Wordle #861 Answer – October 28, 2023
This page covers Wordle puzzle #861, played on Saturday, October 28, 2023. 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 #861
Hint 1: How many vowels?
The answer has 2 vowels (A, E, I, O, U).
Hint 2: First letter
It starts with the letter M.
Hint 3: Last letter
It ends with the letter N.
Hint 4: Repeated letters?
No, all five letters are different.
Hint 5: Meaning
noun — A bricklayer, one whose occupation is to build with stone or brick
Wordle #861 Answer
The answer to Wordle #861 on October 28, 2023 was:
MASON
MASON has been the Wordle answer only once so far.
What Does MASON Mean?
Mason (noun): A bricklayer, one whose occupation is to build with stone or brick
How Hard Was Wordle #861?
4.3/10Medium
29%harder than this share of all 1,962 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 MASON
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 | 34 |
| TRACE | TRACE | 103 |
| STARE | STARE | 16 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 13 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 61 |
On this puzzle, SLATE was the most useful opener, leaving 13 possible answers. Read our guide to the best starting words →
How to Solve Wordle #861 Step by Step
Here is one efficient way to reach MASON. 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. BASIN | BASIN | 1 |
| 3. MASON | MASON | Solved |
Solved in 3 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 MASON
| Position | Letter | Appears in (all answers) | In this exact spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | M | 13% | 4.9% |
| 2nd | A | 39.6% | 12.4% |
| 3rd | S | 25.8% | 3.1% |
| 4th | O | 30% | 5.3% |
| 5th | N | 24% | 5.7% |
On This Day in Wordle: October 28
Answers from the same date in other years:
Wordle #861 FAQ
What was the Wordle answer on October 28, 2023?
The answer to Wordle #861 on October 28, 2023 was MASON.
Was Wordle #861 hard?
We rate it 4.3 out of 10 (Medium), harder than about 29% of all Wordle puzzles.
What was the best starting word for Wordle #861?
Of the popular openers, SLATE did best, leaving 13 possible answers after the first guess.