So, it's January 4, and you're probably staring at a grid of gray and yellow boxes wondering where it all went wrong. Honestly, it happens to the best of us. You start with your "perfect" word—maybe something like STARE or ADIEU—and suddenly you realize you're on your fifth guess with nothing but a P and an E to show for it.
Today's puzzle, Wordle #1659, is one of those that feels easy once you see it but is weirdly elusive while you're in the thick of it. If you are currently sweating over your streak, take a breath. You're not losing your edge; this word just has a specific structure that trips up the usual elimination tactics.
Hints for the Wordle Answer Today Jan 4
Before I just give it away, let's see if we can get your brain moving in the right direction. Sometimes all you need is a little nudge to realize you’ve been ignoring a specific letter combination.
- The Vowel Situation: There are two vowels in today's word.
- Starting Letter: The word begins with the letter P.
- Ending Letter: It wraps up with an E.
- The "Double" Trouble: Yes, there is a repeating letter. This is usually what kills people’s streaks.
- The Vibe: Think of a group of friends, or maybe a crew from an old Western movie.
If you’re still scratching your head, think about how people describe a tight-knit "squad." It’s a word that feels a bit vintage but is still used constantly in pop culture.
The Wordle Answer Today Jan 4 Is...
Ready for it? The answer is POSSE.
Yeah, it’s that double "S" in the middle that makes it tricky. Most players spend their first three guesses trying to find five unique letters. When a word uses the same consonant twice, it feels like you're "wasting" a slot, but in cases like this, it’s the only way home.
Why Today’s Word Was Actually Tough
If you struggled with POSSE, you're definitely not alone. According to the data usually pulled from WordleBot (the NYT's analytical tool), words with double consonants in the 3rd and 4th positions have a significantly lower "solve-in-three" rate.
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Most people use a strategy of "letter elimination." You try to knock out the R, S, T, L, and N as fast as possible. If you used a word like "ROAST" or "RAISE," you likely saw that "S" turn yellow or green. But your brain probably didn't immediately jump to two S's. We tend to look for words like "PAUSE" or "POISE" first.
Honestly, the word "POSSE" also has a bit of a weird phonetic flow. It’s got that soft "e" at the end that can be mistaken for a silent one, but in the context of the double "S," it creates a very specific rhythm.
Expert Tips to Keep Your Streak Alive
Since we are early in the year, now is the time to tighten up your game. You don't want to be the person who loses a 200-day streak in the first week of January.
1. Don't fear the doubles
By guess four, if you have a few letters but they aren't forming a common word, start considering doubles. Letters like S, L, T, and E are notorious for appearing twice.
2. The "Y" Factor
A lot of people forget that "Y" acts like a vowel. While it wasn't in today's word, it’s a common trap when you're stuck with only one "real" vowel like O or A.
3. Use a "Burn" Word
If you are on guess four and have three possible answers (like POSSE, POISE, or POSES), don't just guess one and hope. Use a word that contains the different letters from all three possibilities. It might cost you a turn, but it guarantees you won't fail on guess six.
Looking Back at Recent Puzzles
It’s been an interesting start to the month. On January 1st, we had FABLE, followed by PROOF on the 2nd, and RELAX on the 3rd. Looking at that sequence, you can see the NYT editors like to mix up the "vibes." We went from a classic noun to a double-vowel word, to a very common verb, and now to a noun with a double consonant.
If you're playing other games like Connections or Strands, you’ve probably noticed they are getting a bit more abstract lately too. It seems like the 2026 puzzle season is leaning into words that we use in conversation but don't necessarily type out every day.
Keep your eyes on those common consonants. The "S" is your best friend until it's your worst enemy—like today.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve for tomorrow's puzzle, try starting with a word that uses "C" or "M." We haven't seen those much this week, and the NYT loves to rotate through the alphabet to keep us on our toes. Go grab some coffee, celebrate that you kept your streak, and I'll see you for the next one.