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Wordle today starts with ‘S’, ends with ‘K’, and has only one vowel.
The word acts as the past tense of a common verb used to describe a very strong, unpleasant odor.
The NYT Wordle answer for February 20, 2026, is STANK, a word that might leave a bad taste (or smell) in your mouth if it breaks your streak!
NYT Wordle today for February 20 (Friday) will check your knowledge on irregular past-tense verbs. With just one vowel, the puzzle is tricky. If you have ever walked past a dumpster on a hot summer day or left gym clothes in a locker for a week, you have experienced the essence of today's solution.
Let’s break down the clues and look at an expert approach to turn today’s Wordle grid green!
Try these hints to crack the code before I reveal the answer:
The word is the past tense of ‘Stink.’
Wordle answer today rhymes with words like ‘drank,’ ‘plank,’ or ‘thank.’
It describes an aroma you definitely want to avoid.
Here is a walkthrough to help you solve today's puzzle:
First Guess: CRANE - Following the WordleBot's top recommendation, this guess is a powerhouse. You will find two green letters; 'A' and 'N'. This confirms the middle structure but rules out 'E' as the final letter.
Second Guess: KINKS - This is a good follow-up! You will find two news yellow letters, ‘K’ and ‘S’.
Third Guess: STAND - Now we test the 'S' and 'T' at the start while checking 'D' at the end. Huge progress! The 'S', 'T', 'A', and 'N' all light up green.
Mistakes to Avoid: Don't waste guesses looking for a second vowel like 'I' or 'U' if you already have the 'A' in the center. Avoid guessing blindly; think about the common five-letter ‘STAN’ words. With four letters locked in (S-T-A-N-_), you only need to find the final consonant. Common endings like 'D' (already ruled out) or 'G' (STANG is not a common word) are less likely than the classic 'K' ending.
The answer to Wordle #1707 is STANK.
The word STANK has some interesting linguistic roots:
Irregular Origins: It comes from the Anglo-French ‘estank’. Over centuries, the meaning shifted exclusively to bad smells.
The ‘I-A-U’ Pattern: Like ‘drink/drank/drunk’ or ‘sing/sang/sung,’ ‘stink/stank/stunk’ follows an ancient Germanic vowel-shifting pattern called ablaut.
Also Read: NYT Wordle Answer Today for February 19, 2026: Hints and Expert Walkthrough Revealed
Today’s puzzle was a classic example of why consonant-heavy words can be more difficult than vowel-rich ones. Finding the 'A' early was helpful, but the 'S-T' and 'N-K' brackets required a solid understanding of English verb tenses. STANK was a pungent challenge that rewarded players who used strong starting words to narrow down the consonants quickly. Come back tomorrow for more hints, tips, and tricks!
Also Read: Today’s Quordle Hints and Answers for Feb 20, 2026
