From Wordle to Octordle: Why you need to change strategy when you scale
What was successful then may not work now
While playing my daily Wordle and Octordle (like Wordle but 8 at a time), I noticed that I employ different starting word strategies for each game. As I pondered this, I realised what an excellent example this was for why we need to change our strategy when we’re working at scale.
Solving for one
When you are focused on a single task, such as the daily Wordle, it makes sense to focus on getting as much mileage out of each step you take.
With Wordle, this means your starting word should cover the broadest range of possibilities — that is, the most commonly used letters in five-letter words.
I usually opt for TASER. This word uses five common letters and the -ER placement is a frequent ending.
Others players may opt for a word like ADIEU, covering four of the five English vowels. This is a similar letter-frequency strategy as TASER, with a different bonus; prioritising insight about vowels over information about placement.
Whatever your starting word is, it likely doesn’t include repeated letters, less frequent ones, or uncommon words themselves. It is likely you are choosing a starting word…
