Hard wordle

 While ADIEU is a popular starting word for Wordle, there are several alternatives that might be considered better, especially for 'hard' mode:

1. TRACE is currently considered the best starting word by WordleBot, the New York Times' AI tool for Wordle[7]. It's rated 99/100 for skill and contains common letters that can be easily reused in subsequent guesses.

2. SLATE was previously recommended by WordleBot and is still considered an excellent choice[3]. It uses common letters and can provide valuable information for follow-up guesses.

3. CRANE is another top-rated word by WordleBot, also scoring 99/100[3]. It includes common consonants and vowels, making it versatile for hard mode.

4. SALET, though less common, was determined by MIT researchers to be the best starting word, performing 1% better than SLATE in narrowing down options[3].

5. STARE is recommended by some of the Tom's Guide team, as it uses common letters in frequent positions (S is the most common first letter, A the most common third letter, and E the most common fifth letter in Wordle answers)[1].

These words are generally considered better than ADIEU because they use more common letters, potentially providing more useful information for subsequent guesses in hard mode. However, the effectiveness of a starting word can vary depending on the specific puzzle and personal strategy.

Citations:

[1] https://www.tomsguide.com/news/best-wordle-start-words

[2] https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/best-tips-and-starting-words-for-wordle/

[3] https://www.techradar.com/how-to/wordle-best-starting-word

[4] https://prowritingaid.com/best-wordle-starting-words

[5] https://mashable.com/article/best-wordle-starting-word

[6] https://wordfinder.yourdictionary.com/blog/the-best-first-words-to-play-in-wordle-and-why/

[7] https://www.techradar.com/computing/websites-apps/wordle-has-a-new-best-start-word-but-i-won-t-be-using-it

[8] https://www.gamespot.com/articles/wordle-best-starting-words-to-use-and-other-game-tips/1100-6499460/