Honestly, some mornings you wake up, open that grid, and just know it’s going to be a "throw the phone across the room" kind of day. If you’re staring at a bunch of grey tiles on Thursday, January 15, 2026, don’t feel bad. Today’s Wordle, number 1671, is a bit of a beast. It’s one of those words that feels easy once you see it, but getting there? That’s another story entirely.
The word you’re looking for today is CHASM.
Why today's Wordle is actually kind of tricky
Most people assume that Wordle is just about finding letters, but it’s really about letter patterns. Today’s answer, CHASM, is a classic example of why the "CH" start can be a total trap. You see the C and the H and your brain immediately starts screaming "CHAIR" or "CHART" or "CHAIN."
If you burned through three guesses trying to find an R or an I, you aren't alone.
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Then there’s the "SM" ending. We don't see that as often as we see "ST" or "SE." It’s a linguistic curveball that Tracy Bennett, the current Wordle editor, loves to toss at us. Bennett has been at the helm since 2022, and she’s famous for steering the game away from total randomness toward words that have a bit of a "vibe"—even if that vibe is sheer frustration for us.
Breaking down the January 15 solution
If you haven't solved it yet and just want some hints to get you across the finish line without looking at the answer, here is the breakdown of what makes CHASM what it is:
- Vowels: There is only one. Just the letter A. This is usually what trips people up because we’re all trained to hunt for E and O early on.
- Starting Letter: It starts with a C.
- Double Letters: None. Thank goodness. There’s nothing worse than a double-letter word like "MUMMY" to ruin a perfect streak.
- Definition: A chasm is basically a deep fissure in the earth, like a gorge or an abyss. Figuratively, it’s that massive gap between you and your friend who somehow got the answer in two tries.
The evolution of the game in 2026
It’s wild to think about how far this game has come since Josh Wardle first built it as a gift for his partner, Palak Shah. Back then, it was just a simple prototype. Now, in 2026, it’s a global ritual. Even though the New York Times bought it for a "low seven-figure sum" years ago, the core mechanics haven't changed, even if the "Wordle Archive" is now a subscriber-only perk.
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Some players insist the game has gotten harder. Statistically? Not really. But the psychology has changed. We use more sophisticated openers now. If you used ADIEU or AUDIO today, you probably struggled because they don't help you find that lone "A" in the middle of a consonant-heavy word like CHASM.
How to actually win tomorrow
If today broke your heart (and your streak), you need a better strategy for the rest of the week.
- Stop obsessing over vowels. Today proved that consonants like C, H, S, and M are the real gatekeepers. Try an opener like SLATE or CRANE instead.
- Look for blends. "CH," "SH," and "TH" are your best friends. If you get a yellow H, don't just move it around; think about what it pairs with.
- Step away. Seriously. If you’re on guess five and you’re stuck, close the app. Your brain does this weird background processing thing where the answer will just "pop" into your head while you’re making coffee.
The chasm between a win and a loss is often just one good night's sleep. Tomorrow is a fresh grid.
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To improve your odds for the next puzzle, try switching your starting word to something with high-frequency consonants like STARE or ROAST, which helps eliminate those tricky s-blends early.