Wordle is the ultra-popular, ultra-addictive word guessing game from the New York Times. Each puzzle gives players six guesses to work out a random five-letter word. Here are the hints and answer for today’s Wordle #1,280 on December 20, 2024.
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Today’s Wordle Hint
Before we give you the answer to Wordle itself, we’ll run through some hints to help you. Hopefully, they prompt you to work out the mysterious word and you can just check it with the answer guide further down.
- This word is a verb.
- To shine in a bright but brief, sudden, or intermittent way.
- Begins with “F”.
Only scroll beyond this point if you’re happy for us to give you the answer outright.
What’s the Wordle Today? (December 20, 2024: Game #1,280)
The Wordle answer for today, December 20, is…
FLASH
To shine brightly and suddenly or to make something shine in this way.
Wordle Tips, Tricks & Best Starting Words
Unsurprisingly, the best starting words in Wordle tend to have a decent mix of vowels. This’ll let you narrow down the word instantly, honing in on one or two vowels to orient future guesses around.
We love all of the following words as potential starting words thanks to their mix of vowels and common consonants:
- CLOUD
- OCEAN
- RADIO
- AUDIO
- AGILE
- ORATE
- TRACE
The New York Times’ Wordlebot 2.0 recommends players use the word ‘SLATE’ or ‘LEAST’ as their starting word. The famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology (better known as MIT) recommends ‘SALET’, which you’ll notice uses the same letters as SLATE. Ultimately, the call is yours.
Wordle Archive: All Previous Answers Listed
The list below shows the words that have been the mystery answer in the past. They don’t repeat, so you can largely ignore the words below because they’ve already been featured as answers.
- #1,279: STRAY
- #1,278: HEFTY
- #1,277: SCOWL
- #1,276: BOAST
- #1,273: BOXER
- #1,272: VYING
- #1,271: PLUMB
- #1,270: PATIO
- #1,269: FLUNG
- #1,268: HYENA
- #1,267: HILLY
- #1,266: SHOVE
- #1,265: ENDOW
- #1,264: CRYPT
- #1,263: SHAKY
- #1,262: GUILE
- #1,261: MAUVE
- #1,260: DOGMA
- #1,259: HIPPO
- #1,258: CHOCK
- #1,257: SLANG
- #1,256: WITCH
- #1,255: BROWN
- #1,254: TWIST
- #1,253: JELLY
- #1,252: PEARL
- #1,251: SPINE
- #1,250: NICHE
- #1,249: GOING
- #1,248: FRAIL
- #1,247: TALLY
- #1,246: VISOR
- #1,245: TACKY
- #1,244: UVULA
- #1,243: PRIMP
- #1,242: FLOWN
- #1,241: STOIC
- #1,240: INNER
- #1,239: SWELL
- #1,238: READY
- #1,237: EVENT
- #1,236: TRULY
- #1,235: OCTET
- #1,234: VINYL
- #1,233: BLAZE
- #1,232: SNOOP
- #1,231: SIXTH
- #1,230: WEIRD
- #1,229: EASEL
- #1,228: TUNIC
- #1,227: BAWDY
- #1,226: SANDY
- #1,225: WREAK
- #1,224: FROWN
- #1,223: BOSSY
- #1,222: GOOFY
