How to solve today's Wordle.SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesLooking for Thursdays Wordle hints, clues and answer? You can find them here:Tis the dregs of 2024, dearest Wordlers. The days between Christmas and New Years Day are a season unto themselves, a strange liminal space between celebrations. The year is in its final throes, and winter is beginning to uncurl and stretch its limbs. I do think its an odd time to place a new year. Shouldnt it be the first day of spring rather than somewhere in the early days of winter? Winter should be the last season of a year, spring the new beginning.Granted, in the southern hemisphere this is not the winter at all, but then why shouldnt we have different calendars for the northern and southern hemispheres? Lots of reasons, I suppose, but still. Its odd to begin the new year in the depths of winter. These are gloomy wintery thoughts. Lets set them aside and solve todays Wordle!How To Solve Todays WordleThe Hint: Wont find this in a keto diet.The Clue: This Wordle has two vowels in a row.Okay, spoilers below!...The Answer:Today's WordleCredit: Erik KainPlay Puzzles & Games on ForbesWordle AnalysisEvery day I check Wordle Bot to help analyze my guessing game. You can check your Wordles with Wordle Bot right here. DREAM was a pretty good opening guess, but then I fumbled things. I should have just gone with all new letters, or at least not the R a second time. ARTSY slashed 44 down to 18, which isnt great at all. I dug in at this point with CRANK, cutting that number to 4. At this point, I finally got lucky with GRAIN, which thankfully was todays Wordle.Competitive Wordle ScoreI get 0 points for guessing in four and -1 for losing to the Wordle Bot, who snagged this one in three today.How To Play Competitive WordleGuessing in 1 is worth 3 points; guessing in 2 is worth 2 points; guessing in 3 is worth 1 point; guessing in 4 is worth 0 points; guessing in 5 is -1 points; guessing in 6 is -2 points and missing the Wordle is -3 points.If you beat your opponent you get 1 point. If you tie, you get 0 points. And if you lose to your opponent, you get -1 point. Add it up to get your score. Keep a daily running score or just play for a new score each day.Fridays are 2XP, meaning you double your pointspositive or negative.You can keep a running tally or just play day-by-day. Enjoy!Todays Wordle EtymologyThe word 'grain' traces its roots back to the Latin word 'grnum,' meaning 'seed.' This reflects its original and primary meaning: individual seeds of cereal crops. Through Old French, the word entered Middle English, solidifying its association with these crops. Today, 'grain' encompasses not only individual seeds but also cereal crops as a whole. Its usage has also expanded metaphorically, such as describing the direction of wood fibers or the texture of a surface.Let me know how you fared with your Wordle today on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Also be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me here on this blog where I write about games, TV shows and movies when Im not writing puzzle guides. Sign up for my newsletter for more reviews and commentary on entertainment and culture.