Word games like Canuckle have exploded in popularity. There’s something refreshing about getting a new puzzle every day. Some like to start their day with a brain teaser, while others prefer to put their feet up at the end of a long workday and play. If you want to get better and keep your streaks going, there are a few things you can do to help.
Expand Your Vocab
This should seem obvious, but the larger your vocabulary, the more words you can guess and recognize. Expanding your vocabulary was easy when you were 11 reading Harry Potter, but now you’re older and haven’t picked up a book since your last year of school. If that sounds like you, then you should really try to get back into reading. Reading is great in so many ways, from improving your mental health to helping you get better at Canuckle.
Most word games like Canuckle have a list of possible answers. Go through the list and write down any words you do not recognize. Keep them on flashcards and go through them every so often. With thousands of possible answers, this can be a daunting task, but you’ll find that your guessing game improves as you remember better guesses that can disqualify a larger amount of possible answers.
Playing Other Games
It might come as a surprise, but even something like online gambling can help you become a better strategist. While Canuckle and casino games aren’t directly related, there is a bit of skill that crosses over. Casingdom’s pick for best gambling sites features casinos that require a depth of skill and strategy. Hone your mental powers at a blackjack table, learn basic strategy, and work out your brain muscle.
Likewise, games like Sudoku or crossword puzzles can help expand your vocabulary. At the end of the day, you want to be working your brain and helping it grow. Build those connections in your neural synapses, and you’ll see how your Canuckle game improves, as well as your mental clarity in everyday life.
There are also games like Redactle that really test your mental prowess. Redactle gives you a mostly redacted Wikipedia page. You guess words that slowly reveal what the article may be about, with the goal being to guess the title of the Wikipedia article. You’ll increase your vocab and hone your skills at the same time.
Stay Consistent
Consistency is key. If you’re having a hard time with Canuckle or any other daily word game, don’t give up. Keep trying every single day. Like anything in life, the more you practice, the better you’ll get.
Understand the Rules
If you only read the rules of the game when you first started, give them another look. You’d be surprised at what you missed or don’t remember. This goes for any word game, or game for that matter, that you play—not just Canuckle.
Remember that the only way to know if there is or isn’t a double letter in the word, such as how Green has two Es, is to guess a word with two Es. This can easily trip people up as they run through every word and letter combination in their head except for the double-letter words.
Use Better Starting Words
Your first guess sets the tone for your entire game. For Wordle, another popular daily word game, the bot’s first move is always Plate. However, other options like Salet, Plane, or Trope are also popular starting words.
It’s essentially a game of deduction. You want to narrow down your possibilities as quickly as possible before you run out of guesses. By using words that contain common letters, you’re narrowing your search down greatly. If you know there’s no S in the word, your list of possible answers gets cut by a large chunk.
Take Your Time
There’s no rush. Don’t just guess the first word that comes to mind. While that strategy can and does work, you can really improve your average number of guesses by taking a moment to think. Mastering Canuckle takes time and strategy.
For example, if you’ve guessed PLATE and you know it begins with a P, but does not contain L-A-T-E, what would you guess?
POURS is a great guess, as it contains four new letters not previously guessed and could be the answer. PROMO might be an accepted guess at some Canuckle-like games, but it may not be a possible answer, and you’re holding yourself back by guessing a double O, which few valid answers have.
In the end, getting better at Canuckle or any similar word game is about consistent effort, strategic thinking, and a bit of playful experimentation. Developing strong opening guesses is key, but so is improving your critical thinking skills and vocabulary. Give yourself time to grow, adapt, and refine your methods, and steady improvement is sure to follow.