If We Had But…

Here's my post on the New York Time's Wordle Review comments for yesterday. 

Wordle 1,196 3/6
⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜  SHONE  73 WL
⬜🟩🟩🟩⬜   LAITY      1 WL
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩   FAITH

WordleBot
Skill 99/99
Luck 73/99
Streak 947

It seems incomprehensible to me — but I don’t think I’ve posted a comment since my winning streak had reached 800 games.  And that was 147 days ago.  I probably would have found some excuse not to post today either — if I hadn’t been seized by the urge to rewatch the Coen Brother’s “Hail Caesar” while imagining The Bot playing George Clooney’s role.

Guess #1 only provided the H (out of position) today.  But Guess #2 (LAITY, The Bot’s favorite in that scenario) gave me A, I & T, all in place as Letters 2, 3 & 4.  There was only one word left, I didn’t whiff, and all the letters turned green.  I beat both The Bot (3 vs 4) and the (current) NYT avg (3 vs 3.5).  

GO TIGERS!!!  The Magic Number is ONE!

Take care and stay safe.

Streak Update: Eight Hundred

Here's my post on the New York Time's Wordle Review comments for yesterday. 

Wordle 1,049 2/6

⬜⬜🟩🟩🟨 SHONE  2 WL

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 EBONY

WordleBot

Skill 99/99

Luck 86/99

Streak 800

I have been extremely lazy about post comments for the last month.  During that time, it’s been a steady mix of 3s and 4s — with no significant Under Par streaks.  I probably would have found some excuse not to post today either — if I hadn’t reached a significant milestone in my winning streak *AND* a Deuce on the same day.  Guess #1 provided lots of data today — showing me the O & N (in position) along with E (out of position).  Since E had to be either Letter 1 (EBONY was my first thought for that option) or Letter 2 (PEONY?), it looked like I had a coin flip for the Deuce.  I went with EBONY for Guess #2 and watched all the letters turn green.  I beat both The Bot (2 vs 3) and the (current) NYT avg (2 vs 3.8).  And my winning streak had reached 8️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ games. 

Take care and stay safe.

Throwing SHADE

Here's my post on the New York Time's Wordle Review comments for yesterday. 

Wordle 1,006 3/6

🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩 SHONE    8 WL

⬜⬜🟨🟨🟨 PLEAD      1 WL

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 SHADE

WordleBot

Skill 99/99

Luck 85/99

Streak 757

Today’s game is an excellent example of why I will *never* play in Hard mode.  Normally, I would think of matching three letters in their correct positions on Guess #1 as being a fantastic opportunity to solve quickly.  But when the letters are SH—E, it becomes a rather dangerous opportunity.  For me, this situation demands that discretion become the better part of valor — and playing in Hard mode would essentially eliminate Skill from the equation, turning play into a guessing game.

By holding back on my tendency toward aggressive play for Guess #2, I was able to give myself a shot at a Checkmate 3 — although ending up with a 5 was not out of the question.  I used PLEAD for Guess #2 (The Bot preferred ARMED — but said PLEAD was one of its “top picks”) and luck was with me.  I now knew A & D were included in the solution — and only one word remained.  I played SHADE and watched happily as all the letters turned green.  I beat The Bot (3 vs 4) and the (current) NYT avg (by more than a full guess, 3 vs 4.2). 

Take care and stay safe.

The Dreaded *INGO Trap

Here's my post on the New York Time's Wordle Review comments for yesterday.

Wordle 1,005 4/6

⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ SHONE    67 WL

🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜ GATOR      6 WL

⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 BINGO       2 WL

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 LINGO

WordleBot

Skill 99/99

Luck 42/99

Streak 756

I really wanted to shout out “BINGO!” this morning — but it was not to be.  Guess #1 revealed O & N (both out of position) and I went with The Bot’s favorite word in that scenario (GATOR) for Guess #2.  That showed me a third letter (G, out of position) but I still didn’t know where anything was placed.  The first word that came to mind that would place N, G & O in positions they hadn’t yet been tried was BINGO.  I had high hopes — but when the first letter didn’t change color, I knew the game was still afoot.  And I was faced with the DINGO / LINGO coin flip.  Surprisingly, I did win that flip (I suspect my win percentage on coin flips for Guess #4 is better than for Guess #3 — although I have no evidence) and LINGO turned all the letters green.  I lost to The Bot but bested the (current) NYT avg (4 vs 4.2). 

