The New York Times' daily word-guessing sensation *Wordle* delivered Puzzle #1738 on Monday, March 23, 2026, presenting players with a moderately challenging five-letter word that tested vocabulary tied to typography and design. Released at midnight Eastern Time — or early morning in many global time zones — the puzzle drew a mix of quick solves and frustrated attempts as solvers navigated its uncommon term.

Wordle
Wordle

According to the official *Wordle* review on nytimes.com and reports from outlets including Lifehacker, CNET, Rock Paper Shotgun, The Gamer and Forbes, today's answer was **SERIF**.

The word "serif" refers to a small line or stroke projecting from the main stroke of a letter in certain typefaces, such as Times New Roman or Georgia. These decorative flourishes contrast with "sans-serif" fonts like Arial or Helvetica, which lack them. The term originates from Dutch or Latin roots meaning "line" or "stroke," and has become a staple in graphic design and printing discussions.

*Wordle* creators at the NYT noted that Puzzle #1738 took testers an average of 5.5 guesses out of six possible attempts, marking it as "very challenging" compared to recent days. The puzzle's difficulty stemmed from its relatively low everyday usage — "serif" appears more in professional contexts like font selection or typesetting than casual conversation.

**Hints and Clues for Puzzle #1738**

For those who prefer to solve independently or retry past puzzles (available via NYT Games subscription), here are spoiler-free hints compiled from major sources:

- The word has **no repeated letters** — all five are unique.
- It contains **two vowels** (E and I).
- It begins with **S** and ends with **F**.
- A subtle clue: Think of font embellishments or what makes some letters look "fancy" in print.
- Another nudge: The opposite is often called "sans" something.
- Difficulty rating: Harder than average; many players reported needing 4–6 guesses.

Player-shared solves on Reddit's r/wordlegame and social media highlighted effective starting words. Common openers like RAISE yielded strong results — one solver got four letters (S, E, R, I) in yellow positions after the first guess, then confirmed with WOMEN before landing on SERIF in three. Others started with SLATE (Wordle Bot's pick) or SHARE, narrowing options quickly.

**How Solvers Approached It**

Emily Long at Lifehacker described a three-guess solve: RAISE turned up yellows on S, E, R and I; WOMEN eliminated competing endings; SERIF clicked. Forbes contributor Erik Kain used SHARE as a starter, reducing possibilities to 17 words before honing in.

The puzzle rewarded vowel-heavy openers and consonant checks. Standard strategy — starting with words containing common letters (A, E, R, S, T, L) — proved effective here, as four of the five letters fit that profile.

**Strategies to Improve at Wordle**

*Wordle* remains a global daily ritual for millions since its 2021 viral rise and 2022 acquisition by the NYT. Experts offer timeless tips:

1. **Choose strong starters**: Words like CRANE, SLATE, TRACE, ADIEU or AUDIO maximize information by testing frequent vowels and consonants early.
2. **Use yellows wisely**: Reposition yellow letters in subsequent guesses while avoiding confirmed grays.
3. **Eliminate extremes**: After a few turns, rule out improbable patterns (e.g., no doubles if none appear).
4. **Hard mode option**: Forces use of revealed hints — great for practice but tougher for streaks.
5. **Avoid proper nouns/obscure words early**: Though "serif" isn't ultra-rare, it fits the answer list's mix of common and niche terms.

The game allows one puzzle per day, with streaks tracked in the app or browser. Archives let subscribers revisit old puzzles, but daily play preserves the communal challenge.

**Broader Context and Player Reactions**

Monday's puzzle followed Sunday's (presumed easier based on patterns) and preceded what many expect as mid-week ramps in difficulty. Social media buzz included praise for the typography tie-in — "Perfect for designers!" one X post read — alongside complaints about its obscurity: "Who uses 'serif' in real life?" another quipped.

The NYT continues evolving *Wordle* with occasional variants and integrations into the Games app alongside Connections, Strands and Spelling Bee. Puzzle #1738 exemplified the balance that keeps players returning: accessible yet brain-teasing.

For those who nailed it in three or fewer, congrats on preserving or extending streaks. For others, tomorrow's #1739 awaits — fresh at midnight ET. Check nytimes.com/games/wordle for the official play, or bookmark hint sites for backup.

Whether you're a casual guesser or competitive streak-chaser, *Wordle* proves words still captivate in a screen-filled world.