Wordle puzzle
Wordle puzzle

The New York Times' Wordle marked Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 31, with an answer that is easy to recognize but tricky to guess, thanks to an uncommon first letter and a repeated vowel.

Wordle No. 1960 starts with Y, ends with O and contains three vowels. For players who want to solve it on their own, hints come first below, followed by the answer and strategy tips.

Spoiler-free hints

These clues are listed from gentlest to most revealing.

The word has three vowels and two consonants. One letter appears twice.

The answer is a noun often used to describe people and their manners. You might hear it when someone complains about a rude, noisy guest.

The same word can also work as an interjection, a jubilant shout you might let out after hearing wonderful news.

The word begins with Y and ends with O.

The repeated letter is O, which appears in both the fourth and fifth positions.

As a final nudge, the answer rhymes with words such as BAMBOO, TATTOO and SHAMPOO.

Warning: Answer below

Players who want to keep trying should stop reading here.

The answer to Wordle No. 1960 on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, is YAHOO.

As a noun, a yahoo is a rough, loud or ill-mannered person. Related words include boor, lout and oaf. As an interjection, "yahoo" is a cry of excitement or celebration.

The word has literary roots. It comes from Jonathan Swift's 1726 satire "Gulliver's Travels," in which the Yahoos are a race of crude, brutish humanlike creatures. Over time, the name came to describe any coarse or uncivilized person.

Why it was tricky

YAHOO is a familiar word, but as a Wordle answer it breaks several common patterns.

The biggest obstacle is the first letter. Y is one of the least common opening letters in five-letter Wordle answers, and popular starting words such as STARE, CRANE, ADIEU and SLATE do not include it at all. Only seven of the 1,960 earlier Wordle answers start with Y, according to one puzzle guide.

The double O at the end adds another complication. Many players avoid guessing repeated letters early, which can leave them stuck when only one O shows up as yellow or green.

The word also contains just two consonants, Y and H, neither of which is among the letters most players test early. Players who uncovered A and O quickly may still have needed several guesses to find the right consonants.

Strategy tips for future puzzles

Wordle gives players six tries to guess a five-letter word. After each guess, a green tile means a letter is in the correct spot, yellow means it is in the word but in the wrong spot, and gray means it is not in the word.

Here are ways to improve your odds:

Consider repeated letters. When a guess reveals a vowel but the remaining letters don't seem to fit, try a word that repeats that vowel. Endings such as -OO, -EE and -LL are more common than many players expect.

Don't ignore Y. Although rare at the start of words, Y frequently appears at the end of Wordle answers and can also act as a vowel. If standard vowels are running out, test Y.

Use a "burner" guess. When stuck between several possibilities, guessing a word built to test multiple unknown letters, even one that can't be the answer, can eliminate options faster than guessing each candidate.

Think about word types. Wordle answers include nouns, verbs, adjectives and occasionally interjections. Words like YAHOO, BINGO and other exclamations can surprise players who focus only on everyday objects.

Track recent answers. The last 10 Wordle answers before Saturday were SLIDE, MOTOR, GRIST, BINGO, GEEKY, DRESS, HOLEY, TRILL, RESET and PENNY. Friday's answer, puzzle No. 1959, was SLIDE.

Note that old words can return. According to PC Guide, The New York Times began reintroducing older words into the rotation on Feb. 2, 2026, starting with CIGAR, the first-ever Wordle answer. That means players should no longer rule out a word simply because it has appeared before.

About the game

Wordle was created by software engineer Josh Wardle and became a viral sensation before The New York Times acquired it in early 2022. The puzzle is now edited by Tracy Bennett.

A new puzzle is released each day at midnight local time, and every player worldwide solves the same word.

A Halloween fit?

While Saturday's answer wasn't spooky, it may suit the holiday spirit. Halloween parties and trick-or-treating crowds can bring out both kinds of yahoo: the cheerful shout and the occasional rowdy guest.

After finishing Wordle, many players turn to other New York Times games, including Connections, Strands, the Mini Crossword and Pips.

Sunday brings puzzle No. 1961 and a fresh five-letter challenge.