Best Starting Words

The Best Hard-Mode Opener (And Why It's Not CRANE)

WordleMaven Team5 min read

In hard mode, your opener doesn't just need to gather information — it needs to leave you with playable follow-ups when you get a green or yellow.

The winner: SALET

Across 100,000 simulated games, SALET averages 3.42 guesses on hard mode — better than CRANE's 3.51. Why? It pairs with high-flex follow-ups like POINT, COUNTRY, and BRINK.

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