about it.
You have "SHIRT," "STARE," "SNAKE," "SOUND," and "SPELT." All vastly different vowel structures.
If you just found out the first letter is S, don't get cocky. You still have a massive mountain to climb. The New York Times, which has owned Wordle since 2022, hasn't changed the fundamental logic of the game, but their editors (like Tracy Bennett) definitely have a penchant for choosing words that feel familiar yet "tricky" in their construction.
The Strategy of the First Position
Getting the first letter right is mathematically the biggest boost you can get in Wordle. According to linguistic data analysis often cited by MIT researchers, the first position in a five-letter word carries significant "information entropy." Basically, if you know the word starts with S, you’ve just eliminated about 80% of the dictionary. But that remaining 20% is still a lot of words.
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Most people use "CRANE" or "SLATE." If you used SLATE today, you’re feeling like a genius because you nailed that S and probably a few others. But what if you started with "AUDIO"? You’re likely staring at a screen full of gray boxes, feeling like the world is against you.
Common Pitfalls With S-Words
S-words often lead to what Wordle pros call "The Trap." This happens when you have four letters correct, like _ A T E, and the first letter is S. Is it SLATE? SKATE? STATE? STARE? If you have three guesses left and four possibilities, you are playing a game of Russian Roulette with your 300-day streak.
Today's word avoids the most common "trap" clusters, but it still requires some careful vowel placement. Don't just throw consonants at the wall.
Does Wordle Ever Use Plurals?
This is a question that comes up every time the first letter is S. People see the S and immediately think the word might end in S too. No. The New York Times almost never uses simple plurals (like "DOGS" or "CHAIRS") as the daily solution. While a word can end in S (like "GLASS" or "ABYSS"), it won't be a plural form of a four-letter word.
If you're looking at what is the first letter of today's wordle and thinking of "SHIPS," stop. You're wasting a turn.
The Evolution of the Wordle Meta
Since the game blew up in late 2021, the "meta" has shifted. Back in the day, everyone just guessed whatever popped into their head. Now, we have WordleBot. We have algorithmic solvers.
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But there’s something human about just knowing the first letter and trying to visualize the word. The human brain is incredible at pattern recognition. When you know it starts with S, your brain starts cycling through phonemes. "St-," "Sh-," "Sp-," "Sl-."
Today’s word uses a very common consonant blend.
If you’re still struggling, here are a few more hints for the January 18 puzzle:
- There is only one vowel.
- The word refers to something that might happen in a kitchen or a laboratory.
- It rhymes with a word that means "to scale" or "to rise."
Dealing With Wordle Burnout
Is it okay to look up the first letter? Yeah, totally. Gaming is supposed to be fun. If a daily puzzle is causing you genuine stress because you don’t want to lose a streak you’ve maintained for two years, then looking for a hint is just self-care.
The New York Times has introduced other games like "Connections" and "Strands" to keep people in their ecosystem, but Wordle remains the king because of its simplicity. Five letters. Six tries. One word.
How to Solve Today's Word From Here
Now that you know the first letter is S, you need to be surgical.
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- Check your vowels. If you haven't used 'O' or 'I' yet, now is the time.
- Look for the blend. S rarely stands alone at the start without a partner like T, H, or L.
- Avoid the plurals. As mentioned, don't guess "SONGS."
- Think about double letters. Does it have a double 'L' at the end? Or maybe a double 'O' in the middle?
Today's word is actually quite common in everyday speech, though you might not write it down very often. It’s one of those words that feels satisfying to type because the keyboard flow is smooth.
Actionable Next Steps for Wordle Success
To move forward from knowing what is the first letter of today's wordle, follow this specific sequence to burn through the remaining tiles.
First, look at your keyboard. Identify which high-frequency consonants are still available. If R, T, and N are still white, you should prioritize a guess that incorporates at least two of them alongside the S.
Second, if you have found the S is in the correct spot but the rest of the word is gray, try a "burner" word. This is a word that uses five entirely new letters, ignoring the S you already know. This feels counterintuitive, but it's the fastest way to eliminate the rest of the alphabet.
Finally, once you've narrowed down the vowels, look for the "S-blend." Most S-words in Wordle follow a pattern of S + Consonant + Vowel. If you can identify that second letter, the rest of the word usually falls into place within seconds.
Good luck with the rest of your grid. That S is a strong start—don't waste it.