**Welcome to Today’s Wordle Guide!**
Hello! If you’ve found your way here, it’s time for Wordle. As usual, we’re ready to offer daily tips and hints to assist you in solving today’s puzzle.
If you’re after the answer, just scroll down to the end for the solution. However, if you want to tackle it on your own, hang tight for some useful clues, strategies, and insights.
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### **What is Wordle and Where Did It Come From?**
Wordle was initially developed by engineer Josh Wardle as a heartfelt gift for his partner. It rapidly turned into a worldwide phenomenon, with countless players enjoying the game each day. Fans even created their own variations, like the battle royale-inspired **Squabble**, the music-guessing game **Heardle**, and multi-word challenges such as **Dordle** and **Quordle**. These variations introduce unique elements, like the need to guess multiple words at once.
The game’s popularity surged to such an extent that it was eventually purchased by *The New York Times*. It even motivated TikTok creators to stream their Wordle-solving experiences live.
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### **What’s the Best Wordle Starting Word?**
The ideal starting word is a matter of personal preference—it’s whatever suits you best! However, if you like a more tactical approach, think about picking a word that contains at least two different vowels and frequently used consonants such as S, T, R, or N. Looking for ideas? [Explore our guide to the best starting words](https://mashable.com/article/best-wordle-starting-word).
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### **What Happened to the Wordle Archive?**
Previously, players could peek at an archive of past Wordle puzzles. However, this was removed at the request of *The New York Times*. Fortunately, the *Times* has now rolled out its own Wordle Archive, accessible only to NYT Games subscribers.
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### **Is Wordle Getting Harder?**
You might sense that Wordle is growing tougher, but don’t worry, the difficulty level has remained consistent since it started. If you’re looking for an added challenge, you can activate Wordle’s **Hard Mode**, which imposes stricter gameplay guidelines.
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### **Hints for Today’s Wordle**
Need a little push in the right direction? Here are some hints to assist you with today’s puzzle:
– **Subtle Hint:** Think of a location where you perspire.
– **Double Letter?** Yes, there is a repeated letter.
– **First Letter:** The word begins with the letter **S**.
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### **Today’s Wordle Answer**
Ready for the reveal? If you’re still contemplating, this is your final opportunity to make a guess. Drumroll, please…
The answer to today’s Wordle is **SAUNA**.
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### **What’s Next?**
Didn’t nail it this time? No need to fret—there’s always tomorrow! We’ll return with more hints and tips to aid you in the next Wordle challenge.
Interested in other games to keep your mind active? Visit [Mashable’s games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, crosswords, and more.
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**Bonus Content:**
– [NYT Connections hints and answers for today](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-december-23-2024).
– [Best word games for Wordle fans](https://mashable.com/roundup/best-word-games-for-wordle-fans).
– [Yesterday’s Wordle solution](https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer-december-22-2024).
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*Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg helped create this article.*