Wordle today: Here's the answer, hints for January 16

Welcome back from the weekend! It's Monday, and with it comes a new Wordle puzzle to kick off your work week. And as always, we're here with some tips and hints to help you find the solution.

If you just want to be told the answer, you can scroll to the bottom of this article to get January 16's Wordle solution right away. But if you prefer to work it out yourself, keep reading for a few clues, tips, and strategies to help you get there.

Where did Wordle come from?

Wordle was originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a cute gift for his partner, though the game soon became a daily habit for thousands around the globe (as well as new content for TikTok creators). Inspiring numerous clones and variations, the word guessing game was eventually bought by the New York Times, which still continues to put a new puzzle live every day.

Games inspired by Wordle include battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variants such as Dordle and Quordle that have you trying to guess multiple words at once.

Not the day you're after? Here's the Wordle answer for January 15.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

In our humble opinion, the best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to your heart. But if you want a more strategic approach to it, we have some ideas to help you select the perfect opening. Some helpful tips include choosing a word that has at least two different vowels in it, and making sure there are some common consonants like S, T, R, or N mixed in.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

In happier times, the entire archive of past Wordles was openly available for everybody to enjoy whenever they felt the urge for a word puzzle. Unfortunately this library has since been erased from the internet, with the website's creator saying its removal was at the New York Times' request.

Is Wordle getting harder?

Though it may feel as though solving Wordle's puzzles is more of a struggle than it used to be, the game isn't getting any harder. You are able to make it more difficult though, as Wordle has a Hard Mode you can enable.

Why are there two different Wordle answers some days?

Wordle solutions usually stand alone, with only one correct answer per day. However occasionally the puzzle game will break this rule and accept two different solutions as correct on the same day. This is because the New York Times made changes to Wordle after acquiring it, swapping out some answers for new ones.

The Times has since added its own updated word list, so this should happen even less frequently than before. To avoid any confusion, it's a good idea to refresh your browser before getting stuck into a new puzzle.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

The solution to today's Wordle is sartorially related, and isn't a word that is commonly used nowadays.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There aren't any double letters in today's Wordle answer, so you don't have to worry about that!

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter F, as in "FREEZE" by Stray Kids.

What's the answer to Wordle today?

It's now time to reveal the answer to today's Wordle!

Get your last guesses in now!

The solution to Wordle #576 is...

FROCK.

Don't worry if you didn't get it today — the good thing about Wordle is that there's always another opportunity to try again. Come back tomorrow for more helpful clues and hints!

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.