CRANE vs SLATE as a Wordle openerWordPilot AI
Both words are famous first guesses. The only question that matters on turn one is how much of the answer pool each one eliminates.
Verdict
SLATE wins by 0.16 bits
Runner-up
WordPilot pick
Factor by factor
Every figure below is computed at page load by the same engine that answers your searches.
| Factor | CRANE | SLATE |
|---|---|---|
| Information revealedShannon entropy of the feedback split over the answer pool. One extra bit halves the words you still have to consider. | 6.00 bits | 6.15 bits |
| Words left on averageExpected size of the surviving pool from 574 candidates. | 14 | 12 |
| Worst caseLargest single feedback bucket — the unlucky outcome you have to survive. | 46 | 29 |
| Distinct clue patternsMore reachable colour patterns means the guess separates the pool more finely. | 111 | 118 |
The reasoning
Measured over 574 everyday five-letter answers, CRANE reveals 6.00 bits of information and SLATE reveals 6.15 bits. SLATE therefore leaves about 12 candidates on an average day against 14 for CRANE.
The unlucky case matters as much as the average. CRANE can strand you with 46 words still alive; SLATE can strand you with 29. A guess with a smaller worst case protects your third and fourth turns even when its average looks similar.
Neither word is "the answer" — an opener is a measuring instrument. The right one splits the pool as evenly as possible, which is exactly what the bits figure measures. CRANE produces 111 distinct colour patterns and SLATE produces 118.
When CRANE is the better play
CRANE is still the better call if it is already consistent with clues you are holding: a guess that could itself be the answer can win the game outright, and 0.16 bits of information is a small price for that chance.
Definitions
- CRANE — A large lifting machine; a wading bird.
- SLATE — A fine-grained grey rock.
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