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Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're always looking for a way in.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 18, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for June 18, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Admission.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter E.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

ENTRY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

The Moon is slowly making its way back into view after this month's New Moon. It's still faint, but a slim crescent is starting to take shape and will become easier to spot over the next several evenings.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Thursday, June 18, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. Tonight, 23% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

With just your naked eye, tonight you'll be able to see the Mares Fecunditatis and Crisium. And with binoculars or a telescope, you'll also catch a glimpse of the Endymion Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on June 29.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon completes one orbit around Earth in about 29.5 days, moving through eight recognised phases along the way. While the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of its surface lit by the Sun changes as it travels around Earth. As a result, we see the Moon appear in different shapes over the course of a month, from slender crescents and half moons to a bright Full Moon. This repeating sequence of phases is known as the lunar cycle.

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Widow's Bay ends not with a bang, but with a clang. Eight clangs, actually: those of the island's pesky church bell.

The bell rings out in the episode's final moments, in the sudden aftermath of the storm that ravaged Widow's Bay. But what do they mean, and what do they signal for the island's future?

The bells in Widow's Bay are a call for sacrifice.

While the town and its tourists weather out the storm in the shelter below City Hall, Dale (Jeff Hiller) stumbles upon a film reel labeled "For you." In the video, a man urges viewers, "Be strong, honor the pact, and remember, their sacrifice is our survival."

The pact refers to Richard Warren's (Hamish Linklater) deal with the island's threatening entity. He wanted to ensure he and his fellow settlers survived their harsh first winter, and in exchange, the the island demanded (and still demands!) sacrifice. As long as Widow's Bay's residents keep feeding the island, they will keep surviving. Fail to honor the pact, though, and they can expect stormy skies aheads.

SEE ALSO: 'Widow's Bay' review: Your new favorite TV town awaits in this tremendous horror comedy

"The bad times will not end until the covenant is honored, and honored fully," the video continues. "Life for life, the island will make its needs known. One soul for each bell toll."

That's right: The island calls for sacrifice using the church bell. Think of it as the dinner bell from hell, with each ring acting as an order for a tasty treat — sorry, soul — for consumption.

How many souls does Widow's Bay's island want?

The first time we heard the church bell in Widow's Bay, it rang nine times. That means the island hungered for nine souls.

In the season finale, poor custodian Kenny (Michael Malvesti) winds up being the first of those nine souls to be sacrificed. He stumbles into the sacrifice chamber beneath City Hall, kicking out Evan (Kingston Rumi Southwick) and his friends and unwittingly giving up his life in the process. The door slams and locks him in, then the entity — whatever it may be — scarfs him up. That sacrifice is enough to banish the storm battering the island, but it's not a long-term solution.

In Widow's Bay Season 1's last scene, the bell rings out again, eight times. That's the island's way of saying, "Yummy appetizer, but chop-chop on those next eight courses!"

It's a foreboding way to cap off an already devastating episode. On top of revealing Widow's Bay's history of ritualistic sacrifice, the finale also reveals that Ruth (K Callan) isn't the last living descendant of Richard Warren. Evan is her grandson, meaning that in order to break the island's curse, both he and Ruth would have to die. It's the ultimate trolley problem: two lives weighed against those of the entire island. But there's no way Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) will make the choice to kill these two. The trolley is staying on its tracks.

However, the island's need for sacrifice presents a second trolley problem: eight lives or the misery of the entire island. Will Tom pull the proverbial lever and find eight islanders to sacrifice? Or will the residents commit to riding out the curse together? These are questions for Season 2, which I hunger for more than the island hungers for souls.

Widow's Bay Season 1 is now streaming on Apple TV.

We're still three months or more away from the unveiling of the iPhone 18, and outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook likely won't be the one to introduce it (given that John Ternus takes over in September).

But Cook has taken an extraordinary step — and arguably, taken one for Ternus — by warning consumers that this iPhone will be more expensive than its predecessors, thanks to an ongoing memory chip price crunch that won't end anytime soon.

SEE ALSO: Samsung warns memory shortage will be worse next year

"We're doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we've been trying to shield our customers," Cook told the Wall Street Journal in a phone interview.

"But the situation has become unsustainable ... the main point is, unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable."

Cook, who added that Apple had already been absorbing the cost of higher component prices in 2026, didn't specify which products would be more expensive, or by how much.

But with all eyes on the iPhone 18 launch this fall, it's likely Cook is preparing the ground for Apple's flagship product to pass on some of the extra component costs to customers — with increases as high as $200 above iPhone 17 prices.

