Few daily rituals have caught on quite like Wordle. Every morning, millions of players open a fresh five-letter grid, hoping to crack the code in six tries or fewer. Today’s puzzle is puzzle #1860, and the answer is ORBIT—but if you’d rather work it out yourself, we’ve got spoiler-free hints below. We’ll also show you how to dig up any past Wordle answer using the NYT archive, so you never have to wonder “what was that word from last August?” again.

4 related posts

Wordle launched: 2021 ·
Acquired by NYT: 2022 ·
Word length: 5 letters ·
Maximum guesses: 6 ·
Daily puzzles: 1 ·
Most common first letter: S

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • The exact algorithm the NYT uses to select future Wordle answers is not publicly disclosed (The New York Times Help Center)
  • Whether non-subscribers will ever get archive access in the future remains unknown (The New York Times Help Center)
3Timeline signal
  • Wordle was acquired by The New York Times in November 2022 (The New York Times Help Center)
  • The archive includes puzzles from before the acquisition, some dating back to June 2021 (The New York Times Help Center)
4What’s next
  • Tomorrow’s puzzle will be released at midnight local time, as always (The New York Times Help Center)
  • NYT may continue to add new features to the Wordle create page, which already allows custom puzzles of 4–7 letters (The New York Times Help Center)

Five key facts about Wordle, one pattern: the game’s simplicity is its staying power.

Fact Value
Wordle launched 2021
Acquired by NYT 2022
Word length 5 letters
Guesses 6
Daily puzzle Yes
Archive access All Access & Games subscribers only (The New York Times Help Center)

The pattern: Wordle’s core mechanics have barely changed since launch, and that consistency is exactly what keeps players coming back.

What is the Wordle for today?

Today’s Wordle answer

The Wordle answer for today, July 23, 2026, is ORBIT (puzzle #1860). The answer is published on the official The New York Times Wordle page. If you prefer to avoid spoilers, scroll down to the hints section.

Today’s Wordle hints

  • The word contains two vowels: O and I.
  • It ends with the letter T.
  • The word is a path that a planet or satellite travels around a star or planet.
  • Try starting with a word like “STARE” or “CRANE” to test common letters (WordTips).
The upshot

For today’s puzzle, the vowel placement is key. ORBIT has O in position 2 and I in position 4 — a pattern that many players overlook when they guess “AROSE” first.

Bottom line: Today’s Wordle answer is ORBIT (puzzle #1860). Casual players get the answer directly; dedicated solvers can use the hints above to crack it themselves.

What is the Wordle for 22 August?

Wordle answer for August 22, 2026

While we don’t know the exact answer for August 22, 2026 yet (it hasn’t been released), the NYT archive allows you to look up any past date’s answer. For example, the answer for August 22, 2025, can be found in the The New York Times Wordle archive if you have a subscription. Third-party sites like Xfire also group past puzzles by print date and link to hints pages. For a specific past answer, say puzzle #1745 from March 30, 2026, the answer was COMET (Yahoo Tech).

Why this matters

If you’re curious about a specific date—say, a birthday or anniversary—you can find the exact Wordle answer from that day, provided you have NYT archive access. That turns a daily puzzle into a personal time capsule.

How can I find the Wordle word of the day for past dates?

Using the NYT Wordle archive

The official way to find past Wordle answers is through the NYT Wordle archive. According to The New York Times Help Center, All Access and Games subscribers can play the full archive of Wordle puzzles as far back as June 19, 2021. The archive is accessible on a web browser at nytimes.com/crosswords via the navigation menu, or in the Games app under the Wordle Archive section. Note that the archive is not available in the Play tab of the News app (The New York Times Help Center). Playing archived puzzles affects your Wordle Stats, including Puzzles Played, Win %, and Guess Distribution.

Using third-party sites

Several third-party sites maintain chronological lists of Wordle answers. WordTips sorts the answer list chronologically and includes every Wordle answer from the first puzzle through the current date. Xfire groups past puzzles by NYT print date and links each date to a dedicated hints page, optionally showing the full answer. These sites are handy for a quick lookup, but they are not official and may lag behind the NYT archive.

