Wordle #173 Answer – December 9, 2021
This page covers Wordle puzzle #173, played on Thursday, December 9, 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 #173
Hint 1: How many vowels?
The answer has 2 vowels (A, E, I, O, U).
Hint 2: First letter
It starts with the letter R.
Hint 3: Last letter
It ends with the letter O.
Hint 4: Repeated letters?
No, all five letters are different.
Hint 5: Meaning
noun — A ….
Wordle #173 Answer
The answer to Wordle #173 on December 9, 2021 was:
RHINO
RHINO has been the Wordle answer only once so far.
What Does RHINO Mean?
Rhino (noun): A rhinoceros.
How Hard Was Wordle #173?
4.1/10Medium
25%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 RHINO
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 | 179 |
| CRANE | CRANE | 4 |
| TRACE | TRACE | 51 |
| STARE | STARE | 80 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 1 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 11 |
On this puzzle, RAISE was the most useful opener, leaving 1 possible answer. Read our guide to the best starting words →
How to Solve Wordle #173 Step by Step
Here is one efficient way to reach RHINO. 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 | 214 |
| 2. IRONY | IRONY | 1 |
| 3. RHINO | RHINO | Solved |
Solved in 3 guesses. After SLATE, 214 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 RHINO
| Position | Letter | Appears in (all answers) | In this exact spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | R | 36.1% | 4.2% |
| 2nd | H | 16.9% | 6.6% |
| 3rd | I | 27.7% | 10.9% |
| 4th | N | 24% | 7.8% |
| 5th | O | 30% | 2.7% |
On This Day in Wordle: December 9
Answers from the same date in other years:
Wordle #173 FAQ
What was the Wordle answer on December 9, 2021?
The answer to Wordle #173 on December 9, 2021 was RHINO.
Was Wordle #173 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 #173?
Of the popular openers, RAISE did best, leaving 1 possible answer after the first guess.