SEE ALSO: The latest iPhone 18 news, leaks, and rumors

Apple is still one of the largest customers in the world for memory storage, but AI companies have muscled into the game. A company called Techinsights, cited by the Journal, notes that the memory and storage components inside the iPhone 18 Pro are likely to cost Apple an extra $150 for parts alone, compared to the iPhone 17.

A recent report claimed that the iPhone Pro 18 would keep its $1,099 price from the iPhone 17 Pro and that Apple would continue to absorb the difference.

Cook, always savvy about Apple's image in the media, appears to want to squash that rumor as soon as possible.

Best Early Prime Day Tablet Deals Best Android Tablet Deal OnePlus Pad Go 2 $319.99 (Save $80) Get Deal Best iPad deal Apple iPad, 11-inch (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) $299 (Save $50) Get Deal Best kids tablet deal Amazon Fire 7 Kids $54.99 (Save $55) Get Deal

While testing tablets, I've learned a few things. Yes, iPads really are that good, but also, Android tablets are vastly underrated. With Prime Day almost here, running June 23 to 26, I'm focused on which tablets will go on sale. Usually, iPads take big price cuts. Plus, I want to see premium Android tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra reach new all-time low prices.

But what's on sale now? Not much. Ahead of Prime Day, we're tracking tablet deals and found some deals to shop ahead of time. These deals are just OK, but if you're eager to shop now, these are the best tablets on sale at the moment.

SEE ALSO: A Prime Day Apple deals primer: How low prices will go on AirPods, iPads, and MacBooks Best early Prime Day Android tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon OnePlus Pad Go 2 $319.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $80   Get Deal

The OnePlus Pad Go 2 surprised me when I tested it. For under $400, it's a speedy device that's as user-friendly as any iPad I've tested. Plus, the user interface is similar to iOS devices for those looking to switch over. I've been tracking the price on it since testing it, and it's rarely on sale, but right now you can grab the OnePlus Pad Go 2 ahead of Prime Day for just $319.99, saving you $80.

More Android tablet deals

• TCL Tab 10 Gen 4, 10.1-inch (128GB) — $159.99 $199.99 (save $40)

• TCL NXTPAPER 11 Gen 2, 11-inch (128GB) — $199.98 $289 (save $89.02)

• TCL Tab A1 Plus, 12.2-inch (128GB) — $249.99 $299.99 (save $50)

• TCL NXTPAPER 14, 14.3-inch (256GB) — $369 $459.99 (save $90.99)

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ Plus, 12.4-inch (256GB) — $799.99 $1,099.99 (save $300)

Kids tablet deals

• Amazon Fire 7 Kids — $54.99 $109.99 (save $55)

Best early Prime Day iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad, 11-inch (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) $299 at Amazon
$349 Save $50   Get Deal

Right now, get the 11th-generation iPad with A16 chip for $299.99, bringing the tablet under $300. It's not the best price on the iPad, but it is just $25.99 away from its lowest price, so not bad. Need something more advanced? Well, there are more iPad deals on the Air and Pro to explore, too.

More iPad deals

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4 chip, 128GB, WiFi) — $559 $599 (save $40)

• Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M5 chip, 256GB, WiFi) — $937.76 $999 (save $61.24)

TL;DR: QuickBooks Premier 2024 helps businesses manage inventory, invoices, expenses, reporting, and profitability from one place — and it’s on sale for $399.99, saving you $225.

Opens in a new window Credit: Intuit QuickBooks Intuit QuickBooks Desktop Premier 2024 for Windows (1 User): 1-Year Subscription $399.99
$625 Save $225.01   Get Deal

Most business owners don’t start a company because they love bookkeeping. But they do need accurate numbers to make smart decisions, and QuickBooks Desktop Premier 2024 can certainly help.

Available for a limited time for $399.99 (reg. $625), this one-year subscription gives Windows users access to one of the most widely used business accounting platforms around. The math is straightforward: you’re saving $225 off the regular price while getting a full year of tools designed to help keep your finances organized.

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QuickBooks Premier goes beyond basic accounting. It helps businesses manage inventory, track expenses, create invoices, monitor cash flow, manage vendors and customers, and generate detailed financial reports from a single platform.

For businesses that handle products, projects, or multiple clients, the software’s inventory tracking, job costing, purchase order management, and time-tracking features can be especially useful. Instead of piecing together information from multiple spreadsheets, you can see what’s happening across your business in one place.

