Buzz
Among the many Wordle spin-offs, only a handful have captured my interest. Original Wordle remains my go-to, while Dordle and Quordle add variety to my daily routine. For a challenge, I enjoy tackling larger multi-Wordles or outsmarting the AI behind Absurdle. But when I crave a quick, frustrating game that leaves me cursing at my screen, nothing beats Antiwordle.
If you’ve just lost a regular Wordle game, I suggest diving straight into Antiwordle. Here, losing is the objective. Think you’re great at losing? You’ll fit right in.
Here’s the basic idea:
Your objective is to steer clear of guessing the correct word for as many attempts as possible.
Red indicates the letter is correctly placed (similar to green in Wordle).
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Yellow signifies the letter exists somewhere in the word (just like in Wordle).
Gray means the letter isn’t in the word, and you’re banned from using it in future guesses.
The challenge of Antiwordle lies in the requirement to use words that align with your previous clues. Reds must stay in their positions, and yellows must appear somewhere in the word.
Indeed, the red and yellow letter rules mirror Wordle’s “hard mode” (accessible via Wordle’s settings gear). However, the gray letter rules elevate Antiwordle’s difficulty: Once a gray letter is guessed, it’s permanently off-limits. All while you’re striving not to guess the word. It’s more challenging than it seems, as your options dwindle rapidly.
Mastering Antiwordle: Tips and Tricks
Antiwordle enforces strict gameplay rules but leaves success criteria ambiguous. The aim isn’t just to avoid guessing the word but to delay guessing it for as long as possible. There’s no clear victory moment—only the realization of defeat. The closest you’ll get to satisfaction is a loss after a high number of attempts.
Given that standard Wordle allows six guesses, I consider an Antiwordle game a win if it takes me more than six attempts to stumble upon the answer. It’s still a tough challenge; I can’t recall if I’ve ever reached double digits. This morning, I guessed it in nine tries and felt somewhat accomplished—despite being frustrated the entire time.
The frustration stems from the moment you land a red letter—it’s an instant ugh. You never see it coming. You might confidently start with a word like “GLYPH” and suddenly find yourself staring at three red letters. From there, good luck recovering.
Here’s the closest I’ve gotten to a strategy for winning (or rather, losing effectively):
Limit your starter and early guesses to just one vowel. With a finite number of vowels and at least one guaranteed to be in the word, don’t waste them all upfront.
When you spot a yellow letter, reuse it in the same position. This ensures that word won’t be the solution.
Feel free to double up on red or yellow letters if you’re feeling bold. If there’s only one of that letter, the duplicate will show up gray, but you can still guess it again. Just know the initial move is risky.
Avoid overthinking by using rare letters early. Knowing the word contains an E isn’t a big deal—many words do. But if it has an X, your options shrink dramatically.
I’m conflicted about whether to try deducing the actual word mid-game. Usually, I avoid it to prevent it from consuming my thoughts. However, knowing the word can be advantageous, helping me ensure I don’t place a T in the final spot, for example.
That’s all the advice I’ve got. Just dive in and see how it goes. Best of luck—though, fair warning, victory isn’t in the cards.
