Buzz
Moments after completing his initial Wordle round, my 12-year-old quickly searched for “infinite Wordle” in a new browser tab. While there are numerous ways to enjoy Wordle repeatedly (like this one; and here’s another), the real thrill lies in tackling multiple Wordle-inspired puzzles simultaneously.
(For those unfamiliar: Wordle gives you six attempts to guess a five-letter word. Green tiles indicate correct letters in the right spot, while yellow signifies the letter is in the word but misplaced. That’s the entire game in a nutshell.)
Dordle was my first encounter with a simultaneous Wordle variant. It’s essentially a dual Wordle: each guess applies to two puzzles at once, and you must solve both within seven tries. I’ve been tackling the daily Dordle since puzzle #0002, but today I discovered I’ve overlooked Quordle, which ups the ante by letting you solve four puzzles concurrently—all within nine guesses.
What’s the secret to mastering Dordle and Quordle?
Both games offer a “daily” puzzle, identical for all players, alongside a “free” or “practice” mode with unique solutions each time. This means enthusiasts can tackle four puzzles simultaneously endlessly. If you’re new, the practice mode is perfect for honing your skills.
Let’s dive into the strategy. Regardless of the number of puzzles, I approach each guess as answering one or more of these three questions:
Which letters are part of the solution?
I have some yellow clues; where do these letters fit?
Could this word be the solution?
Relying solely on question #3 is a misstep. You’ll soon realize the importance of exploratory guesses and choose starter words that efficiently address question #1. (My trick: ETAOIN SHRDLU, pronounced “Edwin Shirdloo,” represents the most frequently used letters in English. My starting words always include letters from this sequence.)
Tackling multiple Wordles at once demands plenty of #1 and #2 guesses. Constantly evaluate: what insights can this guess provide? A single guess can serve multiple purposes across different puzzles—perhaps combining a yellow clue from one word (#2) with fresh letters (#1) and another yellow clue from a different word (#2 again).
Avoid making a #3 guess until you’re confident in the answer, as attempting a solution for one puzzle often results in a guess that’s irrelevant to the others.
Mastering the art of solving four Wordle puzzles simultaneously
Let’s break this down with an example. The puzzle I’m working on (shown in the image above) is a “practice” one, so no spoiler concerns here.
Starting with TRASH yields hits on three puzzles. To advance the upper right puzzle, I select CLINK, a word with common letters that avoids repeating any from the previous guess.
Only one yellow remains in the upper right puzzle, but we’re making excellent progress on the bottom two puzzles, each now revealing four confirmed letters—some even turning green. The top left puzzle isn’t lagging either, with three letters identified. As we strategize future guesses (#2 and #3 for nearly solved puzzles), let’s continue introducing new letters (#1) to assist with the upper right.
One puzzle seems solvable already: the lower left must be CHAS_, leaving us with CHASE or CHASM. Overconfidently, I choose CHASE, which is incorrect but successfully brings an E into play. Correcting my mistake, I solve it with CHASM, gaining valuable insights from the introduced E.
The lower right puzzle shows _ _ A_E with an S, T, and K somewhere, narrowing it down to STAKE or SKATE. Instead of guessing one directly, I aim to eliminate possibilities. The top right puzzle’s L remains elusive, and introducing another unknown letter could help. Adding an A might also aid the top left puzzle, where an A’s position is still uncertain.
I decide on ATOLL, which provides crucial hints for all three puzzles. The top right now confirms an O and excludes several L positions. The top left must be either _AIS_ or _ _ISA, and my intuition points to DAISY. Additionally, the lower right is confirmed as SKATE, not STAKE.
Guessing SKATE and then DAISY reveals a Y at the end of the top right puzzle. With limited letters left, the scarcity of hits suggests a potential double letter. Since Ls can’t double in the second and fourth spots, I consider doubling an unguessed letter. What fits LO_ _Y? LOBBY seems the only option—and it’s correct. Four puzzles solved in eight guesses, with one to spare. The results are too detailed for a tweet, so a shareable graphic is provided.
The Dordle strategy remains identical, though you’ll finish quicker. Solving puzzles simultaneously serves as an excellent learning method for standard Wordle, as it promotes careful information collection over random guessing. Give it a shot and see how you perform! (Meanwhile, I’m eager to test out Octordle.)
