You’re staring at the grid. Four tries down. Maybe five. The yellow and green tiles are mocking you, and honestly, you're starting to sweat. Wordle has a funny way of making us feel like geniuses one day and absolute amateurs the next. Today is one of those "amateur" days for a lot of people.
The Wordle answer for January 15, 2026, is CHASM.
It’s a word that feels simple once you see it, but getting there is a psychological battle. You've got that "H" in the second spot, which always feels a bit awkward, and a "C" at the start that many players overlook when they’re hunting for "S" or "T" starters. If you lost your streak today, don't feel too bad. You are definitely not alone.
Why CHASM is Such a Trap
Let’s be real. Most of us have a "go-to" strategy. We use words like SLATE, CRANE, or ADIEU. If you started with SLATE today, you probably felt pretty good about that "A" in the middle. But then what?
The "CH" opening is common in English, but for some reason, the human brain tends to prioritize "SH" or "TH" when we’re under pressure in a word game. CHASM also uses an "M" at the end. In the world of Wordle, "M" is a bit of a wildcard. It doesn't show up nearly as often as "N" or "R," so we often leave it for our final guesses. By then, it’s usually too late.
There’s also the vowel situation. Only one. Just that lone "A" sitting in the middle like an island. When a word only has one vowel, it forces you to burn through consonants at a rapid pace. If you spent your second and third turns fishing for "E" or "I," you basically threw those turns into the abyss. Literally.
The Science of "Hard" Wordles
Researchers and data nerds who track Wordle trends—yes, they exist—often point out that words with low-frequency consonants (like that "M") or specific clusters (like "CH") have lower solve rates.
According to various Wordle tracking bots, today's puzzle, #1671, had a higher-than-average "failure to solve" rate. This isn't because the word is obscure. We all know what a chasm is. It’s because the letter placement doesn’t follow the most common "path of least resistance" that our brains use for quick pattern recognition.
Strategies That Actually Work
If you’re reading this after failing, you're probably looking for a way to make sure it never happens again. Kinda impossible, but you can get close.
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- Stop chasing the "perfect" word. Many people get stuck trying to find a word that fits all their green tiles. Sometimes, it’s better to play a word you know is wrong just to eliminate four or five new consonants.
- The "H" Factor. If you see a green or yellow "H," don't just think SH or TH. Remember CH, PH, and WH.
- Vowel Hunting. If your first two guesses reveal only one vowel, your third guess must test for others. Don't assume there's a second one hidden; assume there might not be.
Honestly, Wordle is 50% vocabulary and 50% ego management. We want to solve it in three. We get impatient. We guess CHASE because we want it to be CHASE. But the game doesn't care about what we want.
The Definition Matters
For those who like the linguistic side of things, a chasm is more than just a big hole. It’s a deep fissure in the earth, a rock surface, or even a floor. It comes from the Greek word khasma, which basically means "yawning hollow."
In a metaphorical sense, it represents a profound difference between people, viewpoints, or feelings. It’s a bit ironic, really. Today’s word created a bit of a chasm between those who kept their 200-day streaks and those who are starting back at zero tomorrow.
Next Steps for Your Wordle Game
If today was a disaster, take a breath. Tomorrow is a new grid. Here is how you can bounce back and keep your sanity intact for the next round:
- Switch your starting word. If ADIEU isn't working for you, try something consonant-heavy like STERN or CHIRP.
- Use a "Sacrificial" Word. On turn three, if you have two greens but no idea what the rest is, use a word with five completely different letters. It’s better to lose a turn than to lose the whole game.
- Review your stats. Look at your distribution. If your "4" and "5" bars are way higher than your "3" bar, you're likely guessing too early instead of eliminating letters.
Go ahead and close the tab. Take the win—or the loss—and move on. There's always the Mini Crossword if you're still feeling itchy for a puzzle.