I used to start each Wordle game with the same word (adieu) to check for vowels. I also used to care deeply about my streak. Dialing back the time I spend on my phone, mostly thanks to the hellscape known as the news, has cured me of the need to Wordle every single day.
I’ve also learned from Molly the joy of starting every day with a different word, a set-the-tone word, or a hopeful word, or a just plain random word. Last Friday, I opened the blind on the east window in my office, the one to the right of my desk, and was greeted with yet another gorgeous sunrise.
First try: OPENS, and I get the P yellow and the E green. Hmm…let’s try P as the first letter and a blend…PL would work. Then the E, and let’s check another vowel…PLEA…can’t be please, that’s too long. How about PLEAD?
Whelp, the P is correct as the first letter, and I still have E in the middle spot. What other vowels could I use? PIE…what starts with PIE? I know the Wordle puzzle makers often like to try to trick us with two of the same letter, so what starts with PIE and ends with E? PIECE?
YES! I got it in three. I don’t always write a Wordle poem, but if I solve it in three tries, a haiku is mandatory.
battered heart opens
pleads for a brief respite
piece of joy arrives
(c) Mary Lee Hahn, 2025
A(nother) Year of Reading 
I love Wordle and I love the Wordle poem! I used to start with adieu, but someone told me the best words to start with are crane or slate. Go figure!
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I love this inspiration – – there are so many ways to find poems. Using a word from Wordle proves that great poems can come from one little word – – yours is beautiful!
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I think this was one I abandoned. Your words led perfectly into a wordle haiku which I think may need to be the next thing I challenge my writers with. (And me too as I write with them)
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I was happy to see a poem at the end and am now thinking of poem forms of various line lengths. I just subscribed to NYT Games after dropping my subscription to the Times months ago when I noticed its shift and bias toward Trump. However, the games keep me from devouring so much news. I’m trying to curate better. Love the hints and hour haiku.
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Oh, this worked well! I like how you included your thinking. I saw Molly’s post too, and thought Wordle would make a fun April project!
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Oh I could write a post about my wordle experience this morning. I still do it every day, and I came pretty close to losing my streak this morning.
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I love that a haiku is mandatory with a three word Wordle. I might have to adopt that approach!
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I do all of the NYTimes puzzles most days and I use different starting words for Wordle almost every day. Lately, however, I have started with PAINT followed by either HOUSE or MOUSE. I allow 15-20 minutes to puzzle most mornings and I get done what I get done. BUT I always start with Wordle!
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