Honestly, some days Wordle feels like a gentle morning hug. Other days, like today, it feels more like a surprise math test you didn't study for. If you've been staring at those yellow tiles for twenty minutes and feeling your blood pressure rise, you aren't alone. Today is Sunday, January 18, 2026, and the Wordle today answer is a bit of a curveball.
It’s not that the word is "hard" in the sense of having weird double Zs or starting with a Q. It’s just... uncommon. It’s one of those words you definitely know, but you probably haven't said out loud since the last time you went to a high-end Mediterranean restaurant.
Before I just blurt it out, let’s talk about how to get there. Because half the fun is the hunt, right? If you just want the answer, keep scrolling. I’ve put it at the bottom. But if you want to preserve your streak with a little dignity, let’s look at some clues first.
Hints for the January 18 Wordle (Game 1674)
The average score today, according to the NYT WordleBot, is hovering around 4.0. That’s actually a bit high. Most people are finding their usual "starter" words—like CRANE or ADIEU—are leaving them with a lot of gray and not much to go on.
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Here is the breakdown for Wordle #1674:
- There are no repeated letters. Every tile is unique.
- The word starts with S.
- It ends with C. Yes, a C at the end. That’s what’s killing people.
- There are two vowels in the word.
- It describes a plant, but more specifically, a dark red, tangy spice.
If you’re a foodie, you probably just got it. If you aren't, you might be thinking of "SOCIC" or "SNACK" (which has five letters but doesn't fit the spice vibe).
Why Today’s Word is Such a Pain
The letter "C" is usually a team player. It likes to hang out at the beginning of words or pair up with "H" to make a "ch" sound. Putting it at the very end of a five-letter word that isn't a common verb or a simple noun is a classic Wordle trap.
Think about your usual second or third guesses. You probably try to eliminate "R," "S," "T," "L," or "N." If you played STARE or SLANT, you probably found the "S" and maybe a vowel, but you're still looking at a lot of empty space.
According to data from Word Tips, the letter "C" is only the 16th most likely letter to end a Wordle solution. We are conditioned to look for "E," "Y," or "T" at the finish line. When the game throws a "C" at the end, our brains kind of glitch. It’s like trying to remember a name that’s on the tip of your tongue but won't quite surface.
The Evolution of the Wordle Difficulty
There’s been a lot of chatter on Reddit (specifically the r/wordle community) about whether the New York Times is making the game harder. Technically, the answer list was set a long time ago by the creator, Josh Wardle. However, the NYT has curated the order.
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Lately, we’ve seen a shift away from "everyday" words like LEMON or PLACE toward more botanical or specialized terms. Today’s word follows that trend. It’s a "real" word, for sure, but it’s not exactly "bread" or "water."
If you struggled today, don't let it ruin your breakfast. Even the pros at Tom's Guide and Mashable noted that today's word is tricky because of its vowel placement and that pesky ending consonant.
Wordle Today Answer: Sunday, January 18, 2026
Alright, if you’re done guessing and just want to save your 200-day streak, here it is.
The Wordle today answer for Sunday, January 18, is SUMAC.
SUMAC (pronounced soo-mak) is a flowering plant, but most people know it as the ground-up red spice used in Middle Eastern cooking. It has a lovely, lemony tang. If you’ve ever had za'atar, you've eaten sumac.
How to Win Tomorrow
If today’s spice-themed puzzle left a sour taste in your mouth, here is how you can bounce back for tomorrow's game:
- Vary your starters. If you always use AUDIO, you’re great at finding vowels but terrible at finding common consonants like "S" or "T." Try switching to STARE or SLATE tomorrow.
- The "Second Word" Strategy. If your first word gives you nothing but grays, don't panic. Use a second word that uses five completely different letters. My go-to is often NYMPH or BRICK if I need to hunt for those weird outliers.
- Check for patterns. If you have an "S" at the start and nothing else, start testing vowels in the second and third spots. Most English words follow a consonant-vowel-consonant structure.
Now that you've got the answer, go enjoy the rest of your Sunday. Maybe grab some pita and hummus with a little extra sumac on top to celebrate your win (or your narrow escape).
To get ready for the next round, try practicing with a "word cloud" exercise or looking up common five-letter words that end in uncommon consonants like K, C, or X.