Wordle #1704 Answer – February 17, 2026
This page covers Wordle puzzle #1704, played on Tuesday, February 17, 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 #1704
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 D.
Hint 4: Repeated letters?
No, all five letters are different.
Hint 5: Meaning
noun — A group of people organized for some common purpose, usually of about ten members.
Wordle #1704 Answer
The answer to Wordle #1704 on February 17, 2026 was:
SQUAD
SQUAD has been a Wordle answer 2 times.
What Does SQUAD Mean?
Squad (noun): A group of people organized for some common purpose, usually of about ten members.
How Hard Was Wordle #1704?
6.1/10Medium-Hard
75%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.
- Less common letters (Q) that starting words rarely test.
- A few look-alike answers share four of its five letter spots.
Look-alike answers: SQUAT, SQUID.
How Popular Starting Words Did Against SQUAD
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 | 14 |
| CRANE | CRANE | 114 |
| TRACE | TRACE | 103 |
| STARE | STARE | 12 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 35 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 4 |
On this puzzle, AUDIO was the most useful opener, leaving 4 possible answers. Read our guide to the best starting words →
How to Solve Wordle #1704 Step by Step
Here is one efficient way to reach SQUAD. 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 | 16 |
| 2. SAUCY | SAUCY | 1 |
| 3. SQUAD | SQUAD | Solved |
Solved in 3 guesses. After SLATE, 16 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 SQUAD
| Position | Letter | Appears in (all answers) | In this exact spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | S | 25.8% | 14.8% |
| 2nd | Q | 1.4% | 0.3% |
| 3rd | U | 19.5% | 7.1% |
| 4th | A | 39.6% | 7% |
| 5th | D | 16.2% | 5% |
Has SQUAD Been a Wordle Answer Before?
Yes. SQUAD has been used 2 times: #296 (Apr 11, 2022), #1704 (Feb 17, 2026).
On This Day in Wordle: February 17
Answers from the same date in other years:
Wordle #1704 FAQ
What was the Wordle answer on February 17, 2026?
The answer to Wordle #1704 on February 17, 2026 was SQUAD.
Was Wordle #1704 hard?
We rate it 6.1 out of 10 (Medium-Hard), harder than about 75% of all Wordle puzzles.
What was the best starting word for Wordle #1704?
Of the popular openers, AUDIO did best, leaving 4 possible answers after the first guess.