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**Hello! Are you prepared for today’s Wordle?**
If you’ve stumbled upon this page, it’s likely time to face today’s Wordle challenge. As always, we’re here to offer you hints, advice, and tactics to assist you in solving the puzzle.
If you’re solely in search of the answer, please scroll to the bottom of the article to discover today’s Wordle solution. However, if you prefer to work through it independently, stay tuned for some useful clues and suggestions.
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### **What is Wordle, and where did it originate?**
Wordle was initially developed by engineer Josh Wardle as a meaningful gift for his partner. Unbeknownst to him, it would evolve into a worldwide phenomenon, with thousands taking part every day. Enthusiasts have even created their own variations, such as the competitive **Squabble**, the music-oriented **Heardle**, and multi-word challenges like **Dordle** and **Quordle**.
The game’s rising fame eventually garnered the interest of *The New York Times*, which acquired Wordle. It has even inspired TikTok users to stream their gameplay, further enhancing its cultural significance.
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### **What’s the ideal starting word for Wordle?**
The “ideal” starting word largely relies on your personal preference, but if you want to be strategic, here’s a suggestion: select a word containing at least two distinct vowels along with some common consonants like S, T, R, or N. Need more suggestions? Check out our guide on how to choose the perfect Wordle starter.
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### **What happened to the Wordle archive?**
At one time, players could access an archive of previous Wordle puzzles to enjoy at their convenience. However, this was removed at the request of *The New York Times*. The silver lining? The *Times* now has its own Wordle Archive, but it’s only accessible to NYT Games subscribers.
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### **Is Wordle becoming more difficult?**
It may seem like Wordle is getting harder, but rest assured—it’s no tougher than when it was first introduced. However, if you’re aiming to increase the challenge, you can always activate Wordle’s Hard Mode for an additional layer of strategy.
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### **Hints for today’s Wordle**
Need a little push to crack today’s puzzle? Here are some clues:
– **Hint #1:** It’s a hard surface area outside.
– **Hint #2:** There are no repeating letters.
– **Hint #3:** The word begins with the letter P.
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### **Today’s Wordle answer is…**
Time for the big announcement! If you haven’t figured it out yet, here’s your final opportunity to solve today’s Wordle.
Drumroll, please…
The answer is **PATIO**.
If you didn’t manage to get it this time, don’t fret—there’s always tomorrow’s puzzle to anticipate. And, naturally, we’ll return with more hints and guidance to assist you.
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### **Eager for more puzzles?**
If you’re a Wordle enthusiast, why not explore other games? Mashable’s **games hub** features a variety of puzzles, including Mahjong, Sudoku, crosswords, and more.
Looking to revisit yesterday’s Wordle? [Here’s the solution to the previous puzzle.](https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer-december-9-2024)
Enjoy puzzling!
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*Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.*