Wordle Blog #1: The Octordle

 I mean, I sort of just give up after my first attempt: what's next? Sesquipedordle, where you solve 150 words with a ratio of wrong guesses that increasingly approaches 50%?!

Also, I'm claiming bonus points for using the prefix "sesqui-" to both refer to "sequipedalian" and "sesquicentennial" for the first time I've ever seen.

Just in case you didn't catch that.

Daily Octordle #29

3️⃣🔟

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🕚7️⃣

8️⃣🟥

octordle.com

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So I tried “aisle,” and got a decent response.

Clearly, with the yellow tiles I had the best bet, so I thought about it, and came up with “shied.”

Surprisingly, I got a green. It took about 10 minutes to come up with my next guess, which I literally screamed at for being right.

Then came the hunt: what was closest to being right on the other words?

I think I tried “sails” next, because it had the highest ratio of green/yellow/gray.

“scaly” and “small” were sort of inevitable, because they were perfectly valid guesses.

Finally, it had to be “stalk.”

I ran the algorithm: my highest ratio was with #7. So I went for it, and after a number of cognitive contortionisms, I finally arrived at the only word I could think of that would satisfy the conditions… and somehow, it was right.

I then went back to #5: It had to be there somewhere, didn’t it? I had a green and four yellows, after all - this was a matter of processing. Eventually, I realized what it must be, and lo and behold, I was right again, much to my shock and awe.

I then went to #4, which I’d been eluding (pun intended). This, too boggled me for quite a while, but somehow the tumblers clicked, and I was able to get it.

And then came the realization: even if I got #3, it wouldn’t be enough. I was stymied. I had already lost.

I mean, it’s arguable that the formula they’re using in terms of how many guesses you get based on the number of words you have is suspect, since the original is a 1/6 ratio, and if Quardle is 4/9, and Octordle is 8/16, then it’s actually getting smaller and smaller with every iteration, but that’s like complaining that your controller is malfunctioning. But seriously, that actually does seem to be what’s happening mathematically, if anyone else has noticed. Just saying.

Either way, I figured if I could get at least ⅞ of this on my first attempt, it would be a personal victory.

And finally, after about 45 minutes with this beast of a puzzle, I came up with “ounce” as the only possible solution, and I beat #3.

I mean, I’m pretty sure I’d have come up with “cleat” on the next guess for #9, right? It does seem fairly inevitable.

I guess you never know, though…