What is Hurdle and how the daily puzzle works
If you’re a fan of Wordle-style challenges, Hurdle offers a fresh twist with five rounds that test your word-spotting skills. Each round presents a new target word, and players receive feedback on correct letters, misplaced letters, and letters not in the word. The goal is to deduce the hidden word within a limited number of guesses, using the feedback to refine your approach across rounds.
General strategy for all five rounds
To maximize your score across the five rounds, start with broad, high-coverage guesses that reveal useful information. Look for common vowels and frequently used consonants to set a strong foundation. As you learn which letters are in the word and where they might fit, tighten your guesses to reduce possibilities. Remember to adapt your strategy with every new round based on the feedback you receive.
Round-by-round tips
Round 1: Establish the baseline
The first round is about laying the groundwork. Use a mix of common vowels and versatile consonants to identify which letters appear in the word. Avoid niche letters in the opening attempts, unless you’re near the maximum guess limit and need a last-ditch check. Track which letters are correct, misplaced, or absent to shape your subsequent guesses.
Round 2: Narrow down with precision
By the second round, you’ll have a sense of the word’s likely letter set. Prioritize positioning letters that have previously been confirmed in correct spots or as potential fits. If you see a letter that could be the second or third position, test aligned placements and use process of elimination to prune impossible configurations.
Round 3: Exploit patterns
In Round 3, consider common letter pairings and digraphs in five-letter words (for example, common endings or beginnings). Use your feedback to test plausible patterns and avoid duplicating letters that have been ruled out. This round often rewards recognizing familiar word structures quickly.
Round 4: Maximize information gain
Towards the latter rounds, you’ll want guesses that yield high information value. Choose candidates that confirm or refute multiple hypotheses at once. If a letter is confirmed in a position, lock it in and explore variations for the remaining slots. If a letter is not in the word, avoid reusing it in other positions in the same word, unless you’re exploring alternative word families.
Round 5: Final confirmation
The final round is about precise verification. Use only a small number of strong remaining candidates and verify each possible arrangement with calculated moves. Stay calm, review all feedback, and pick the option that satisfies the most constraints gathered across prior rounds.
Example walkthrough: applying the hints
Suppose your first guess reveals that A and E are in the word, with A in position 1 and E not in the word. You’d pivot to guesses that explore A’s placement and test other common letters like R, S, T, and N. Each subsequent guess should reflect your evolving hypothesis while prioritizing letters that appear across multiple rounds. By documenting which letters are confirmed, you’ll reduce guesswork and approach the solution with confidence.
How to stay consistent and improve over time
Consistency matters. Keep a quick log of each round’s feedback, note which letters were confirmed and which were excluded, and review your guesses after each game. Over time, you’ll recognize word patterns, letter frequencies, and standard five-letter word constructions that speed up solving across daily puzzles.
What to do if you’re stuck
If you’re stuck, step back and reassess the high-utility letters you haven’t tested yet. Consider common five-letter word families and use process of elimination to identify the most probable arrangement. You don’t have to solve every round in a single session—taking a moment to reanalyze feedback can prevent unnecessary mistakes.
Final thoughts for January 11, 2026
<pToday’s Hurdle hints emphasize a balanced approach: establish a strong information base in Round 1, refine your hypotheses in Round 2, look for patterns in Round 3, maximize information gain in Round 4, and execute a careful final guess in Round 5. With practice, you’ll notice your speed and accuracy improve as you adapt to the evolving feedback that Hurdle provides with each daily puzzle.