- #1,221: SHOUT
- #1,220: SPOON
- #1,219: DICEY
- #1,218: FIBER
- #1,217: STINT
- #1,216: HALVE
- #1,215: GRANT
- #1,214: CORER
- #1,213: GAMUT
- #1,212: PRONE
- #1,211: STAIN
- #1,210: GUSTY
- #1,209: CARVE
- #1,208: MOMMY
- #1,207: JOINT
- #1,206: FLOUR
- #1,205: LAGER
- #1,204: MINER
- #1,203: TITLE
- #1,202: WAGON
- #1,201: SHELL
- #1,200: MODEM
- #1,199: CLOUD
- #1,198: RIDER
- #1,197: BRAIN
- #1,196: FAITH
- #1,195: THANK
- #1,194: TORCH
- #1,193: HANDY
- #1,192: STEAM
- #1,191: TEACH
- #1,190: SEVEN
- #1,188: PRESS
- #1,187: FULLY
- #1,186: BEAUT
- #1,185: HONEY
- #1,184: RECUR
- #1,183: BROAD
- #1,182: HARSH
- #1,181: BRASS
- #1,180: AISLE
- #1,179: REBEL
- #1,178: DEBIT
- #1,177: DRAWN
- #1,176: OWNER
- #1,175: RERUN
- #1,174: WIDEN
- #1,173: STERN
- #1,172: FAINT
- #1,171: CAMEL
- #1,170: MUSHY
- #1,169: SPOUT
- #1,168: KNAVE
- #1,167: FLUNK
- #1,166: LITHE
- #1,165: CROWN
- #1,164: STAKE
- #1,163: SKATE
- #1,162: FILET
- #1,161: LEECH
- #1,160: BRUTE
- #1,159: MULCH
- #1,158: DELAY
- #1,157: METER
- #1,156: LANKY
- #1,155: STORM
- #1,154: BRACE
- #1,153: ACORN
- #1,152: SHORE
- #1,151: NEIGH
- #1,150: SKIFF
- #1,149: SCONE
- #1,148: MEDIC
- #1,147: OUNCE
- #1,146: SAUCY
- #1,145: MACAW
- #1,144: ANVIL
- #1,143: ENSUE
- #1,142: LOWER
- #1,141: SCALE
- #1,140: FLAKE
- #1,139: CHALK
- #1,138: PENNE
- #1,137: FERAL
- #1,136: SUPER
- #1,135: SMOCK
- #1,134: JUICE
- #1,133: AWASH
- #1,132: PORCH
- #1,131: FORTE
- #1,130: PRONG
- #1,129: CADET
- #1,128: SPECK
- #1,127: SHAFT
- #1,126: REFER
- #1,125: NERDY
- #1,124: QUITE
- #1,123: DECOY
- #1,122: SWOON
- #1,121: VIDEO
- #1,120: ENACT
- #1,119: JIFFY
- #1,118: CAMEO
- #1,117: GAUNT
- #1,116: BLARE
- #1,115: SHAPE
- #1,114: CANON
- #1,113: SCOFF
- #1,112: CRUSH
- #1,111: DEBUT
- #1,110: THIGH
- #1,109: INLAY
- #1,108: ADAGE
- #1,107: BUDDY
- #1,106: ZEBRA
- #1,105: DROVE
- #1,104: ORDER
- #1,103: KNEAD
- #1,102: SAVOR
- #1,101: DOLLY
- #1,100: BUGLE
- #1,099: EDICT
- #1,098: PAINT
- #1,097: SCENT
- #1,096: TERSE
- #1,095: COVER
- #1,094: PRIOR
- #1,093: GRIND
- #1,092: PROUD
- #1,091: VAULT
- #1,090: ANGST
- #1,089: DETER
- #1,088: SWUNG
- #1,087: MANGA
- #1,086: CROWD
- #1,085: HENCE
- #1,084: MELON
- #1,083: ETHER
- #1,082: ORGAN
- #1,081: GROOM
- #1,080: STARK
- #1,079: BRAVO
- #1,078: BASIN
- #1,077: CHAOS
- #1,076: GUMMY
- #1,075: PAPAL
- #1,074: MINUS
- #1,073: SKIER
- #1,072: BEVEL
- #1,071: TITAN
- #1,070: GLIDE
- #1,069: SWISH
- #1,068: EXALT
- #1,067: DINGO
- #1,066: NICER
- #1,065: HITCH
- #1,064: BRINY
- #1,063: TUTOR
- #1,062: STALL
- #1,061: PINCH
- #1,060: AMASS
- #1,059: CUMIN
- #1,058: OUTER
- #1,057: TIDAL
- #1,056: MEDIA
- #1,055: JERKY
- #1,054: PIOUS
- #1,053: MUSTY
- #1,052: SHAVE
- #1,051: DECAL
- #1,050: VALUE