In non-Wordle news, after nearly a year of spending extensive amounts of time and cash at my dentist's office, my new front tooth (read: dental implant) is in place and looking fantastic.  It was a long road —but worth the effort, I think.  Kudos to all the folks at Jamestowne South Dental in Southfield, MI and especially my dentist, Dr. Peter Cracchiolo Jr.

Take care and stay safe.

"The Dude ABIDEs..."

Here's my post on the New York Time's Wordle Review comments for yesterday.

Wordle 1,004 3/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩 SHONE   193 WL

⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ TRAIL          3 WL

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ABIDE

WordleBot

Skill 85/99

Luck 61/99

Streak 755

The Coen Brothers served me well this morning.  Guess #1 revealed only E as the last letter and Guess #2 provided A & I (both out of position).  My first thought was to try moving those two letters to positions 2 & 3 — but the first words that came to mind either couldn’t be the solution based on eliminated letters (like RAISE) or were previously used (MAIZE).  Then I began to look at words starting with A — and ABIDE immediately leapt out at me.  I quickly played it as Guess #3 and watched all the letters turn green.  I didn’t know until later that it had been a coin flip between ABIDE and WAIVE.  I tied The Bot and bested the (current) NYT avg (3 vs 3.7).  My current Under Par streak is now 5 days.

I’ve still not received any feedback from the WordleBot Police regarding the theft of my correct data for Game #999 on March 14.  I solved in 2 guesses - but WordleBot now shows my score as 3.  It appears I will need to reach out via other means to The Powers That Be. 

Take care and stay safe.

How is that SPELT?

Here's my post on the New York Time's Wordle Review comments for yesterday.

Wordle 1003 3/6

🟩⬜⬜⬜🟨 SHONE   59 WL

🟨🟨🟩⬜🟩 PLEAT       1 WL

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 SPELT

WordleBot

Skill 99/99

Luck 74/99

Streak 754

Turned up lots of letters on my first two guesses which led to a quick Checkmate Three today, on a word that seems to have upset some folks.  I was lucky that there was no room for speculation on Guess #3 since:  I knew all five letters from my first two guesses, knew the positions of Letters 1, 3 & 5, knew P & L had to fill in Letters 2 & 4 AND — knew L *wasn’t* Letter 2.  Since SPELT *had* to be the solution based on my results from the first two guesses, I typed it in and watched all the letters turn green.  I tied The Bot and bested the (current) NYT avg (3 vs 3.8).  Not a bad way to start the work week. 

Take care and stay safe.

Care for a SNORT?

Here's my post on the New York Time's Wordle Review comments for yesterday.

Wordle 1002 2/6

🟩⬜🟩🟨⬜ SHONE   9 WL

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 SNORT

WordleBot

Skill 76/99

Luck 93/99

Streak 753

Well, let’s hope The Bot doesn’t try to cheat me out of a second Deuce in the last 4 days.  Guess #1 provided beaucoup letters today —  S & O (as Letters 1 & 3, respectively) plus N (out of position).  I didn’t know it at the time — but only 9 solutions remained.  I decided to go with a word starting SNO— for Guess #2.  Between SNORT & SNOWY, I decided to try SNORT since R & T are such frequently occurring letters.  Luck was with me and I watched all the letters turn green for a Deuce.  I defeated both The Bot (2 vs 3) and the (current) NYT avg (2 vs 3.8). 

I’ve not received any feedback from the WordleBot Police regarding the theft of my correct data for Game #999 on March 14.  I solved in 2 guesses - but WordleBot now shows my score as 3.  Other than that, my weekend was fantastic. 

Take care and stay safe.