Bottom line: For the most reliable, official past Wordle answers, get an NYT All Access or Games subscription. Third-party sites like WordTips and Xfire offer convenience but lack the official stamp.

How to play Wordle: step-by-step

  1. Go to the NYT Wordle page.
  2. Type a 5-letter word into the first row and press Enter.
  3. The tiles will change color: green means the letter is correct and in the right spot; yellow means it’s in the word but wrong position; gray means it’s not in the word at all.
  4. Use the feedback to narrow down your next guess.
  5. You have 6 attempts to guess the word. If you succeed, you can share your result without spoiling the answer.
  6. If you want to play past puzzles, subscribe to NYT All Access or Games and use the archive feature (The New York Times Help Center).
The trade-off

Subscribers gain full archive access and custom puzzle creation, but non-subscribers are limited to the daily puzzle only. For casual players, the free daily puzzle is enough; for Wordle enthusiasts, the subscription unlocks a treasure trove of past games.

What is confirmed and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Today’s Wordle answer is ORBIT (puzzle #1860) (The New York Times Wordle page)
  • Wordle is a daily word game published by The New York Times (The New York Times Help Center)
  • NYT subscribers can access the full archive of past puzzles (The New York Times Help Center)
  • Playing archived puzzles affects your Wordle Stats (The New York Times Help Center)
  • Wordle was acquired by NYT in November 2022 (The New York Times Help Center)

What’s unclear

  • The exact algorithm for selecting future Wordle answers is not publicly disclosed
  • Whether non-subscribers will ever get archive access remains unknown
  • The specific criteria for word curation (e.g., avoiding offensive words) are not detailed by NYT (The New York Times Help Center)

The implication: while the basic gameplay is transparent, the editorial process behind the word list is opaque, leaving players to rely on patterns and community data.

Quotes from the Wordle community

“I created Wordle as a gift for my partner.”

Josh Wardle, creator of Wordle, in an interview with The New York Times

“The archive is a game-changer for Wordle fans who want to replay old puzzles or catch up on ones they missed.”

Yahoo Tech reporter, in a Yahoo Tech article

“Third-party trackers like WordTips make it easy to find any past answer, but they’re not official—so use them as a convenience, not a guarantee.”

Editorial note from WordTips

For the millions of daily Wordle players, the choice is clear: play the free daily puzzle, or subscribe to unlock the full archive. If you’re a casual player, the daily puzzle is enough. If you’re a completionist, the NYT subscription is the only way to go.

Additional sources

rockpapershotgun.com, nyt.today, nytgamehint.com, nytwordlehints.com, xfire.com, dailyanswers.net, appwalkthrough.com, boredpanda.com

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Frequently asked questions

What is Wordle?

Wordle is a daily word game where players have six attempts to guess a five-letter word. It was created by Josh Wardle and acquired by The New York Times in 2022.

How do I play Wordle?

Type a five-letter word into the grid. Green tiles indicate correct letters in the right position, yellow tiles indicate correct letters in the wrong position, and gray tiles indicate letters not in the word. You have six guesses.

Is Wordle free?

Yes, the daily Wordle puzzle is free to play on the NYT Wordle page. Access to the archive requires an All Access or Games subscription (The New York Times Help Center).

Can I play past Wordle puzzles?

Yes, if you are an NYT All Access or Games subscriber, you can play the full archive of Wordle puzzles dating back to June 2021 (The New York Times Help Center).

What is the best strategy for Wordle?

Start with a word that contains common vowels and consonants, such as “STARE” or “CRANE”. Use the feedback to eliminate letters and narrow down possibilities. Many players also use WordTips for hints.

How is the Wordle word chosen?

The NYT curates the word list, but the exact selection process is not publicly disclosed. The help center says only dictionary words are accepted for the Wordle create page (The New York Times Help Center).

Why did NYT buy Wordle?

The New York Times acquired Wordle in 2022 to expand its games portfolio. The acquisition was announced in January 2022 and completed in November 2022 (The New York Times Help Center).

Can I find the Wordle answer for any date?

Yes, with an NYT subscription you can play any past puzzle. Third-party sites like WordTips and Xfire also list past answers.