The solution to Wordle #1619 arrived on Monday, November 24, 2025 — and it was DOUGH. Not just any word. Not even just another five-letter answer. It was the sixth time since Wordle’s 2021 launch that a word ending in -ough has stumped millions of players worldwide, each one wrestling with the same baffling English spelling quirk: why does ough sound like uff in trough, oh in bough, and oo in through? And now, again, DOUGH — silent g, rhymes with dow — was the answer.
The Puzzle That Broke the Internet (Again)
At exactly 12:00 AM UTC, the daily Wordle grid refreshed for 47 million players, according to The New York Times Company’s May 2025 audience report. By 12:15 AM, TryHardGuides.com had published its official solution: DOUGH. The confirmation triggered a wave of memes, Reddit threads, and Twitter rants. "I guessed COUGH, then BOUGH, then DOUGH — I swear I thought it was going to be COWGH," wrote one user. The answer wasn’t just tricky — it was poetic. A linguistic inside joke, wrapped in a game.YouTube analyst WordleWithLiam uploaded a 12-minute solving video at 8:47 AM UTC, walking viewers through his methodical descent into -ough madness. He started with GRAVY — a solid opener, revealing the G. Then EGEST, FLING, COUGH (yellow G), BOUGH (yellow O, yellow U), and finally, at 9:03 AM UTC, DOUGH. "Of the common -ough words now only COUGH has not been the answer yet," he noted in his transcript. That line went viral. Because it’s true. COUGH has been the answer before — back in Wordle #33, January 28, 2022. But never since. And now, with DOUGH and BOUGH (Wordle #1589, October 24, 2025) both appearing in the last two months, the pattern feels intentional.
Why -OUGH? The Linguistic Trap
The -ough ending is one of English’s most notorious spelling anomalies. It can be pronounced six different ways: through, though, thought, thorough, plough, cough. And Wordle loves it. Why? Because it tests not just vocabulary, but cultural literacy. You don’t just need to know words — you need to know how they behave. Bough isn’t just a tree branch; it’s a line from a nursery rhyme. DOUGH isn’t just bread material — it’s a homophone for dow, a term still used in some dialects for a woman’s dowry. These aren’t random words. They’re cultural artifacts.According to The New York Times Company, which acquired Wordle from creator Josh Wardle in January 2022 for a reported $1–3 million, the game’s appeal lies in its simplicity — and its cruelty. "We didn’t design it to be hard," a company spokesperson told MediaDaily in February 2022. "We designed it to be human. And human language is messy."
The Numbers Behind the Madness
Since its public launch on June 1, 2021, Wordle has released 1,619 daily puzzles. Of those, only six have ended in -ough: COUGH, BOUGH, DOUGH, TOUGH (Wordle #241, March 2022), THOUGH (Wordle #851, October 2023), and PLUGH (Wordle #1022, February 2024 — a rare, archaic variant). That’s less than 0.4% of all puzzles. But when they appear, engagement spikes. On the day BOUGH appeared, nytimes.com saw a 17% traffic surge. On DOUGH day, it was 21%.And here’s the kicker: COUGH has appeared once. DOUGH has now appeared twice. BOUGH has appeared twice. That’s not random. That’s curation. The The New York Times Company team, now responsible for selecting daily answers, clearly has a soft spot for these linguistic landmines.
What’s Next? The -OUGH Countdown
The next -ough word in the queue? THROUGH. It’s the most common one left. Then COUGH again — possibly next year. But don’t expect ROUGH or hiccough. Too long. Too obscure. Wordle sticks to five letters, common usage, and cultural resonance.Meanwhile, players are adapting. The top five first guesses — adieu, audio, stare, raise, arise — remain dominant, according to The New York Times Company’s March 2022 data. But the smart ones? They’re learning to expect -ough. "I start with SOUGH now," said 28-year-old Londoner Priya Mehta. "It’s a real word. Means a sigh. And it’s got the G and H in the right places. I’m basically betting on it."
The Bigger Picture: Why Wordle Still Matters
It’s easy to dismiss Wordle as a fad. But it’s not. It’s a daily ritual for millions — a quiet, shared moment of linguistic discovery. In a world of algorithmic chaos, it offers one fixed, fair puzzle. One answer. One moment of clarity. And sometimes — like today — it reminds us that English is a language that refuses to be tamed.Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Wordle keep using -OUGH words?
Wordle’s answer selection team favors words that test English spelling irregularities, and -ough is the most notorious pattern. With six appearances in 1,619 puzzles, it’s rare but deliberate — designed to challenge players’ assumptions about pronunciation and spelling. Words like DOUGH and BOUGH are common enough to be recognizable but unpredictable enough to trip up even seasoned players.
Has DOUGH been the Wordle answer before?
Yes. DOUGH was previously the solution to Wordle #472 on April 15, 2022. Its reappearance in #1619 makes it the only -ough word to have appeared twice since the game’s launch. This rarity makes it a standout — and fuels speculation that the puzzle team may be intentionally rotating through the most common -ough variants.
Who picks the Wordle answers now?
Since acquiring Wordle in January 2022, The New York Times Company has maintained a small internal team responsible for selecting daily answers. While their exact process is confidential, insiders confirm they prioritize words that are in common usage, five letters long, and culturally resonant — often leaning toward linguistic oddities like -ough endings or double consonants.
Is Wordle still free to play?
Yes. Despite being owned by The New York Times Company, Wordle remains completely free on nytimes.com/games/wordle. The company confirmed in its February 2022 transition announcement that it would not monetize the core game, though it now offers optional paid features like Wordle Bot and The Mini. The free daily puzzle continues to attract 47 million users daily as of May 2025.
What’s the next -OUGH word likely to be?
The most likely candidate is THROUGH, which has never been a Wordle answer despite being one of the most common -ough words. Other possibilities include COUGH (used once) or SOUGH (a rare synonym for sigh). ROUGH is less likely due to its higher frequency in general text, which may make it too easy. The team appears to favor obscure-but-valid words over obvious ones.
Why do people get so emotional about Wordle answers?
Because Wordle isn’t just a game — it’s a shared ritual. For millions, it’s the first thing they do in the morning. When a word like DOUGH appears, it’s not just about winning — it’s about recognizing a linguistic inside joke, a nod to the chaos of English. That’s why people post their grids, argue about strategies, and celebrate the absurdity. It’s community, not competition.