Let’s face it, everyone hates job interviews. I often joke that a sample of an applicant’s Wordle results could tell me so much more than an interview ever could.

What is Wordle

Wordle is a puzzle where players have six chances to guess a five-letter word. After each guess, the game provides feedback using color-coded tiles: green for letters in the correct position, yellow for letters that are in the word but in the wrong position, and gray for letters not in the word at all. This feedback helps players adjust their subsequent guesses.

It’s a great exercise in logical thinking and adapting to feedback.

First Guess

For the first guess, the player must choose any five-letter word without any feedback to guide them. Do they use the same word every day? Using the same word each time might suggest the applicant prefers routine and structure. 

On the other hand, going with a new word daily could indicate a reliance on instincts and a willingness to take risks.

Subsequent Guesses

Subsequent guesses can also reveal a lot about how a person applies feedback. For example, if a person replays a yellow letter in the exact same position or reuses a gray letter, this could indicate a few things.

  • It might suggest they aren’t paying close attention to detail
  • Or perhaps they rush through tasks and make avoidable mistakes
  • It could point to a reluctance to adapt their approach when given new information
  • Or even an overconfidence without fully processing the feedback

Whereas subsequent plays where the person keeps green letters in the same position, tries yellow letters in different positions, and incorporates unplayed letters could imply a thoughtful, methodical approach. This suggests they 

  • are attentive to feedback and can adjust their strategy based on new information
  • and a strong ability to utilize logic in problem-solving

Hard Mode

There’s also an option to play on hard mode which means any revealed hints must be used in subsequent guesses. Not enabling hard mode, means the player can do things like totally disregard feedback and play a word that they know isn’t correct but may give them additional insight. 

This is really helpful if they’re stuck or going down a rabbit hole and need to narrow their options. It implies strategic and resourceful efforts to ensure they don’t fail, which is admirable when in a pinch. 

But if this strategy is used too early in the game, it could imply impatience or a lack of confidence in their initial approach. Rather than trusting their process, the person might prefer shortcuts over carefully working through challenges. This could indicate a tendency to prioritize quick wins over thoughtful problem-solving when time isn’t a pressure point.

Letter Choices

Another interesting metric is the choice of letters for each guess. Does the player start with common letters like vowels or popular consonants such as R, S, T, L, and N? 

Using high-frequency letters in the early guesses suggests a strategic, probability-based approach—someone who likes to maximize their chances of success by focusing on the most likely options. 

On the flip side, if they start with more obscure or unusual letters, it might indicate a more unconventional, creative thinker, but it could also imply a less efficient path to the goal. 

Average Number of Tries

The average number of tries it takes to solve the puzzle can also be telling. I would even argue this could serve as a cover letter.

For example:

  • If a person mostly solves Wordle in 1 guess, I’d say they have some serious luck—or maybe they’re cheating. This is an extreme outlier and doesn’t reveal much about real problem-solving skills.

  • If they typically solve it in 2 guesses, this indicates a quick and efficient thinker who might rely on strong intuition and luck. Not bad to have a bit of luck on your team.

  • Solving in 3 guesses shows someone who is methodical, using feedback wisely and quickly. They strike a nice balance between speed and strategy.
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  • Solving in 4 guesses suggests solid problem-solving skills, balancing careful consideration with action. However, it might also imply they take a bit more time to explore all possibilities before landing on the answer.

  • Those who solve in 5 guesses demonstrate persistence and patience in navigating through challenges, but they may overanalyze or second-guess themselves, making things harder than they need to be.

  • And solving in 6 guesses shows determination to finish tasks, no matter how long it takes. While this speaks to resilience, it could also suggest they need to fine-tune their approach to arrive at solutions more efficiently.

 

What do you think? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.