Wordle #172 Answer – December 8, 2021
This page covers Wordle puzzle #172, played on Wednesday, December 8, 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 #172
Hint 1: How many vowels?
The answer has 2 vowels (A, E, I, O, U).
Hint 2: First letter
It starts with the letter B.
Hint 3: Last letter
It ends with the letter K.
Hint 4: Repeated letters?
No, all five letters are different.
Hint 5: Meaning
noun — An instance of … something into two or more pieces.
Wordle #172 Answer
The answer to Wordle #172 on December 8, 2021 was:
BREAK
BREAK has been a Wordle answer 2 times.
What Does BREAK Mean?
Break (noun): An instance of breaking something into two or more pieces.
Example: “The femur has a clean break and so should heal easily.”
How Hard Was Wordle #172?
4.1/10Medium
25%harder than this share of all 1,961 Wordles
5look-alike answers
- 2 vowels, which a typical starting word uncovers quickly.
- Five different letters, which suits most guessing strategies.
- Less common letters (K) that starting words rarely test.
- 5 look-alike answers share four of its five letter spots, which can turn the last guesses into a coin flip.
Look-alike answers: CREAK, BREAD, BLEAK, WREAK, FREAK.
How Popular Starting Words Did Against BREAK
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 | 49 |
| CRANE | CRANE | 8 |
| TRACE | TRACE | 6 |
| STARE | STARE | 36 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 30 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 355 |
On this puzzle, TRACE was the most useful opener, leaving 6 possible answers. Read our guide to the best starting words →
How to Solve Wordle #172 Step by Step
Here is one efficient way to reach BREAK. 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 | 54 |
| 2. AMBER | AMBER | 3 |
| 3. BREAD | BREAD | 1 |
| 4. BREAK | BREAK | Solved |
Solved in 4 guesses. After SLATE, 54 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 BREAK
| Position | Letter | Appears in (all answers) | In this exact spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | B | 11.5% | 7.5% |
| 2nd | R | 36.1% | 11.6% |
| 3rd | E | 47.1% | 7.6% |
| 4th | A | 39.6% | 7% |
| 5th | K | 8.6% | 4.5% |
Has BREAK Been a Wordle Answer Before?
Yes. BREAK has been used 2 times: #172 (Dec 8, 2021), #1819 (Jun 12, 2026).
On This Day in Wordle: December 8
Answers from the same date in other years:
Wordle #172 FAQ
What was the Wordle answer on December 8, 2021?
The answer to Wordle #172 on December 8, 2021 was BREAK.
Was Wordle #172 hard?
We rate it 4.1 out of 10 (Medium), harder than about 25% of all Wordle puzzles.
What was the best starting word for Wordle #172?
Of the popular openers, TRACE did best, leaving 6 possible answers after the first guess.