The New York Times released Wordle puzzle number 1869 on Saturday, August 1, 2026. The five-letter answer was slush.
This word contains one vowel and one repeated letter. It starts with the letter S and refers to wet, watery snow or mud.
According to etymological notes by Forbes contributor Erik Kain, the term entered English in the 17th century.
It comes from Scandinavian origins, related to the Norwegian dialect word slusk, meaning slop or melted snow. Over time, it evolved into compound terms like slush fund.
How Players Solved It
Players using the official Wordle Bot tracked their strategies.
Kain started with the word CLUES, which narrowed the possibilities to eight and revealed two green boxes and one yellow box.
His second guess, SPRIG, reduced the options to two. He then solved the puzzle on his third attempt with SLUSH.
In competitive scoring against the Wordle Bot, Kain tied the automated tool on August 1. Both completed the puzzle in three guesses.
Under competitive rules, a three-guess solution earns one point, while tying yields zero additional points. Both Kain and the bot are tied at one point for the month.
The previous day's puzzle, number 1868 for July 31, 2026, featured a different challenge.
According to FTW USA Today, that word functioned as both a noun and a verb, contained two vowels, and is commonly associated with bags or lips.
The Times' WordleBot highlighted CRANE as the top recommended starting word, with alternatives like ADIEU, STARE, and ROAST.