- #1,049: EBONY
- #1,048: SLICE
- #1,047: Diary
- #1,046: Prowl
- #1,045: Craft
- #1,044: Prune
- #1,043: Gleam
- #1,042: Vapid
- #1,041: Intro
- #1,040: Overt
- #1,039: Rover
- #1,038: Laser
- #1,037: Jolly
- #1,036: Lucid
- #1,035: Raise
- #1,034: Facet
- #1,033: Tithe
- #1,032: Shank
- #1,031: Equip
- #1,030: Blimp
- #1,029: Steel
- #1,028: Whiny
- #1,027: Louse
- #1,026: Broth
- #1,025: Merge
- #1,024: Breed
- #1,023: Voila
- #1,022: Finch
- #1,021: Wrist
- #1,020: Climb
- #1,019: Plait
- #1,018: Serum
- #1,017: Frond
- #1,016: Taboo
- #1,015: Force
- #1,014: Realm
- #1,013: Speak
- #1,012: Stung
- #1,011: Mayor
- #1,010: Sally
- #1,009: Towel
- #1,008: Risen
- #1,007: Decay
- #1,006: Shade
- #1,005: Lingo
- #1,004: Abide
- #1,003: Spelt
- #1,002: Snort
- #1,001: Toxin
- #1000: Erupt
- #999: Since
- #998: Local
- #997: Heave
- #996: Pesky
- #995: Grasp
- #994: Cheer
- #993: Early
- #992: Clone
- #991: Teary
- #990: Hunch
- #989: Flame
- #988: State
- #987: Urban
- #986: Forty
- #985: Image
- #984: Devil
- #983: Sense
- #982: Often
- #981: Smith
- #980: Piper
- #979: Apart
- #978: Heavy
- #977: Build
- #976: Match
- #975: Price
- #974: Ridge
- #973: Psalm
- #972: Stash
- #971: Ascot
- #970: Talon
- #969: Scram
- #968: Pasta
- #967: Never
- #966: Fried
- #965: Stiff
- #964: Place
- #963: After
- #962: Which
- #961: Repel
- #960: Verge
- #959: Micro
- #958: Cleft
- #957: Alive
- #956: Alert
- #955: Expel
- #954: Leggy
- #953: Ember
- #950: Snake
- #949: Aloof
- #948: Still
- #947: Tweak
- #946: North
- #945: Large
- #944: Thing
- #943: Stole
- #942: Court
- #941: Blond
- #940: Lunch
- #939: Doing
- #938: Heard
- #937: Route
- #936: Brief
- #935: Threw
- #934: Liner
- #933: Final
- #932: Stony
- #931: Cable
- #930: Lunge
- #929: Scant
- #928: Twirl
- #927: Aging
- #926: Mural
- #925: Salty
- #922: Learn
- #921: Daisy
- #920: Phone
- #919: Evoke
- #916: Grace
- #915: Built
- #914: Small
- #913: Table
- #912: Funny
- #911: Bacon
- #909: Topic
- #908: Would
- #907: Spent
- #906: These
- #905: House
- #904: Chain
- #903: Shift
- #902: Sharp
- #901: Sleep
- #900: Woman
- #899: Young
- #898: Worst
- #897: Adapt
- #896: Genre
- #895: Taken
- #894: Resin
- #893: Sushi
- #892: Scope
- #891: Tawny
- #888: Throw
- #887: Queen
- #886: Pixel
- #885: Piano
- #884: Candy
- #883: Queue
- #882: Think
- #881: Tardy
- #880: Trust
- #879: Sight
- #878: Sassy
- #877: Green
- #876: Meant
- #875: Actor
- #874: Leash
- #873: Glaze
- #872: Ninja
- #871: Limit
- #870: Trade
- #869: Flare
- #868: Mania
- #867: Ardor
- #866: Until
- #865: Noise
- #864: Bleak
- #863: Grail
- #862: Phony
- #861: Mason
- #860: Noble
- #859: Pique
- #858: Retry
- #857: Cause
- #856: Tempo
- #855: Given
- #854: Smirk
- #853: Occur
