'Wordle' today: Get the answer, hints for June 1

It's the first day of summer (or winter for our southern hemisphere friends) and the good folks of Wordle have cooked up a fresh new puzzle for us to solve, as they do every day. If you just couldn't get today's answer and prefer to cut to the chase, you can skip to the end of this article for the solution to Wordle 347.

But for those of you who'd rather work out the answer yourself, keep reading for some subtle clues to nudge you towards the answer, and strategies to help you every day.

Some background: Wordle was originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, but soon went mega-viral. Thousands of people around the globe now play this game each day, and fans have even created alternate Wordle versions inspired by the original. This includes battle royale format Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

In fact, the word puzzle game has proved so popular that the New York Times eventually bought it, and TikTok creators livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you're after? Here's the Wordle answer for May 31.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that makes you happy. However, if you prefer a strategic approach over an emotional one, we have some ideas to help you select the perfect opening. A key consideration is choosing a word with at least two different vowels in it, plus a few common consonants such as T, S, or N.

I have a friend who starts with PENIS every day, and you know what? Mathematically speaking, he's not wrong. (Though it's not in the original word list, so it will almost certainly never be the answer.)

Explore the Wordle archive

One Wordle a day is all well and good, but sometimes it just isn't enough. If you want to escape into the world of Wordle for a bit longer, the entire archive of past puzzles is available for you to explore whenever you'd like. Just remember to get up and stretch every now and again, and maybe eat something.

Is Wordle getting harder?

If you've been finding Wordle too easy, there is a Hard Mode you can switch on to give yourself more of a challenge. But in general, we can assure you that Wordle isn't getting harder. 

Why are there two different Wordle answers some days?

Usually, Wordle solutions are like Highlander: There can be only one. However, occasionally the game will accept two different correct solutions on the same day, in apparent defiance of Wordle law. This aberration is due to changes the New York Times made to the original word list and order after it acquired Wordle earlier this year.

A subtle hint for the June 1 Wordle answer:

It's a sound (and also sounds like another word that's spelled differently).

The June 1 Wordle today is a 5-letter word that starts with...

The letter C!

What's the answer to the June 1 Wordle?

Ready?

We're going to tell you.

It's...

CREAK.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Amanda Yeo and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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