Updated: 25 May 2026 · Reading time: 5 minutes
The original Wordle® uses five-letter words. But once you’ve mastered that, you’ve probably stumbled across 6-letter Wordle® variants — sometimes called Word Hurdle, Wordle 6, or just “Wordle® but harder.”
What is a 6-letter Wordle®?
Same rules as the original, longer answer:
- Six letters per word
- Six (or sometimes seven) guesses
- Same green/yellow/grey feedback
Common 6-letter Wordle® clones: Word Hurdle, 6-Letter Wordle®, Wordle 6 (mobile app). No official 6-letter version from the NYT.
Why 6 letters is harder than 5
- Vocabulary balloons. ~18,000 valid 6-letter words vs ~12,000 5-letter words. 50% more uncertainty.
- Each guess covers proportionally less. One letter slot is 1/6 of the puzzle instead of 1/5.
- Common letters less powerful. Position 6 has its own letter-frequency profile. Words ending in -ATION, -ABLE, or -ED are common.
Best starting words for 6-letter Wordle®
1. ORATES
O, R, A, T, E, S — six of the most common letters in one word. Verb form of “to orate”. Legitimate word.
2. SAINTS
Five top-10 letters, uses S twice. Best if you’re paranoid about words ending in -S.
3. RAISED
Six unique letters, all common. Good for -ED ending coverage.
4. NICEST
For grabbing the often-tricky C and position-6 T at the same time.
5. STREAM
S, T, R, E, A, M — heavy on top-five plus the often-overlooked M.
Pick whichever feels right — differences between these top starters are marginal.
How to use our solver for 6-letter Wordle®
Our Wordle® Hint Solver defaults to 5 letters but has a dropdown for 2-7 letters:
- Open the homepage.
- Click Select Word Length dropdown.
- Choose 6 Letter Word.
- Enter your green letters in their positions.
- Enter your yellow letters with the position they were tried in.
- Enter your grey letters.
- Tap UPDATE for the list of remaining possible words.
A worked example
You played ORATES and got: O grey, R green (pos 2), A green (pos 3), T grey, E yellow, S grey.
What you know: R in position 2, A in position 3, E somewhere but not position 5, O/T/S not in word.
In the solver: word length 6, green R pos 2, green A pos 3, yellow E pos 5, grey O T S. Hit UPDATE.
You get candidates like BRACED, GRAPED, BRAVED, BRAKED, BRAYED, DRAPED, FRAMED, GRACED, PRAYED. Pick the most likely.
5 strategy tips for 6-letter Wordle®
- Spend an extra guess on letter coverage. Use guess 1 AND 2 for discovery.
- Pay attention to position 6. Six-letter words ending in E, S, D, N, T are common.
- Watch for -TION, -MENT, -ABLE endings. Suffixes dominate the 6-letter dictionary.
- Don’t forget double letters. 6-letter words often have them (BANANA, COFFEE).
- Use the solver as a teacher. Run it after each puzzle to see how the list shrank.
Where to play 6-letter Wordle® online
- Word Hurdle (web) — most polished clone, daily reset.
- Wordle 6 (web) — clean interface, infinite play.
- Hurdle (NYT Games) — different concept; 8 rounds stacked.
FAQ
Q: Official 6-letter Wordle® from NYT? No.
Q: Same starting strategy? Same principle, different specific words. Use ORATES instead of CRANE.
Q: NZ Wordle® Hint Solver work for 6 letters? Yes — choose “6 Letter Word” in the dropdown.
The takeaway
6-letter Wordle® is a satisfying step up. Use ORATES or SAINTS as your starter. Treat guess 2 as info-gathering. Reach for our solver around guess 3-4 if stuck.
The Wordle® Hint Solver handles 2-7 letter puzzles. Bookmark for your next stuck-on-Word-Hurdle moment.
Wordle® is a registered trademark of The New York Times Company. This site is an independent fan companion not affiliated with The New York Times Company.