- #852: Splat
- #851: Mercy
- #850: Adult
- #849: Graph
- #848: Leaky
- #847: Agent
- #846: Uncle
- #845: Knelt
- #844: Skunk
- #843: Snail
- #842: Truth
- #841: Binge
- #840: Viola
- #839: Chime
- #838: Bunch
- #837: Spurt
- #836: While
- #835: Merry
- #834: Beret
- #833: Daddy
- #832: Azure
- #831: Coach
- #830: Smile
- #829: Loyal
- #828: Rocky
- #827: Right
- #826: Carol
- #825: Brush
- #824: Stone
- #823: Snare
- #822: Close
- #821: Frank
- #820: Music
- #819: Angel
- #818: Exert
- #817: Rayon
- #816: Clear
- #815: Whisk
- #814: Older
- #813: Quote
- #812: Lucky
- #811: Rouse
- #810: Dwell
- #809: Gnash
- #808: Birch
- #807: Giddy
- #806: Await
- #805: Onion
- #804: Space
- #803: Bride
- #802: Audio
- #801: Caper
- #800: Write
- #799: Peace
- #798: Choir
- #797: Ocean
- #796: Wordy
- #795: Verve
- #794: Spice
- #793: Beach
- #792: Quest
- #791: Magma
- #790: Exact
- #789: Amiss
- #788: Scrub
- #787: Index
- #786: Snaky
- #785: Wrath
- #784: Quick
- #783: Hello
- #782: Empty
- #781: Lover
- #780: Bully
- #779: Brook
- #778: Polyp
- #777: Anode
- #776: Chart
- #775: Party
- #774: Beget
- #773: Tenth
- #772: Style
- #771: Bathe
- #770: Curly
- #769: Ethos
- #768: Disco
- #767: Heart
- #766: Wheel
- #765: Hobby
- #764: Whale
- #763: Froze
- #762: Burly
- #761: Flank
- #760: Tonic
- #759: Flyer
- #758: Droop
- #757: Topaz
- #756: Crone
- #755: Fiend
- #754: Barge
- #753: Whirl
- #752: Earth
- #751: Folly
- #750: Enter
- #749: Cower
- #748: Cower
- #747: Donut
- #746: Venom
- #745: Irate
- #744: Hotel
- #743: Mossy
- #742: Bleep
- #741: Straw
- #740: Diner
- #739: Tract
- #738: About
- #737: Guest
- #736: Rodeo
- #735: Grand
- #734: Covet
- #733: Taste
- #732: Crane
- #731: Frost
- #730: Kazoo
- #729: Shyly
- #728: Ranch
- #727: Strap
- #726: Maybe
- #725: Crime
- #724: Plunk
- #723: Wrong
- #722: Guard
- #721: Again
- #720: Balsa
- #719: Crumb
- #718: Hater
- #717: Scout
- #716: Ennui
- #715: Beast
- #714: Nanny
- #713: Humid
- #712: Jazzy
- #711: Agile
- #710: Kneel
- #709: Mouse
- #708: Skimp
- #707: Ramen
- #706: Swine
- #705: Bagel
- #704: Utter
- #703: Clerk
- #702: Igloo
- #701: Brash
- #700: Flask
- #699: Grief
- #698: Shorn
- #697: Plank
- #696: Latte
- #695: Canoe
- #694: Scarf
- #693: Acrid
- #692: Snack
- #691: Broom
- #690: Ethic
- #689: Cocoa
- #688: Aglow
- #687: Ghoul
- #686: Anger
- #685: Below
- #684: Guppy
- #683: Horde
- #682: Sulky
- #681: Range
- #680: Plaza
- #679: Cedar
- #678: Circa
- #677: Logic
- #676: Metro
- #675: Joker
- #674: Ditto
- #673: Unzip
- #672: Broke
- #671: Kayak
- #670: Plate
- #669: Thump
- #668: Hound
- #667: Whiff
- #666: Dwelt
- #665: Agony
- #664: Thief
- #663: Carat
- #662: Borax
- #661: Qualm
- #660: Under
- #659: Snafu
- #658: Ledge
