Wordle #545 Answer – December 16, 2022
This page covers Wordle puzzle #545, played on Friday, December 16, 2022. 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 #545
Hint 1: How many vowels?
The answer has 2 vowels (A, E, I, O, U).
Hint 2: First letter
It starts with the letter P.
Hint 3: Last letter
It ends with the letter E.
Hint 4: Repeated letters?
No, all five letters are different.
Hint 5: Meaning
noun — Any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc.
Wordle #545 Answer
The answer to Wordle #545 on December 16, 2022 was:
PROBE
PROBE has been the Wordle answer only once so far.
What Does PROBE Mean?
Probe (noun): Any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc.
How Hard Was Wordle #545?
4.1/10Medium
25%harder than this share of all 1,962 Wordles
3look-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.
- 3 look-alike answers share four of its five letter spots, which can turn the last guesses into a coin flip.
Look-alike answers: PROVE, PRONE, PROSE.
How Popular Starting Words Did Against PROBE
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 | 98 |
| CRANE | CRANE | 25 |
| TRACE | TRACE | 21 |
| STARE | STARE | 44 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 35 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 249 |
On this puzzle, TRACE was the most useful opener, leaving 21 possible answers. Read our guide to the best starting words →
How to Solve Wordle #545 Step by Step
Here is one efficient way to reach PROBE. 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 | 106 |
| 2. DRONE | DRONE | 6 |
| 3. PROBE | PROBE | Solved |
Solved in 3 guesses. After SLATE, 106 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 PROBE
| Position | Letter | Appears in (all answers) | In this exact spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | P | 14.6% | 6.1% |
| 2nd | R | 36.2% | 11.6% |
| 3rd | O | 30% | 11.2% |
| 4th | B | 11.5% | 1% |
| 5th | E | 47.1% | 19.7% |
On This Day in Wordle: December 16
Answers from the same date in other years:
Wordle #545 FAQ
What was the Wordle answer on December 16, 2022?
The answer to Wordle #545 on December 16, 2022 was PROBE.
Was Wordle #545 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 #545?
Of the popular openers, TRACE did best, leaving 21 possible answers after the first guess.