Wordle is a funny thing. You wake up, grab your coffee, and think you’re going to breeze through five letters in three tries. Then March 28 hits. Honestly, today was one of those days where the grid looked more like a graveyard of gray squares than a path to victory. If you’re staring at your screen feeling a bit defeated, don't worry. You’re definitely not the only one.
Today’s puzzle, Wordle #1378, threw a curveball that caught plenty of veterans off guard. We're talking about a word that feels common when you see it, but the letter distribution is just "off" enough to make your brain stall.
What Really Happened With the Wordle Answer March 28
The Wordle answer March 28 is VERSE.
Now, look at that word for a second. It seems simple, right? It’s a word we use all the time, whether we're talking about the Bible, a catchy Taylor Swift bridge, or just bad poetry from high school. But in the context of a Wordle grid, VERSE is a nightmare.
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Why? Because it starts with a V.
The letter V is a notorious "streak-killer." Statistically, it’s one of the least frequent starting letters in the English language. Most people use starting words like STARE, RAISE, or ADIEU. If you used RAISE, you probably felt pretty good early on. You got the R, the S, and the E in yellow or green. But then you’re stuck in the "trap."
You might have guessed REUSE or PARSE or ERASE. Basically, you had the right "flavor" of letters but the wrong structure. When the word starts with a low-frequency consonant like V, it often takes until guess five or six for players to finally try it.
Breaking Down Today's Hints
If you haven't solved it yet and just want a nudge instead of the full answer, here is how the mechanics of this one work:
- The Vowel Situation: There is only one vowel used here (E), but it appears twice.
- The Starting Letter: It begins with V, which is relatively rare.
- The Ending Letter: It ends with a silent E.
- The Definition: It’s a single metrical line in a poetic composition or a stanza.
Why VERSE Is Such a Tricky Solution
Wordle editor Tracy Bennett has a knack for picking words that feel familiar but have weird construction. VERSE is a prime example of a word where the consonants do all the heavy lifting. If you didn't lock in that V early, you were likely cycling through every other possibility.
Think about the words that look similar:
- TERSE
- MERSE (rare, but valid)
- REUSE
- ERASE
If you were playing on "Hard Mode," you might have been trapped. Hard Mode forces you to use the hints you’ve already found. If you found the E, R, S, and E at the end, you were stuck guessing the first letter one by one. If you chose T for TERSE first, you might have run out of turns before getting to V. It’s brutal.
A Look Back: Previous March 28 Answers
If you feel like March 28 is always a "hard" day, you might be onto something. Looking at the history of the game, this date tends to lean toward words that have specific phonetic patterns.
In 2024, the answer was SPEAK. That one was significantly easier because S is the most common starting letter in Wordle. Most people got it in three or four.
In 2023, we saw BREAD. Again, a very common word with a standard structure.
The jump to VERSE in 2025 (and the specific way it was placed in the 2026 sequence) shows the game's evolution. The New York Times has been moving away from the "easiest" words to keep the daily challenge alive. You've gotta be more strategic now. You can't just rely on ARISE every single day and expect a win.
Strategic Next Steps for Your Wordle Game
Look, a loss today isn't the end of the world. It’s a game about logic and, let’s be real, a little bit of luck. To make sure you don't get stuck on a "V" word again, consider these tactical shifts:
- Switch your second guess: If your first word gives you a lot of grays, don't just hunt for vowels. Try a "consonant dump" word like CLYMP or BRUNT. Getting those rare letters out of the way early helps you find the Vs and Xs of the world.
- Watch for patterns: If you have _ER_E, don't just guess letters. Look at what's left on your keyboard. If T, V, and W are all still there, you’re in a "trap" scenario.
- Use the WordleBot: After you finish (or fail), check the NYT WordleBot. It’s a bit of a "know-it-all," but it will tell you exactly where your logic went sideways. It usually suggests CRANE or TRACE as the optimal openers.
The key is to not let a single "V" word break your spirit. Tomorrow is a new grid, a new word, and a new chance to keep that streak alive.
Next Steps for You:
Check your remaining guesses and see if you have the letter V still available on your board. If you do, and you've already found the S and E, try placing the V at the very beginning. If you’ve already finished today’s puzzle, take a look at the "Connections" or "Strands" puzzles on the NYT Games app to keep your brain sharp for tomorrow's Wordle.