- #657: Locus
- #656: Leafy
- #655: Smash
- #654: Ratio
- #653: Flora
- #652: Stock
- #651: March
- #650: Every
- #649: Bread
- #648: Beset
- #647: Hurry
- #646: Guano
- #645: Untie
- #644: Voter
- #643: Grout
- #642: Staid
- #641: Duvet
- #640: Tough
- #639: Glove
- #638: Credo
- #637: Yacht
- #636: Mealy
- #635: Cider
- #634: Sweep
- #633: Surly
- #632: Blame
- #631: Birth
- #630: Email
- #629: Revel
- #628: Where
- #627: Regal
- #626: Horse
- #625: Pinky
- #624: Toxic
- #623: Trend
- #622: Squat
- #621: Above
- #620: Moose
- #619: Polka
- #618: Worse
- #617: Syrup
- #616: Fifty
- #615: Arbor
- #614: Vague
- #613: Riper
- #612: Ruddy
- #611: Sweat
- #610: Kiosk
- #609: Avail
- #608: Cache
- #607: Magic
- #606: Salsa
- #605: Sound
- #604: Usage
- #603: Giant
- #602: Debug
- #601: Heady
- #600: Stage
- #599: Flail
- #598: Apple
- #597: Ninth
- #596: Dance
- #595: Unlit
- #594: Tasty
- #593: Shirk
- #592: Scold
- #591: Cross
- #590: Crave
- #589: Fishy
- #588: Flirt
- #587: Worry
- #586: Beefy
- #585: Maize
- #584: Count
- #583: Elude
- #582: Matey
- #581: Blurb
- #580: Alter
- #579: Mucky
- #578: Chard
- #577: Adopt
- #576: Frock
- #575: Spire
- #574: Koala
- #573: Human
- #572: Leapt
- #571: Sedan
- #570: Grimy
- #569: Pixie
- #568: Opera
- #567: Lemon
- #566: Belie
- #565: Sleek
- #564: Layer
- #563: Antic
- #562: Skirt
- #561: Whine
- #560: Manly
- #559: Molar
- #558: Havoc
- #557: Impel
- #556: Condo
- #555: Judge
- #554: Extra
- #553: Poise
- #552: Aorta
- #551: Excel
- #550: Lunar
- #549: Third
- #548: Slate
- #547: Taper
- #546: Chord
- #545: Probe
- #544: Rival
- #543: Usual
- #542: Spoke
- #541: Apply
- #540: Naive
- #539: Knock
- #538: Braid
- #537: Infer
- #536: Joust
- #535: Amber
- #534: Woken
- #533: Adore
- #532: Torso
- #531: Chafe
- #530: Eject
- #529: Study
- #528: Undue
- #527: Tepid
- #526: Happy
- #525: Clean
- #524: Itchy
- #523: Feast
- #522: Drive
- #521: Prime
- #520: Axiom
- #519: Brave
- #518: Avert
- #517: Glyph
- #516: There
- #515: Baker
- #514: Snarl
- #513: Maple
- #512: Inane
- #511: Valet
- #510: Medal
- #509: Unite
- #508: Rainy
- #507: Spell
- #506: Begin
- #505: Stale
- #504: Dream
- #503: Photo
- #502: Aloud
- #501: Inept
- #500: Piney
- #499: Aptly
- #498: Waltz
- #497: Libel
- #496: Sneak
- #495: Carry
- #494: Flout
- #493: Foggy
- #492: Fault
- #491: Mummy
- #490: Spielk
- #489: Grove
- #488: Denim
- #487: Quirk
- #486: Exist
- #485: Stein
- #484: Spade
- #483: Catch
- #482: Floor
- #481: Equal
- #480: Ionic
- #479: Valid
- #478: Enjoy
- #477: Howdy
- #476: Vigor
- #475: Dandy
- #474: Sloth
- #473: Marsh
- #472: Bough
- #471: Sting
- #470: Twine
- #469: Leave
- #468: Scorn
- #467: Scald
- #466: Usurp
- #465: Soggy
- #464: Brisk
- #463: Admit
- #462: Grate