The reporting tools are another major advantage. Custom reports can help you understand profitability, monitor expenses, and identify trends before they become problems. That’s the kind of visibility that can make a real difference when you’re trying to grow.

QuickBooks Premier 2024 also includes the latest updates, improved inventory management tools, enhanced reporting features, and easier data imports from Excel and previous QuickBooks versions. It does not, however, include Payroll or automated bank feeds.

For business owners who want better insight into their finances without adding unnecessary complexity, QuickBooks Premier remains a practical choice.

Get a one-year subscription to QuickBooks Premier for one user on sale for $399.99 (reg. $625).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Last year, the iPhone Air was a solid first attempt at an ultra-thin iPhone, but it had issues. It sounds like Apple is aware of that, too.

Bloomberg's resident Apple insider Mark Gurman reported on Wednesday that Apple is looking to launch the next iPhone Air in spring 2027 with a couple of key upgrades. First, Gurman said that Apple will reportedly add a second camera lens to the phone's backside, turning a monocular phone into a binocular one. It will be an ultrawide lens, so fans of telephoto zoom might be disappointed, but given that the original model only had one 48MP lens, that's a big deal.

SEE ALSO: The latest iPhone Fold rumors, leaks, and renders: Everything we know so far

Second, Gurman reported that Apple will be improving the device's relatively disappointing battery life, which isn't a surprise. There isn't any info on how Apple engineers will accomplish this, given the phone's extremely small form factor, but nonetheless, it sounds like Apple wants the next iPhone Air to be a longer-lasting device.

This report reaffirms previous reporting from The Information, namely the idea that the new iPhone Air will launch next spring rather than this fall. It's expected that Apple is going to launch the high-end iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Fold phones this fall, with the base iPhone 18 and the new iPhone Air coming later in the spring.

That delay for the next Air was apparently caused by poor sales for the first device.

Our resident iPhone reviewer, Stan Schroeder, was impressed by the first iPhone Air's form factor but noted the lack of a second camera lens and meager battery life in his review. It seems like those problems may have had some impact on its sales performance, as anecdotally speaking, we at Mashable rarely see them in real life. Still, people who love this phone seem to really love this phone, and Apple is still investing in the ultra-thin form factor.

If Apple can fix the camera and battery problems, perhaps the iPhone Air 2 will have a broader appeal.

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel reveals new Specs AR smart glasses at the Augmented World Expo in Long Beach, California.

The 2026 Google Home Speaker is built around Gemini, and for the first time, talking to a smart speaker should actually feel natural. At around $100, the speaker isn’t super-expensive. Just know that the best features cost extra.

The Trump administration is pushing back against actions to address the environmental impact of data centers as it uses AI to beef up its war machine.

Late Monday (June 15) night, the Department of Justice intervened in a Mississippi federal court case, urging the court to dismiss the lawsuit in a memo from associate attorney general Stanley Woodward, Jr.

The lawsuit was brought forth by the NAACP. It argues that the presence of unpermitted gas-powered turbines operated by xAI and its subsidiary, MZX Tech, in Southaven, Mississippi disproportionately pollute Black neighborhoods and violate the Clean Air Act.

SEE ALSO: The NAACP is fighting back against AI data centers

In the notice, the Justice Department argued that the lawsuit is a national security threat because it "seeks to shut off the power supply for artificial-intelligence innovation that supports the Department of War’s military operations," the New York Times reported.

It's not the NAACP's first time suing over the widespread environmental concerns prompted by expansive data center investment. In January, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruled that xAI's Colossus methane gas turbines in Memphis, Tennessee could not skirt air regulation requirements. It was considered a victory for the NAACP, which filed a lawsuit over the turbines' potentially cancerous nitrogen oxide emissions.

SEE ALSO: Report: AI can perpetuate anti-LGBTQ hate

But those same turbines are also operating just across the border in Mississippi, powering xAI's Colossus 2 data center. Building on the previous win, the NAACP is now seeking an injunction and $124,000 per day per violation payout from xAI for its Mississippi operation.

The Justice Department's memo is a rare instance of the agency intervening to prevent environmental law from being enforced, advocates say. In addition to a call to halt the case, Woodward argued that individual citizens and groups should not have the power to sue over the enforcement of the Clean Air Act and asserted that the federal government should have "unchallenged authority" to stop them. The Act has historically provided a pathway for citizen suits on behalf of affected communities and environmental groups.