You’re staring at that 5x6 grid. Four letters are green. Everything looks perfect, right? But that fifth tile is a mocking, empty void. Honestly, it’s the most frustrating part of the game. You’ve narrowed it down, you’ve used your best openers, and yet you’re one move away from losing a 100-day streak because of a single consonant.
If you are looking for the answer to the Wednesday, January 14, 2026, puzzle, you're dealing with Wordle #1670.
The word is AVOID.
So, if you just wanted the answer to save your skin, there it is. The last letter of today's wordle is D. ## Why Today’s Wordle Might Have Tripped You Up
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It's a weird one. Usually, we look for consonants at the end of a word like "S," "T," or "R." But having "D" at the end—especially when it's preceded by a string of vowels—can feel a bit counterintuitive when you’re panic-typing in the sixth row.
Today's word, AVOID, is actually a fascinating case study in Wordle difficulty. It has three vowels: A, O, and I. That’s a lot of "vowel real estate" for a five-letter word. Most people start with words like ADIEU or AUDIO (ironically, a great starter for today) to clear out the vowels early. If you did that, you probably saw a lot of yellow or green right away.
But even with the vowels in place, that final "D" can be elusive.
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Think about the structure: A-V-O-I-D.
It’s a verb. It means to stay away from something. It’s a word we use every day, yet in the context of a puzzle, the "V" and the "D" together create a hard-edged sound that doesn't always come to mind as quickly as a word like "TRAIN" or "PLATE."
The Science of the "Last Letter" Struggle
Why do we struggle so much with the end of the word? Linguistic experts often talk about "word beginnings" being more critical for recognition than "word endings." This is known as the positional effect. When we read, our brains prioritize the first few letters to map out the possibilities. When you have the first four letters of a Wordle—let's say you had A-V-O-I—your brain is desperately searching for a suffix.
In English, "I" isn't a common penultimate letter unless it's followed by something like "C" (as in "STOIC") or "D" (as in "AVOID").
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If you were stuck today, you probably cycled through "L" or "S" or "T" in your head. It’s a common trap. The New York Times' Wordle Bot often points out that players lose streaks not because they don't know the word, but because they get caught in a "rhyme trap" or a "suffix trap."
Tips for Nailing the Last Letter Every Time
- Check for "D" and "Y": People forget how often words end in these. If you have a vowel-heavy middle, "D" is a very high-probability finisher.
- Stop Guessing, Start Testing: If you have four letters and multiple possibilities, don't just keep guessing words that fit. Use a "burner" word that contains all the possible remaining consonants. For example, if you weren't sure if the word was AVOID or something else, you could play a word like "DRINK" to test the "D" and "N" at the same time.
- Look at the Keyboard: Seriously. Sometimes just seeing the remaining "lit up" letters on the Wordle keyboard helps your brain find the pattern.
The Evolution of Wordle in 2026
It’s been a few years since the New York Times took over, and honestly, the game hasn't changed its core soul, but the community has. We've seen the rise of "Hard Mode" purists and the "Starting Word" wars. While some people swear by "CRANE" or "SLATE," today's word, AVOID, proved that sometimes a vowel-heavy start like "AUDIO" is actually the superior play.
If you managed to get it in three or four, you’re doing great. If you needed this guide to save your streak, don't feel bad. We’ve all been there, hovering over the "Enter" key with a 50/50 shot and a lot of pride on the line.
Actionable Next Steps:
To avoid getting stuck on the final letter tomorrow, try starting your game with a word that uses "D" or "T" in the final position. This helps you eliminate common word-enders early in the process so you aren't left guessing when you're on your final attempt.