The New York Times has launched another Wordle challenge. For the seven-letter word on Puzzle #1703, which made its appearance on Monday, February 16, 2026, we see a sequence of events of straightforward phase-steps, where one — consistent with the rules of the game — has two vowels.

If your streak is on the line — they exist for only some players, we realize — or you are a little shaken about the whole procedure, kindly accept the definition of today’s word and the colorful climax.

The System of Wordle

For all new students reading this: Wordle provides six chances to guess a five-letter word. After you guess, with each letter sighted in the right order or not:

Green indicates that the letter is correct and in the right spot.

Yellow means the letter is correct, but is positioned in the wrong manner.

Gray implies the letter does not belong.

Created by Josh Wardle in 2021, the game quickly became a worldwide epidemic and is now a part of the New York Times puzzle line-up.

Letter Rundown for Wordle #1703

This is what defines today’s word:

Vowels: 2

Consonants: 3

Repeated Letter: Yes (it is the letter O twice)

Letter Rarity: All common letters

The double vowel in this today’s puzzle could be some developers’ catch-22 for getting one’s focus awry.

Gradual Hints on Today’s Puzzle

Now, we place a lot more hints to provoke your thought before outright giving away the answer to which we arrive.

Hint 1 (General): When birds take rest at dusk, they [__] The ground with their pinky toes.

Hint 2 (Usage): This word serves both as a noun and a verb.

Hint 3 (Structure): It is spelled as R_____T.

Hint 4 (Structure, Also): Second and third letters would have the same vowel.

Hint 5: One of the names for the places lying birds settle on.

Answer for Wordle #1703: February 16, 2026

Now and now, here is the solution: R O O S T

Meanings and Origins of the Word

ROOST can be applied both in ways of noun or verb. It is [a] spot from which a bird sits or rests or the act of resting.

This word can be traced to Old English hrōst meaning a perch or support for birds. The phrase “rule the roost” represents to lead, independent of the date of its usage, and has lasted since the 15th century.

Difficulty Level

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Potential Pitfall: The double “OO”

Overall, Challenge was Moderate.

Despite all those ubiquitous English letters, double vowels may have thrown some people off who were looking for alternative vowel ensembles.

Wordle Tactic

Double vowels appear less frequently in Wordle solutions than double consonants. If you find a pesky vowel that just doesn’t work elsewhere, consider the possibility that it comes twice.

Puzzle #1704 should be out at midnight local time. Whether you solved ROOST in three guesses or needed all six, each game upped the odds that you’ll have better instincts in the next one.