- #461: Glory
- #460: Saint
- #459: Recap
- #458: Alike
- #457: Trice
- #456: Stick
- #455: Chute
- #454: Parer
- #453: Doubt
- #452: Thyme
- #451: Alpha
- #450: Booze
- #449: Tibia
- #448: Lofty
- #447: Theme
- #446: Class
- #445: Leery
- #444: Taunt
- #443: Whoop
- #442: Inter
- #441: Gully
- #440: Charm
- #439: Fungi
- #438: Prize
- #437: Onset
- #436: Chief
- #435: Gauze
- #434: Ruder
- #433: Irony
- #432: Clown
- #431: Needy
- #430: Woven
- #429: Merit
- #428: Waste
- #427: Treat
- #426: Shrug
- #425: Twang
- #424: Twice
- #423: Gruel
- #422: Poker
- #421: Khaki
- #420: Hunky
- #419: Label
- #418: Glean
- #417: Cling
- #416: Patty
- #415: Unfit
- #414: Smear
- #413: Alien
- #412: Buggy
- #411: Rhyme
- #410: Youth
- #409: Coyly
- #408: Quart
- #407: Cramp
- #406: Bluff
- #405: Upset
- #404: Stomp
- #403: Motto
- #402: Cinch
- #401: Elope
- #400: Power
- #399: Midge
- #398: Tryst
- #397: Aphid
- #396: Trite
- #395: Angry
- #394: Flock
- #393: Wacky
- #392: Roomy
- #391: Wedge
- #390: Liver
- #389: Bland
- #388: Night
- #387: Madam
- #386: Berth
- #385: Stead
- #384: Voice
- #383: Agape
- #382: Fluff
- #381: Field
- #380: Sever
- #379: Lilac
- #378: Egret
- #377: Pinto
- #376: Hutch
- #375: Gawky
- #374: Droll
- #373: Retro
- #372: Rusty
- #371: Beady
- #370: Smite
- #369: Brink
- #368: Awful
- #367: Gloat
- #366: Input
- #365: Loser
- #364: Cacao
- #363: Blown
- #362: Apron
- #361: Primo
- #360: Atone
- #359: Donor
- #358: Float
- #357: Goose
- #356: Piety
- #355: Girth
- #354: Trait
- #353: Flood
- #352: Gloom
- #351: Depth
- #350: Froth
- #349: Phase
- #348: Showy
- #347: Creak
- #346: Manor
- #345: Atoll
- #344: Bayou
- #343: Crept
- #342: Tiara
- #341: Asset
- #340: Vouch
- #339: Album
- #338: Hinge
- #337: Money
- #336: Scrap
- #335: Gamer
- #334: Glass
- #333: Scour
- #332: Being
- #331: Delve
- #330: Yield
- #329: Metal
- #328: Tipsy
- #327: Slung
- #326: Farce
- #325: Gecko
- #324: Shine
- #323: Canny
- #322: Midst
- #321: Badge
- #320: Homer
- #319: Train
- #318: Hairy
- #317: Story
- #316: Forgo
- #315: Larva
- #314: Trash
- #313: Zesty
- #312: Shown
- #311: Heist
- #310: Askew
- #309: Inert
- #308: Olive
- #307: Plant
- #306: Oxide
- #305: Cargo
- #304: Foyer
- #303: Flair
- #302: Ample
- #301: Cheek
- #300: Shame
- #299: Mince
- #298: Chunk
- #297: Royal
- #296: Squad
- #295: Black
- #294: Stair
- #293: Scare
- #292: Foray
- #291: Comma
- #290: Natal
That’s everything to know about today’s Wordle answer, the best ways to play the New York Times’ game and the best starting words. Be sure to stick with us for everything Wordle, or check out other daily word games like Jumble and Waffle!
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Published: Dec 20, 2024 04:32 am