So, you’re staring at that grid. It’s Thursday, January 15, 2026, and the little boxes are mocking you. We’ve all been there—stuck on the fourth guess with nothing but a stray yellow tile and a growing sense of dread. Wordle has this weird way of making you feel like a genius one day and a total amateur the next.
If you're here, you're likely looking for a nudge. Maybe you want the full reveal, or maybe you just need a hint to keep that 200-day streak alive. Whatever the case, Wordle today is a bit of a curveball. It’s not a "hard" word in the sense that it’s obscure, but the structure is just mean enough to eat up your guesses if you aren't careful.
Hints for the January 15 Wordle (Puzzle #1671)
Before we get to the actual answer, let’s see if we can get your brain moving in the right direction. Sometimes all you need is a little context to see the pattern that's been hiding in plain sight.
- The Vowel Situation: There is only one vowel in today's word.
- The Starting Letter: It begins with the letter C.
- The Ending Letter: It ends with the letter M.
- Double Letters: There are no repeating letters today. Every tile is unique.
- The Vibe: Think of a massive, terrifying gap in the ground. Or maybe a huge metaphorical distance between two friends who just had a massive blowout.
Honestly, that "one vowel" thing is what usually trips people up. When you only have one A, E, I, O, or U to work with, you start doubting your consonant blends. You might find yourself trying to shove a "Y" in there just to make sense of the sounds. Don't do that. It's a standard vowel today.
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Why Today’s Word Is a Streak-Killer
The word for Wordle #1671 is CHASM.
Yeah, it’s a tough one. The "CH" start is common enough, but that "SM" ending? That’s where the trouble starts. Most people will try words like CHART, CHASE, or CHAIN long before they ever think of CHASM. If you wasted your early turns hunting for an "E" or an "I," you probably found yourself in a tight spot by guess five.
According to the latest data from WordleBot and various player forums, today's puzzle is averaging about 4.3 guesses per player. That’s significantly higher than the average we saw earlier this week with words like TRIAL or GUMBO. It’s a "goldilocks" word—not so rare that it feels unfair, but just technical enough to be a genuine challenge.
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Let’s Talk Strategy: Consonants Over Vowels?
A lot of players swear by starting with ADIEU or AUDIO. I get it. You want to clear the vowels out of the way. But on a day like today, where there is only one vowel (A), those starting words don't actually give you much. You end up with one green or yellow tile and four grays.
Expert players are moving toward consonant-heavy openers. Words like STARE, SLATE, or even CRANE (the New York Times' favorite) are much more effective for a word like CHASM. If you started with CRANE, you at least got the C and the A right away, which narrows the field down significantly.
The Linguistic History of CHASM
If you’re a nerd for etymology, CHASM is actually a pretty cool word. It comes from the Greek khasma, which basically means a "yawning hollow." It’s been used in English since the 1600s, mostly to describe physical fissures in the earth.
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In a modern context, we use it for everything. "A chasm between political parties" or "the chasm in wealth equality." It’s a dramatic word. It carries weight. It’s also a word that feels very "New York Times"—they love these slightly elevated, descriptive nouns that aren't quite "daily conversation" but aren't "dictionary-only" either.
Recent Wordle Answers (To Help You Process)
If you’re wondering if you’ve seen this word before, or if you’re just trying to spot a trend in the editor's choices, here are the solutions from the last few days:
- January 14: AVOID
- January 13: GUMBO
- January 12: TRIAL
- January 11: QUARK
- January 10: MANIC
Looking at that list, you can see the NYT is on a bit of a "strong consonant" kick lately. QUARK and GUMBO are both pretty high-difficulty words compared to the usual fare.
Actionable Advice for Tomorrow
- Ditch the Vowel-Heavy Openers: If the game is trending toward single-vowel words, try a word with common consonants like R, S, T, L, N.
- Watch the "CH" and "SH" blends: The editor has a thing for these. If you have a stray H, always check if it belongs at the front.
- Don't Panic on Guess 5: If you're down to your last two turns, stop guessing. Take a piece of paper, write out the letters you have left, and physically move them around. Your brain processes spatial patterns differently on paper than on a screen.
If you solved it in three, nice work. If it took all six, a win is a win. Go enjoy your coffee and come back tomorrow to do it all over again.
Next Steps:
If you finished Wordle and still need a brain tickle, try today's Connections puzzle. It’s particularly heavy on "gardening tools" and "unmoving objects" today. Or, if you’re feeling really brave, the Strands theme is "The ears have it!"—good luck finding CARTILAGE in that mess.