Today's Wordle Answer #487 - October 19, 2022 Solution And Hints

As with yesterday's puzzle, today's Wordle answer contains an unusual letter, so it might be a tricky one to figure out — and, as you probably already know, Wordle puzzles do not give you the luxury of unlimited chances. Although that's what makes the game so fun, it could also become a source of frustration, so if you're struggling with today's puzzle, here's some help. We'll provide some clues to nudge you toward the solution word, but if you don't want to think too hard, you can just skip to the second section to see the answer.

Today's word is a noun that describes a person's peculiarity or foibles, but it can also be used as a verb that means to curve or twist. There are two vowels, "U" and "I," as the second and third letters, respectively. What's the unusual letter? In this case, it is "Q," and it's the first letter of this word. It's synonymous with idiosyncrasy or oddity in one context, and accident or vagary in another. If you're still unsure of the answer and don't mind the spoiler, check out the reveal in the following section.

The solution to today's Wordle puzzle (#487 — October 19, 2022) is quirk. A quirk is a kink or mannerism peculiar to something or someone, or at least that has been its most common usage context since the 17th century. Before then, the word quirk had other definitions, some of which are "flourishing penmanship," "twists of fate," or "witty turns of phrase" (via Merriam-Webster). In modern English, the word quirk also gets common usage as a verb that describes a facial expression involving a significant curve or arch, like a raised eyebrow or a crooked smile. As much as it has evolved, the origin of the word quirk is unknown.

It took five tries to figure out the answer today — we started guessing with the word clout, then followed up with the word swung, which didn't yield much information to work with. But we did gather enough info after guessing the words brave and timid, after which the solution was apparent. WordleBot solved the puzzle in four guesses, and we hope you do even better. And if you're a major Wordle buff, here are some similar puzzles you might also enjoy.