Wordle puzzle
Wordle puzzle

NEW YORK — The New York Times' Wordle puzzle for Thursday, May 21, 2026, is No. 1,797, with the solution "AGREE," a common verb that challenged many players amid moderate difficulty ratings.

Players had six attempts to guess the five-letter word, with feedback provided through colored tiles: green for correct letters in the right position, yellow for correct letters in the wrong position, and gray for letters not in the word.

According to The New York Times Wordle Review, today's word is AGREE, a verb. It means "to consent or accede (to); say 'yes,'" or "to be in harmony or accord," per Webster's New World College Dictionary.

The puzzle took testers an average of 5.5 guesses, described as very challenging by some metrics, though individual results varied widely. Many players reported solving it in four guesses, while others needed five or six.

Yesterday's answer for puzzle No. 1,796 on May 20 was WRECK.

Wordle, created by Josh Wardle and acquired by The New York Times in 2022, continues to attract millions of daily players. The game resets at midnight local time, offering one puzzle per day with no repeats.

Hints for today's puzzle included a subtle clue: "To go along with." It featured a double letter with E appearing twice and started with A.

Common starting words such as SLATE, CRANE or RAISE helped narrow possibilities. Players who opened with RAISE often saw yellow tiles guiding them toward AGREE.

The game's simple mechanics have sustained its popularity since its public launch in 2021. Sharing results on social media using emoji grids has become a daily ritual for fans.

Wordle maintains a dedicated following across age groups, with players praising its blend of luck, vocabulary knowledge and deduction. The New York Times publishes official hints and the full review daily after the puzzle launches.

For those who missed today's solution, AGREE fits common English usage in contexts of consensus, harmony or acceptance. It appears frequently in both casual conversation and formal writing.

The Times does not publish past answers directly but archives reviews that confirm solutions once the day passes. Independent sites and apps often compile historical lists for reference.

Community discussions on platforms like Reddit's r/wordle featured thousands of posts sharing scores for puzzle 1,797. Many celebrated three- or four-guess solves, while others analyzed near-misses involving words like AHEAD, ALONE or AWARE.

Wordle's difficulty fluctuates based on letter frequency and word commonality. AGREE ranks as a relatively frequent word, yet its double E and specific vowel placement tripped up solvers expecting rarer patterns.

The New York Times has introduced variants including Wordle's companion games such as Connections, Strands and Mini Crosswords, expanding its daily puzzle ecosystem. Wordle remains the flagship title.

Players seeking to improve often study vowel distributions and common consonant clusters. Resources include word frequency lists and elimination strategies that avoid repeating gray letters.

Global participation spans time zones, with players in Asia often solving first each day. Streaks remain a popular personal challenge, with some users maintaining hundreds of consecutive solves.

The game's code limits solutions to a curated list of approximately 2,300 words, avoiding obscure terms while maintaining fairness. Official reviews provide etymology and definitions post-solve.

For May 21, 2026, AGREE joins recent answers including WRECK on May 20 and others from the prior week. Archives show patterns in vowel-heavy or consonant-balanced selections.

Educators sometimes incorporate Wordle into classrooms to build vocabulary and reasoning skills. Its accessibility requires no downloads, only a web browser.

Mobile users access the same puzzle via nytimes.com or the dedicated Games app. Dark mode and high-contrast options support broader accessibility.

As of midday May 21, discussions continued online with players comparing strategies and celebrating streaks preserved by AGREE. Some noted the word's diplomatic connotations fitting current events.

Tomorrow's puzzle, No. 1,798 for May 22, will introduce a fresh challenge at midnight. Players are advised to avoid spoilers until attempting their own solve.

Wordle's enduring appeal lies in its daily rhythm and communal experience. Whether solved in two guesses or six, it delivers a small moment of linguistic satisfaction for participants worldwide.

The solution AGREE for puzzle 1,797 underscores the game's balance of approachability and occasional difficulty spikes. Official hints and community tips help maintain engagement across skill levels.