Wordle #97 Answer – September 24, 2021
This page covers Wordle puzzle #97, played on Friday, September 24, 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 #97
Hint 1: How many vowels?
The answer has 2 vowels (A, E, I, O, U).
Hint 2: First letter
It starts with the letter F.
Hint 3: Last letter
It ends with the letter E.
Hint 4: Repeated letters?
No, all five letters are different.
Hint 5: Meaning
noun — Furnace or hearth where metals are heated prior to hammering them into shape.
Wordle #97 Answer
The answer to Wordle #97 on September 24, 2021 was:
FORGE
FORGE has been the Wordle answer only once so far.
What Does FORGE Mean?
Forge (noun): Furnace or hearth where metals are heated prior to hammering them into shape.
How Hard Was Wordle #97?
4.1/10Medium
25%harder than this share of all 1,962 Wordles
4look-alike answers
- 2 vowels, which a typical starting word uncovers quickly.
- Five different letters, which suits most guessing strategies.
- Less common letters (F) that starting words rarely test.
- 4 look-alike answers share four of its five letter spots, which can turn the last guesses into a coin flip.
Look-alike answers: GORGE, FORGO, FORCE, FORTE.
How Popular Starting Words Did Against FORGE
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 | 34 |
| TRACE | TRACE | 34 |
| STARE | STARE | 44 |
| RAISE | RAISE | 35 |
| AUDIO | AUDIO | 249 |
On this puzzle, CRANE was the most useful opener, leaving 34 possible answers. Read our guide to the best starting words →
How to Solve Wordle #97 Step by Step
Here is one efficient way to reach FORGE. 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 | 5 |
| 3. FORGE | FORGE | 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 FORGE
| Position | Letter | Appears in (all answers) | In this exact spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | F | 8.8% | 5.3% |
| 2nd | O | 30% | 12.6% |
| 3rd | R | 36.2% | 7.1% |
| 4th | G | 13% | 3.4% |
| 5th | E | 47.1% | 19.7% |
On This Day in Wordle: September 24
Answers from the same date in other years:
Wordle #97 FAQ
What was the Wordle answer on September 24, 2021?
The answer to Wordle #97 on September 24, 2021 was FORGE.
Was Wordle #97 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 #97?
Of the popular openers, CRANE did best, leaving 34 possible answers after the first guess.