What does two yellow letters mean in Wordle? (2024)

Wordle has taken the world by storm since its release in October 2021. The simple, yet addictive word guessing game by Josh Wardle has become a daily ritual for millions of people across the globe. The goal of Wordle is to guess a random 5-letter word in just 6 attempts. After each guess, the letters change color to indicate how close your guess was to the target word. Gray letters mean they are not in the word at all. Green letters are correct letters in the correct position. And yellow letters are in the word but in the wrong spot. But what exactly does it mean when you have two yellow letters in your Wordle guess? Let’s break it down.

Understanding Letter Colors in Wordle

First, it’s important to understand what the different letter colors signify in Wordle:

Gray letters – These letters are not in the target word at all. You can disregard gray letters moving forward.

Green letters – Green letters are in the exact correct spot in the target word. Lock these in place.

Yellow letters – A yellow letter is in the target word but in the wrong position. These need to be reconsidered in different spots.

So when you get two yellow letters in your Wordle guess, it tells you a few key pieces of information:

Both Yellow Letters Are in the Word

The most basic information two yellow letters provide is that both of those letters are definitively part of the solution word in some position. For example, if you guess “BRAIN” and get back two yellow As, you now know for sure the word contains A twice somewhere. This will come in handy as you make future guesses to narrow down possibilities.

The Positions Are Wrong

Since the letters came up yellow rather than green, it also tells you that their exact positions in your guess are incorrect. Using the same example, the A’s may be in the word but they are not in the 2nd and 5th spots specifically. This again provides helpful information to steer your thinking about letter placement.

The Letters Are Not Adjacent

More subtly, two yellow letters very likely (though not 100% guaranteed) means those letters are not adjacent to each other in the real word. Because if they were adjacent, the most common scenario is that at least one would appear green. So continuing our example, it’s very probable the two A’s are separated in the solution, rather than being AA together. This inference won’t always hold true, but more often than not, two yellow letters of the same won’t be side by side in the answer.

Examples

Let’s walk through some specific examples to better understand two yellow letters scenarios:

Guess: TRAIL

Result: T = Yellow, A = Yellow

This outcome tells us:
– The word contains T and A.
– T and A are likely not adjacent.
– T is not in the 1st position.
– A is not in the 2nd position.

Some possible words based on these hints:
– ALTAR
– ATTIC
– ATLAS

Guess: SWEAR

Result: E = Yellow, A = Yellow

This means:
– E and A are in the word separately.
– E and A are probably not next to each other.
– E is not in the 3rd position.
– A is not in the 4th position.

Some options:
– WATER
– WAFER
– WHEAT

Guess: GROAN

Result: O = Yellow, O = Yellow

We can determine:
– There are two O’s in different spots.
– The O’s are likely not together as OO.
– O is not in the 3rd position.
– O is not in the 4th position.

Some words that fit:
– ROOMS
– FLOOR
– BROOM

Strategies for Playing Two Yellow Letters

Getting two yellow letters in Wordle can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it provides good intel. But it also opens up many possibilities to choose from for your next guess. Here are some tips for strategically playing two yellow letters:

Try Both Letters in New Spots

Your next guess should contain both yellow letters and test them in different positions than your previous guess. This will provide more information and continue narrowing.

Avoid Adjacent Placements

Unless you have reason to think otherwise, keep the yellow letters separated in your next guess, as they are likely not side by side based on them both being yellow.

Focus on High Frequency Letters

Two yellow vowels like A and E or O and I are very common. Try out different five letter words with those double vowels placed separately in higher frequency spots like the beginning and end.

Knock Out Other Possibilities

Sometimes you’ll have just a few remaining viable words in your head. See if you can guess words that eliminate multiple options at once based on yellow letter placements.

Take Note of Green and Gray Letters Too

Keep in mind green and gray letters you’ve already gotten when strategizing your next guess. For example, maybe you already know E is green in position 3. That further limits where a yellow E can go.

When to Guess the Same Word Again

In very rare cases, you might encounter a situation where your best next move is to repeat the same guess that just produced two yellow letters. Why? When no other viable guesses remain that properly test those letter placements again. But this is an edge case and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Generally, you gain more information by trying those yellow letters in new arrangements.

Potential Downsides of Two Yellow Letters

While two yellow letters give you useful intel, there are also some potential drawbacks:

– More possibilities to sort through for next guess
– Letters might actually be adjacent despite assumption
– Letters may be flipped positions (e.g. if CABBAGE results in 2 yellow C’s, the word could be ACCABB)
– Have to be careful not to fixate on just those letters
– Letters may appear yellow again if positions are wrong

So while two yellow letters narrow things substantially, they don’t provide an instant solve. You still have to apply some deductive reasoning to reach the green letters.

Conclusion

To summarize, two yellow letters in Wordle signify:

– Both letters are in the word in some spots
– The positions you guessed are incorrect
– The letters are likely not adjacent to each other

Strategically, you’ll want to try those two letters again in new positions in your next guess while being careful not to fixate too much. Two yellow letters are very useful but still require some sleuthing to isolate the full correct word. With practice assessing two yellow letter scenarios, you’ll be cracking those Wordle puzzles more efficiently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get two yellow letters with the same letter?

Yes, it is possible to get two yellow letters that are the same letter. This would mean that letter occurs twice in the target word, but not in the exact positions you guessed. For example, guessing “TRAIN” could result in T = Yellow and A = Yellow if the word was “ATTIC”.

What if the same letters show up yellow again?

Sometimes if you guess the same yellow letters in different positions, they may still show up yellow. This likely indicates you have the right letters but still don’t have their exact placement nailed down yet. Keep trying those letters in new spots until you get one or both green.

Is it possible to have two yellow letters that are adjacent in the word?

In rare cases, yes the yellow letters could actually be side by side in the solution word. This would most likely occur when the word contains a repeated double letter. For example, guessing “MOOCH” could show O = Yellow and O = Yellow if the word was “POOLS”. So while unlikely, remain open to the possibility.

Can you have more than two yellow letters in one guess?

Absolutely. It’s possible to have up to four or five yellow letters in one guess if none of the letter placements are exactly right. Having three or more yellow letters becomes even more informational for deducing the solution.

Should you avoid repeats of yellow letters in guesses?

Not necessarily – repeats of yellow letters are fine and even encouraged to test if that letter occurs twice. Just try not to repeat guesses that produce the exact same yellow letter pattern, as you likely won’t gain new info.

Is it luck when you get two yellow letters?

Not completely! While there is a random element to Wordle, getting two yellow letters also means you guessed two correct letters. Your linguistic knowledge helped you identify letters very likely to occur in the word. So give yourself credit for good deductive skills!

Key Takeaways

– Two yellow letters mean both letters are in the word, but not in the guessed spots.

– Yellow letters are likely not adjacent, so try separating them in the next guess.

– Use two yellow letters to narrow down remaining possibilities.

– Don’t fixate only on the yellow letters – consider other clues too.

– In rare cases, a repeat guess may be needed if no better options exist.

– Yellow letters provide useful hints but still require deducing the full right word.