CLUE WORD STUDY
PALSY: one clue, many possibilities.
The clue PALSY produces 33 different unique-solution patterns in our 2315-word historical answer dictionary. Match all five colors before selecting a row: the clue word alone does not identify an answer.
Try a puzzle with PALSY
This playable example is from our curated vault. The reference table below includes every unique pattern for the clue, including patterns outside the five-tier selection.
How to read this PALSY clue
Start with the playable row above. This nudge uses its visible colors without revealing the answer.
Yellow P must move from position 1. Check the open positions: 4, 5.
The clue PALSY uses five different letters. An answer can still repeat a letter unless this feedback rules it out.
Work through this PALSY example and reveal its answer
This proof checks all 2315 words in our historical answer dictionary.
Only RALPH matches all five colors in this dictionary.
See the deduction steps
- Green positions · 24 left
- Keep A in position 2.
- Keep L in position 3.
- Yellow constraints · 1 left
- Use P away from position 1.
- Use at least 1 × P.
- Use at least 1 × A.
- Use at least 1 × L.
- Exact feedback · 1 left
- Do not use S.
- Do not use Y.
- PALER — Use P away from position 1.
- LAPEL — Keep L in position 3.
Why PALSY alone does not identify the answer
These two real rows use the same clue word and each has one match in our dictionary. Their different colors lead to different answers. Copy the entire row into Solver or Hints, not just the letters.
Pattern 1
Starting from 2315 words, green positions leave 24, yellow constraints leave 1, and exact feedback leaves 1.
Inspect this example →Pattern 2
Starting from 2315 words, green positions leave 8, yellow constraints leave 1, and exact feedback leaves 1.
Inspect this example →Every unique pattern for PALSY
Answers start collapsed. Open only the one you want to see, or choose Hints for a gradual reveal. Counts can stay unchanged between steps when a later constraint adds no further elimination.
| Scored clue | Level | After green | After yellow | Exact matches | Answer | Help |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PALSY GGBYG | Level 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | RevealPASTY | Hints → |
PALSY BGYYG | Level 2 | 78 | 1 | 1 | RevealSADLY | Hints → |
PALSY YGYGB | Level 2 | 18 | 1 | 1 | RevealLAPSE | Hints → |
PALSY BBYGG | Level 3 | 19 | 1 | 1 | RevealLOUSY | Hints → |
PALSY BGYGB | Level 3 | 18 | 2 | 1 | RevealLASSO | Hints → |
PALSY BYBGG | Level 3 | 19 | 1 | 1 | RevealARTSY | Hints → |
PALSY GBGBG | Level 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | RevealPULPY | Hints → |
PALSY GBGBY | Level 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | RevealPOLYP | Hints → |
PALSY GBYGB | Level 3 | 15 | 1 | 1 | RevealPLUSH | Hints → |
PALSY GYBGB | Level 3 | 15 | 1 | 1 | RevealPHASE | Hints → |
PALSY YGGBB | Level 3 | 24 | 1 | 1 | RevealRALPH | Hints → |
PALSY BGBYY | Level 4 | 304 | 1 | 1 | RevealSATYR | Hints → |
PALSY BGYBY | Level 4 | 304 | 1 | 1 | RevealLAYER | Hints → |
PALSY BYGBY | Level 4 | 112 | 1 | 1 | RevealBYLAW | Hints → |
PALSY BYGYB | Level 4 | 112 | 2 | 1 | RevealSOLAR | Hints → |
PALSY BYYYG | Level 4 | 364 | 1 | 1 | RevealSCALY | Hints → |
PALSY GYYYB | Level 4 | 142 | 1 | 1 | RevealPSALM | Hints → |
PALSY YBGYB | Level 4 | 112 | 2 | 1 | RevealSPLIT | Hints → |
PALSY YYBBG | Level 4 | 364 | 6 | 1 | RevealREPAY | Hints → |
PALSY YYGYB | Level 4 | 112 | 1 | 1 | RevealSPLAT | Hints → |
PALSY YYYGB | Level 4 | 171 | 1 | 1 | RevealCLASP | Hints → |
PALSY BBYYY | Level 5 | 2315 | 1 | 1 | RevealSTYLE | Hints → |
PALSY YBBYY | Level 5 | 2315 | 1 | 1 | RevealSYRUP | Hints → |
PALSY YYYYB | Level 5 | 2315 | 1 | 1 | RevealSCALP | Hints → |
PALSY BBBGY | Reference | 171 | 3 | 1 | RevealTRYST | Hints → |
PALSY BBBYY | Reference | 2315 | 4 | 1 | RevealSYNOD | Hints → |
PALSY BBGBY | Reference | 112 | 3 | 1 | RevealNYLON | Hints → |
PALSY BBGGB | Reference | 5 | 5 | 1 | RevealWELSH | Hints → |
PALSY GBBGG | Reference | 4 | 4 | 1 | RevealPOESY | Hints → |
PALSY GBGBB | Reference | 8 | 8 | 1 | RevealPILOT | Hints → |
PALSY GBGGB | Reference | 2 | 2 | 1 | RevealPULSE | Hints → |
PALSY GGGBB | Reference | 2 | 2 | 1 | RevealPALER | Hints → |
PALSY YBGBB | Reference | 112 | 4 | 1 | RevealTULIP | Hints → |
How this table was calculated
We scored this clue against every answer, grouped words by their exact five-tile feedback, and kept patterns with exactly one word. The all-green clue-equals-answer row is excluded. Green and yellow counts are nested filtering steps; the final step checks the entire feedback including gray multiplicity caps.
Data version: wordlein1-2026-11-03-v1. This is a complete reference for this pinned list, not every English dictionary or the current official puzzle. Sources and method