Wordle #1668 Answer – January 12, 2026
This page covers Wordle puzzle #1668, played on Monday, January 12, 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 #1668
Hint 1: How many vowels?
The answer has 2 vowels (A, E, I, O, U).
Hint 2: First letter
It starts with the letter T.
Hint 3: Last letter
It ends with the letter L.
Hint 4: Repeated letters?
No, all five letters are different.
Hint 5: Meaning
noun — An opportunity to test something out; a test.
Wordle #1668 Answer
The answer to Wordle #1668 on January 12, 2026 was:
TRIAL
TRIAL has been the Wordle answer only once so far.
What Does TRIAL Mean?
Trial (noun): An opportunity to test something out; a test.
Example: “They will perform the trials for the new equipment next week.”
How Hard Was Wordle #1668?
3.0/10Easy
3%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: TRIAD, TRILL.
How Popular Starting Words Did Against TRIAL
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 | 9 |
| TRACE | TRACE | 2 |
| STARE | STARE | 11 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 3 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 33 |
On this puzzle, TRACE was the most useful opener, leaving 2 possible answers. Read our guide to the best starting words →
How to Solve Wordle #1668 Step by Step
Here is one efficient way to reach TRIAL. 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 | 15 |
| 2. NATAL | NATAL | 2 |
| 3. TIDAL | TIDAL | 1 |
| 4. TRIAL | TRIAL | Solved |
Solved in 4 guesses. After SLATE, 15 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 TRIAL
| Position | Letter | Appears in (all answers) | In this exact spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | T | 29.6% | 6.6% |
| 2nd | R | 36.2% | 11.6% |
| 3rd | I | 27.8% | 10.9% |
| 4th | A | 39.6% | 7% |
| 5th | L | 28% | 7.1% |
On This Day in Wordle: January 12
Answers from the same date in other years:
Wordle #1668 FAQ
What was the Wordle answer on January 12, 2026?
The answer to Wordle #1668 on January 12, 2026 was TRIAL.
Was Wordle #1668 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 #1668?
Of the popular openers, TRACE did best, leaving 2 possible answers after the first guess.