Wordle #1 Answer – June 20, 2021
This page covers Wordle puzzle #1, played on Sunday, June 20, 2021. If you are playing it in the NYT Wordle archive, start with the hints. The answer comes after them, along with what the word means, how hard it was, and how the most popular starting words would have done.
Hints for Wordle #1
Hint 1: How many vowels?
The answer has 2 vowels (A, E, I, O, U).
Hint 2: First letter
It starts with the letter R.
Hint 3: Last letter
It ends with the letter T.
Hint 4: Repeated letters?
No, all five letters are different.
Hint 5: Meaning
verb — To drive back or beat back; to repulse.
Wordle #1 Answer
The answer to Wordle #1 on June 20, 2021 was:
REBUT
REBUT has been the Wordle answer only once so far.
What Does REBUT Mean?
Rebut (verb): To drive back or beat back; to repulse.
How Hard Was Wordle #1?
3.9/10Medium
19%harder than this share of all 1,962 Wordles
2look-alike answers
- 2 vowels, which a typical starting word uncovers quickly.
- Five different letters, which suits most guessing strategies.
- Only common letters, with nothing unusual to find.
- A few look-alike answers share four of its five letter spots.
Look-alike answers: REBUS, DEBUT.
How Popular Starting Words Did Against REBUT
Here is the color feedback each well-known opener would have given on this puzzle, and how many past Wordle answers would still fit after that one guess. Fewer is better.
| Opener | Feedback | Answers left |
|---|---|---|
| SLATE | SLATE | 66 |
| CRANE | CRANE | 105 |
| TRACE | TRACE | 27 |
| STARE | STARE | 25 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 17 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 88 |
On this puzzle, RAISE was the most useful opener, leaving 17 possible answers. Read our guide to the best starting words →
How to Solve Wordle #1 Step by Step
Here is one efficient way to reach REBUT. We open with SLATE, then each next guess is the word, from those still possible, that leaves the fewest options on average. Every guess fits all the clues so far, so this path is also legal in Hard Mode.
| Guess | Feedback | Words still possible |
|---|---|---|
| 1. SLATE | SLATE | 71 |
| 2. DETER | DETER | 3 |
| 3. MERIT | MERIT | 1 |
| 4. REBUT | REBUT | Solved |
Solved in 4 guesses. After SLATE, 71 everyday words still fit. Try your own guesses in our Wordle solver to see which words were left at each step.
Letter-by-Letter Breakdown of REBUT
| Position | Letter | Appears in (all answers) | In this exact spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | R | 36.2% | 4.2% |
| 2nd | E | 47.1% | 10.6% |
| 3rd | B | 11.5% | 2.3% |
| 4th | U | 19.5% | 3.4% |
| 5th | T | 29.6% | 11.2% |
On This Day in Wordle: June 20
Answers from the same date in other years:
Wordle #1 FAQ
What was the Wordle answer on June 20, 2021?
The answer to Wordle #1 on June 20, 2021 was REBUT.
Was Wordle #1 hard?
We rate it 3.9 out of 10 (Medium), harder than about 19% of all Wordle puzzles.
What was the best starting word for Wordle #1?
Of the popular openers, RAISE did best, leaving 17 possible answers after the first guess.