Wordle
Wordle

NEW YORK — Sunday's Wordle uses mostly common letters, but it begins with one that rarely appears at the start of a guess, which could cost some players a turn or two before the week ends.

The New York Times' daily word game released puzzle No. 1940 for Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, asking players to find a hidden five-letter word in six attempts or fewer. Below are hints arranged from gentle to more revealing, strategy tips and, for those who need it, the answer.

Spoiler warning: The answer to today's Wordle appears later in this article. Read only as far as you need.

How Wordle works

Each day, players get six tries to guess a five-letter word. After each guess, the tiles change color. A green tile means the letter is correct and in the right spot. A yellow tile means the letter is in the word but in a different position. A gray tile means the letter does not appear in the word at all.

Wordle was created by software engineer Josh Wardle and released to the public in late 2021. The New York Times bought the game in early 2022, and it has since become a daily ritual for millions of players around the world.

A new puzzle is released at midnight local time, so players in different time zones may be solving different puzzles at the same moment.

Hints for Wordle No. 1940

For players who want to keep solving on their own, here are hints arranged from least to most revealing.

  • Hint 1: Today's word contains two vowels.
  • Hint 2: There are no repeated letters.
  • Hint 3: The word is mainly used as a verb.
  • Hint 4: Think about removing a lid or a protective top.
  • Hint 5: You might do this to a bottle of soda or a marker before using it.
  • Hint 6: The word starts with U and ends with P.

Strategy tips for today's puzzle

Don't overlook U at the start. Most popular opening words place vowels like A and E in the middle of a guess. Few common five-letter words begin with U, so players may not think to try it in the first position even after finding it with a yellow tile.

Think about prefixes. Many English words beginning with U use the prefix "un-," meaning to reverse an action. If you find U and N early, consider which common verbs could be reversed, such as untie, unzip or unlock.

Start with strong openers. Many players begin with words packed with common letters. The New York Times' WordleBot often recommends SLATE, while CRANE, TRACE and STARE are also popular choices. On a day like today, an opener containing A and N may give a helpful head start.

Use your guesses to eliminate. If your first guess produces mostly gray tiles, use your second guess to test a fresh set of letters rather than trying to solve immediately. Covering more of the alphabet early gives you more information to work with.

Watch letter positions. A yellow tile tells you where a letter is not, which can be just as useful as where it is. Track those positions carefully to narrow the possibilities.

Avoid recent answers. Wordle rarely repeats an answer soon after it appears, so knowing recent solutions can help you avoid wasted guesses.

Recent Wordle answers

Here are the answers from the past 10 days:

  • Saturday, Oct. 10 (No. 1939): BUMPY
  • Friday, Oct. 9 (No. 1938): MAJOR
  • Thursday, Oct. 8 (No. 1937): STREW
  • Wednesday, Oct. 7 (No. 1936): PROVE
  • Tuesday, Oct. 6 (No. 1935): DIMLY
  • Monday, Oct. 5 (No. 1934): MOCHA
  • Sunday, Oct. 4 (No. 1933): SHACK
  • Saturday, Oct. 3 (No. 1932): PEEVE
  • Friday, Oct. 2 (No. 1931): USURY
  • Thursday, Oct. 1 (No. 1930): RITZY

The past week has included several tricky solutions, including MAJOR, with its rarely used J, and BUMPY, which shared its ending with several other common words.

Final warning: The answer is below

If you want to keep trying, stop reading here.

Today's Wordle answer

The answer to Wordle No. 1940 for Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, is:

UNCAP

What the word means

"Uncap" is a verb meaning to remove the cap or cover from something, such as a bottle, pen or tube. It can also be used figuratively to describe removing a limit or restriction, as in uncapping a budget or a salary limit.

The word combines the prefix "un-," which signals the reversal of an action, with "cap," meaning a covering or lid. The prefix is one of the most common in English and appears in hundreds of everyday words.

Why today's puzzle may be tricky

UNCAP uses mostly common letters, with P being the least frequent of the five. The challenge comes from its structure. Because so few five-letter words begin with U, many players may not test that letter in the first position until late in the game.

Players who found A, N and P early may also have been tempted to try more familiar words before considering a verb that begins with a prefix.

Once players recognize the "un-" pattern, however, the answer tends to fall into place quickly. Other five-letter words that begin with U, such as UNCUT, UNTIL, USUAL and UNION, could serve as useful test guesses if U appears early.

Keep your streak going

Sunday's puzzle is a reminder that Wordle rewards flexible thinking. When common patterns are not working, considering prefixes and less common starting letters can help unlock the answer.

A new Wordle puzzle will be available at midnight local time, giving players a fresh chance to keep their streaks alive on Monday.

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