The short answer: yes, and it started in 2026
For almost five years, no Wordle answer was ever used twice. Then, on 2 February 2026, puzzle #1689 turned out to be CIGAR, the same word as the very first puzzle, #0, from 19 June 2021.
Since then it has happened again and again. Between puzzle #1689 and puzzle #1949 (20 October 2026) there have been 28 repeated answers out of 261 puzzles, which is about 11%, or roughly one repeat every nine days. Each of those 28 words has been used exactly twice so far.
This article lists every one of them, shows the patterns in the data and explains what it means for the way you play. The numbers come from our own archive of every Wordle answer, checked puzzle by puzzle with no gaps. Only past answers are shown here, never today’s word.
Every repeated Wordle answer, in order
The table lists each word in the order it came back, with both dates and the number of days between the two uses. Last updated with data up to puzzle #1949 on 20 October 2026.
| Word | First used | Used again | Days between |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIGAR | #0, 19 Jun 2021 | #1689, 2 Feb 2026 | 1,689 |
| SQUAD | #296, 11 Apr 2022 | #1704, 17 Feb 2026 | 1,408 |
| AWAKE | #4, 23 Jun 2021 | #1708, 21 Feb 2026 | 1,704 |
| LINEN | #51, 9 Aug 2021 | #1718, 3 Mar 2026 | 1,667 |
| GRADE | #15, 4 Jul 2021 | #1730, 15 Mar 2026 | 1,715 |
| IVORY | #59, 17 Aug 2021 | #1742, 27 Mar 2026 | 1,683 |
| COMET | #122, 19 Oct 2021 | #1745, 30 Mar 2026 | 1,623 |
| SANDY | #1226, 27 Oct 2024 | #1750, 4 Apr 2026 | 524 |
| STAND | #57, 15 Aug 2021 | #1765, 19 Apr 2026 | 1,708 |
| BRING | #164, 30 Nov 2021 | #1778, 2 May 2026 | 1,614 |
| CLOCK | #160, 26 Nov 2021 | #1788, 12 May 2026 | 1,628 |
| AGREE | #70, 28 Aug 2021 | #1797, 21 May 2026 | 1,727 |
| SMILE | #830, 27 Sep 2023 | #1806, 30 May 2026 | 976 |
| THUMB | #115, 12 Oct 2021 | #1814, 7 Jun 2026 | 1,699 |
| BREAK | #172, 8 Dec 2021 | #1819, 12 Jun 2026 | 1,647 |
| ACUTE | #190, 26 Dec 2021 | #1833, 26 Jun 2026 | 1,643 |
| BATON | #183, 19 Dec 2021 | #1840, 3 Jul 2026 | 1,657 |
| STOUT | #65, 23 Aug 2021 | #1850, 13 Jul 2026 | 1,785 |
| FLUME | #68, 26 Aug 2021 | #1867, 30 Jul 2026 | 1,799 |
| GRIPE | #187, 23 Dec 2021 | #1874, 6 Aug 2026 | 1,687 |
| FEIGN | #19, 8 Jul 2021 | #1875, 7 Aug 2026 | 1,856 |
| TRACE | #179, 15 Dec 2021 | #1889, 21 Aug 2026 | 1,710 |
| CLICK | #134, 31 Oct 2021 | #1893, 25 Aug 2026 | 1,759 |
| FOCUS | #267, 13 Mar 2022 | #1912, 13 Sep 2026 | 1,645 |
| FORTH | #55, 13 Aug 2021 | #1922, 23 Sep 2026 | 1,867 |
| PROVE | #163, 29 Nov 2021 | #1936, 7 Oct 2026 | 1,773 |
| MAJOR | #20, 9 Jul 2021 | #1938, 9 Oct 2026 | 1,918 |
| STINK | #14, 3 Jul 2021 | #1948, 19 Oct 2026 | 1,934 |
Want to check any other word? Every past answer, with its puzzle number and date, is in the Wordle answer archive.
What the data shows
1. Repeats are about bringing back old words. 26 of the 28 repeated words were first used in the opening 300 puzzles, between June 2021 and April 2022. Only two come from later: SMILE (first used in September 2023) and SANDY (first used in October 2024).
2. The gaps are long. 26 of the 28 repeats came back after more than 1,400 days, which is almost four years. The longest gap so far is STINK at 1,934 days. The shortest is SANDY at 524 days.
3. The pace is steady. There were no repeats at all in the first 1,689 puzzles. Since February 2026 the numbers have been similar every month:
| Month (2026) | Repeats |
|---|---|
| February | 3 |
| March | 4 |
| April | 2 |
| May | 4 |
| June | 3 |
| July | 3 |
| August | 4 |
| September | 2 |
| October (to the 20th) | 3 |
That works out at two to four repeats a month, with no clear upward or downward trend.
4. Nothing has been used three times. Each of the 28 words has appeared exactly twice so far.
One thing the data cannot tell us is why. We only track which words were used and when, so we cannot say whether this is a planned change or something else. What we can say is that, so far, it happens about once every nine days.
What this means for your game
“It was already used” is no longer a safe rule. Many players used to cross out words they remembered from past puzzles. That shortcut can now cost you a guess, because roughly one puzzle in nine since February has been a word that was used before.
Old favourites are more likely than new words. Almost all of the repeats come from the first 300 puzzles. If your board fits a plain, common word that you suspect was used in 2021, do not rule it out.
Check, do not guess. If you want to find out whether a word has already been used, look it up in the Wordle answer archive. It lists every answer with its puzzle number and date, and it never shows today’s word.
Pattern solvers should not hide past answers. That is why our Wordle solver searches the full list of valid words and does not have a “hide past answers” switch. A word that was an answer in 2022 can come back, so hiding it could hide the real answer.
Need a hint without a spoiler? Our daily Wordle hints start with gentle clues and keep the answer hidden until you choose to reveal it. If you want to know which letters tend to appear in answers, see our analysis of the most common letters in Wordle answers.
Wordle repeat FAQs
Has Wordle ever repeated an answer?
Yes. The first repeat was CIGAR on 2 February 2026 (puzzle #1689), the same word as puzzle #0. By 20 October 2026 there had been 28 repeated answers.
Which Wordle answer was repeated first?
CIGAR, which was both the very first Wordle answer in June 2021 and the first one to come back.
Has any Wordle answer been used three times?
Not so far. All 28 repeated words have appeared exactly twice.
How often does Wordle repeat an answer now?
About 11% of puzzles since February 2026, or roughly once every nine days. The monthly count has stayed between two and four.
How long is the gap before a word comes back?
Usually well over three years. 26 of the 28 repeats came back after more than 1,400 days. The shortest gap so far was 524 days, for SANDY.
Can I check whether a word was a past answer?
Yes. Every past answer is listed in our Wordle answer archive with its puzzle number and date.
About this data
We compared every Wordle answer from puzzle #0 (19 June 2021) to puzzle #1949 (20 October 2026). The data has no missing dates and no gaps in puzzle numbers. We will update the table and the counts as new repeats happen, so check the date near the top of the table. Only past answers appear on this page.
Try Hard Wordle is an independent site. It is not affiliated with The New York Times or any guide site.
