Today’s Clues and Answer Revealed: July 17, 2025

Feeling Moody? Today’s Wordle Might Strike the Right Chord

It’s Thursday, and Wordle warriors know what that means — the week’s not over, but your streak might be. Whether you're sipping chai, dodging emails, or just pretending to work, today's five-letter puzzle is here to either make or break your morning.

Will it be a brain-tickling joyride or a keyboard-smashing tragedy? Only one way to find out. But beware — Thursday Wordles have a sneaky habit of looking easy and feeling evil. Sharpen your wit, stretch those vowels, and let’s dive in before the coffee wears off!

Also, here are 5 lesser-known facts about Wordle:

• Developed as a Love Gift: Wordle was first created by software developer Josh Wardle as a present for his girlfriend, who enjoyed word games.
• Constrained Daily Play Was Deliberate: The one-puzzle-a-day model was implemented to prevent players from bingeing, and the game could feel exclusive and viable.
• More Than 12,000 Words Are Screened: Although Wordle employs a set of about 2,300 solution words, it screens out guesses from an enormous set of more than 12,000 five-letter English words.
• There is a colorblind mode: Wordle features a high-contrast mode with orange and blue squares for colorblind users, favoring accessibility.
• The name is a pun: 'Wordle' is a punning play on the developer's last name, Wardle, and the word-gaming focus of the game.
  
  

Yesterday’s Wordle Answer: July 16, 2025

It’s a tricky one — that ‘V’ and ‘Y’ combo can definitely throw players off.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer for July 16, 2025 was: NERVY.

Wordle Clues for July 17, 2025

Clue 1: It’s something both grammar nerds and jazz musicians talk about.

Clue 2: Think scales, not the ones for weighing.

Clue 3: This word often helps describe moods, modes or methods.

Clue 4: It might pop up in linguistics when discussing verbs like should or night.

Do you want a bonus clue or sentence with it hidden in plain sight?

What is the Superhint for today?

Bonus sentence:

'She moved deliberately through the scale exercises, perfecting every subtle _____ nuance.'

Bonus clue:

Not quite certain, not quite firm - this five-letter word dances between possibilities.

Here’s the answer if you're still wondering what the Wordle word is.

Wordle Answer for July 17, 2025

I help you express what might or should be,

In language or jazz, you’ll often find me.

I’m not a noun, yet I’m quite essential,

For moods, tones, and keys, I’m influential.

What five-letter word am I?

✨ Answer: MODAL ✨

Want More Wordle? Play Again and Again!

If you're an NYT subscriber with full access to the publication's games, you don't need to quit after one round of Wordle. You'll have access to an archive of over 1,400 past Wordle games. So if you're a recent newcomer, you'll be able to look back and play catch-up on earlier editions.

Furthermore, paid NYT Games members have access to a tool known as the Wordle Bot. This allows you to track your performance in each day's game.