How to Solve Hurdle Hints Answers for January 6, 2026
Are you stuck on today’s Hurdle puzzle This guide walks you through every round, explains the game’s feedback system, and gives you expert strategies to boost your success rate
By the end you’ll know exactly how to turn each hint into the correct answer, avoid common pitfalls, and apply pro‑level tactics to future Hurdle challenges
Hurdle Hints Answers: Step-by-Step Instructions
Hurdle Hints Answers: 1. Understand the Game Mechanics
Before you start guessing, familiarize yourself with the core rules:
- Five rounds per game; each round is a separate word.
- After each guess you receive colored feedback:
- Green – correct letter in the correct position.
- Yellow – correct letter but in the wrong spot.
- Gray – letter not in the word at all.
- The answer from the previous round becomes your first guess for the next round, giving you a built‑in clue.
- Hurdle Word 1
Hint: “A stench.”
Answer: SMELL - Hurdle Word 2
Hint: “To frown.”
Answer: SCOWL - Hurdle Word 3
Hint: “Vulgar.”
Answer: CRUDE - Hurdle Word 4
Hint: “A small sweet fruit.”
Answer: BERRY - Final Hurdle (Word 5)
Hint: “An art stand.”
Answer: EASEL - Issue: The game won’t accept the correct word.
- Solution: Ensure you’re using the exact spelling shown (e.g., “SCOWL” not “SCOWLE”). The game is case‑insensitive but does not tolerate extra spaces.
- Issue: Feedback seems contradictory (green and gray for the same letter).
- Solution: Remember that the final hurdle shows all previous correct letters, but the count of highlighted tiles does not indicate how many times the letter appears. Focus on position, not frequency.
- Issue: You’re stuck on a round despite having the correct hint.
- Solution: Write the hint on paper and brainstorm synonyms. Use a thesaurus if needed. Often the simplest synonym is the intended answer.
- Playing the daily Hurdle to sharpen your word‑guessing muscles.
- Exploring other Mashable word games like Wordle, Connections, and Strands.
- Visiting the Mashable Games Hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more.
2. Decode Each Hint and Enter the Answer
Use the hint text to think of synonyms or related concepts. Below are the hints for January 6 2026 and the exact words you should submit.
3 Enter the Answers in the Game Interface Open the Hurdle game on your device Type the first answer (SMELL) and submit When the next round loads, the game automatically places “SMELL” as your first guess—use the green/yellow feedback to adjust the remaining letters
Repeat the process for SCOWL, CRUDE, BERRY, and finally EASEL
4 Verify Your Progress
After each submission, the game will either advance you to the next hurdle or highlight any incorrect letters
If you see a gray tile for a letter you thought was correct, double‑check the hint and consider alternative synonyms
Troubleshooting
Even with the correct answers, players sometimes encounter hiccups. Below are the most common issues and how to resolve them.
Pro Tips Start with high‑frequency letters In English, E, A, R, I, O, T appear most often If a hint is vague, try a word containing several of these letters
Leverage the “first‑guess carry‑over” The previous round’s answer is automatically entered for you Use the green tiles from that guess as a scaffold for the next word
Don’t over‑interpret tile counts The number of highlighted tiles only tells you which letters are present, not how many times they appear Avoid obscure synonyms
Hurdle designers favor common words; if your guess feels too esoteric, try a more everyday term Practice pattern recognition Notice recurring letter placements across rounds (e
g, many answers end with “L”) This can speed up future solves
Next Steps
You’ve now mastered the January 6 2026 Hurdle puzzle Keep the momentum going by:
Stay consistent, apply the strategies above, and you’ll become a Hurdle champion in no time.
Source: Mashable – “Hurdle hints and answers for January 6, 2026”.