Wordle #120 Answer – October 17, 2021
This page covers Wordle puzzle #120, played on Sunday, October 17, 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 #120
Hint 1: How many vowels?
The answer has 2 vowels (A, E, I, O, U).
Hint 2: First letter
It starts with the letter P.
Hint 3: Last letter
It ends with the letter T.
Hint 4: Repeated letters?
No, all five letters are different.
Hint 5: Meaning
noun — A person who steers a ship, a helmsman.
Wordle #120 Answer
The answer to Wordle #120 on October 17, 2021 was:
PILOT
PILOT has been the Wordle answer only once so far.
What Does PILOT Mean?
Pilot (noun): A person who steers a ship, a helmsman.
How Hard Was Wordle #120?
4.3/10Medium
29%harder than this share of all 1,961 Wordles
0look-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.
- No other answers share four of its five letter spots, so it falls fast once the letters are found.
How Popular Starting Words Did Against PILOT
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 | 13 |
| CRANE | CRANE | 196 |
| TRACE | TRACE | 89 |
| STARE | STARE | 75 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 78 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 24 |
On this puzzle, SLATE was the most useful opener, leaving 13 possible answers. Read our guide to the best starting words →
Letter-by-Letter Breakdown of PILOT
| Position | Letter | Appears in (all answers) | In this exact spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | P | 14.6% | 6.1% |
| 2nd | I | 27.7% | 8.2% |
| 3rd | L | 28% | 4.5% |
| 4th | O | 30% | 5.3% |
| 5th | T | 29.6% | 11.2% |
On This Day in Wordle: October 17
Answers from the same date in other years:
Wordle #120 FAQ
What was the Wordle answer on October 17, 2021?
The answer to Wordle #120 on October 17, 2021 was PILOT.
Was Wordle #120 hard?
We rate it 4.3 out of 10 (Medium), harder than about 29% of all Wordle puzzles.
What was the best starting word for Wordle #120?
Of the popular openers, SLATE did best, leaving 13 possible answers after the first guess.