Wordle #1659 Answer – January 3, 2026
This page covers Wordle puzzle #1659, played on Saturday, January 3, 2026. 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 #1659
Hint 1: How many vowels?
The answer has 2 vowels (A, E, I, O, U).
Hint 2: First letter
It starts with the letter S.
Hint 3: Last letter
It ends with the letter R.
Hint 4: Repeated letters?
No, all five letters are different.
Hint 5: Meaning
noun — A Hindustani/Indian classical stringed instrument, typically having a gourd as its resonating chamber.
Wordle #1659 Answer
The answer to Wordle #1659 on January 3, 2026 was:
SITAR
SITAR has been the Wordle answer only once so far.
What Does SITAR Mean?
Sitar (noun): A Hindustani/Indian classical stringed instrument, typically having a gourd as its resonating chamber.
How Hard Was Wordle #1659?
3.0/10Easy
3%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 SITAR
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 | 7 |
| CRANE | CRANE | 48 |
| TRACE | TRACE | 11 |
| STARE | STARE | 1 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 2 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 33 |
On this puzzle, STARE was the most useful opener, leaving 1 possible answer. Read our guide to the best starting words →
How to Solve Wordle #1659 Step by Step
Here is one efficient way to reach SITAR. 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 | 7 |
| 2. STRAP | STRAP | 1 |
| 3. SITAR | SITAR | Solved |
Solved in 3 guesses. After SLATE, 7 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 SITAR
| Position | Letter | Appears in (all answers) | In this exact spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | S | 25.8% | 14.9% |
| 2nd | I | 27.7% | 8.2% |
| 3rd | T | 29.6% | 4.8% |
| 4th | A | 39.6% | 7% |
| 5th | R | 36.1% | 8.5% |
On This Day in Wordle: January 3
Answers from the same date in other years:
Wordle #1659 FAQ
What was the Wordle answer on January 3, 2026?
The answer to Wordle #1659 on January 3, 2026 was SITAR.
Was Wordle #1659 hard?
We rate it 3.0 out of 10 (Easy), harder than about 3% of all Wordle puzzles.
What was the best starting word for Wordle #1659?
Of the popular openers, STARE did best, leaving 1 possible answer after the first guess.