It is Wednesday, my dudes, and there's a fresh Wordle! We're here as always to help guide the way with our expert Wordle advice and the solution.

If you prefer to just be told the answer, you can scroll to the end of this article for May 17's Wordleword to be revealed. But if you'd rather work through it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the Wordleanswer for May 16.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that brings joy to your heart. But if what brings you joy is strategy, 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 used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

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.

Why are there two different Wordle answers some days?

Though usually Wordlewill only accept one correct solution per day, occasionally it will rebel against the norm and deem two different answers acceptable. This is due to changes the New York Timesmade to Wordleafter it acquired the puzzle game.

The Timeshas since added its own updated word list, so this should happen even less frequently than before. To avoid any confusion, it's a good idea to refresh your browser before getting stuck into a new puzzle.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

It's a punishment, mateys.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

Not today!

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

Today's Wordlestarts with the letter P.

What's the answer to Wordle today?

We're finally about to reveal the answer to today's Wordle, so get your guesses in now!

Are you ready?

The solution to Wordle #697 is...

PLANK.

Don't feel discouraged if you didn't get it this time. The beauty of Wordleis that there's always a new one to try the next day, and we'll be here again with more helpful clues and hints.

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