Language models vs. the daily word puzzle

Models
← All dates

Thu, Oct 15, 2026

11 models played this puzzle

WAYS TO PRESERVE FOODCURE, DRY, PICKLE, SMOKE
THINGS YOU CAN SCORE IN SPORTSBASKET, GOAL, RUN, TOUCHDOWN
LOWEST PARTBASE, BOTTOM, FOOT, FOUNDATION
LOW LANDFORMS WITH A LETTER CHANGEDCANNON, FORGE, RACINE, VOLLEY

claude-haiku-4.5

anthropic/claude-haiku-4.5

Solved1 mistake5 guesses100s wait16k tokens$0.060
CURE
DRY
PICKLE
SMOKE
RUN
BASKET
GOAL
TOUCHDOWN
BASE
BOTTOM
FOOT
FOUNDATION
CANNON
FORGE
RACINE
VOLLEY

Guess history

Guess 1CURE · DRY · PICKLE · SMOKECorrect38s

All four are methods of preserving or preparing food/meat - curing, drying, pickling, and smoking are classic food preservation techniques.

Latency
38s
Tokens
4.0k(594 in / 3.4k out)
Cost
$0.018
Guess 2BASKET · VOLLEY · CANNON · GOALWrong16s

All four words can precede 'BALL' to form compound words: BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL, CANNONBALL, and GOALBALL (a Paralympic sport).

Latency
16s
Tokens
2.9k(749 in / 2.1k out)
Cost
$0.011
Guess 3RUN · BASKET · GOAL · TOUCHDOWNCorrect18s

All four are ways to score points in different sports: RUN in baseball, BASKET in basketball, GOAL in hockey/soccer, and TOUCHDOWN in football.

Latency
18s
Tokens
3.1k(910 in / 2.2k out)
Cost
$0.012
Guess 4BASE · BOTTOM · FOOT · FOUNDATIONCorrect15s

All four words can mean the lowest part or supporting base of something. BASE is the bottom, BOTTOM is the lowest part, FOOT is the lower part of something, and FOUNDATION is the base/support structure.

Latency
15s
Tokens
3.0k(1.1k in / 1.9k out)
Cost
$0.011
Guess 5CANNON · FORGE · RACINE · VOLLEYCorrect12s

These are the last four remaining words, so they must form the final group. They likely share a common theme - possibly Wisconsin cities/towns or places, or they could all precede or follow a common word to form compound words or phrases.

Latency
12s
Tokens
2.7k(1.3k in / 1.4k out)
Cost
$0.0083

claude-sonnet-5

anthropic/claude-sonnet-5

Solved2 mistakes7 guesses1 invalid43s wait13k tokens$0.045
CURE
DRY
PICKLE
SMOKE
BASKET
GOAL
RUN
TOUCHDOWN
BASE
BOTTOM
FOOT
FOUNDATION
CANNON
FORGE
RACINE
VOLLEY

Guess history

Guess 1CURE · DRY · PICKLE · SMOKECorrect17s

These are all methods of preserving food.

Latency
17s
Tokens
2.0k(769 in / 1.2k out)
Cost
$0.014
Guess 2BASKET · GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWNCorrect7.0s

Ways to score in sports

Latency
7.0s
Tokens
1.3k(966 in / 287 out)
Cost
$0.0048
Guess 3BASE · FOOT · VOLLEY · CANNONWrong9.8s

These words all precede 'ball' (baseball, football, volleyball, cannonball).

Latency
9.8s
Tokens
1.8k(1.2k in / 601 out)
Cost
$0.0084
Guess 4BOTTOM · FOUNDATION · FORGE · RACINEWrong1.7s

Remaining words form the last group

Latency
1.7s
Tokens
1.5k(1.4k in / 52 out)
Cost
$0.0034
Guess 5BASE · FOOT · CANNON · VOLLEYInvalid1.9s

These all precede 'ball' - baseball, football, cannonball, volleyball

Duplicate guess: ['BASE', 'FOOT', 'CANNON', 'VOLLEY']

Latency
1.9s
Tokens
1.7k(1.6k in / 64 out)
Cost
$0.0039
Guess 6BASE · BOTTOM · FOOT · FOUNDATIONCorrect3.7s

These all mean the lowest part/support of something

Latency
3.7s
Tokens
2.1k(1.9k in / 154 out)
Cost
$0.0054
Guess 7CANNON · FORGE · RACINE · VOLLEYCorrect2.0s

Remaining group

Latency
2.0s
Tokens
2.2k(2.2k in / 45 out)
Cost
$0.0048

deepseek-v4-flash-0731

deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash-0731

Solved0 mistakes4 guesses278s wait42k tokens$0.0093
CURE
DRY
PICKLE
SMOKE
BASKET
GOAL
RUN
TOUCHDOWN
BASE
BOTTOM
FOOT
FOUNDATION
CANNON
FORGE
RACINE
VOLLEY

Guess history

Guess 1CURE · DRY · PICKLE · SMOKECorrect100s

These are all methods of preserving food.

Latency
100s
Tokens
12k(323 in / 12k out)
Cost
$0.0028
Guess 2BASKET · GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWNCorrect46s

These are all terms for scoring in different sports: a basket in basketball, a goal in soccer/hockey, a run in baseball/cricket, and a touchdown in American football.

Latency
46s
Tokens
7.8k(446 in / 7.3k out)
Cost
$0.0017
Guess 3BASE · BOTTOM · FOOT · FOUNDATIONCorrect54s

These are all synonyms for the lowest part or support of something.

Latency
54s
Tokens
8.6k(607 in / 8.0k out)
Cost
$0.0019
Guess 4CANNON · FORGE · RACINE · VOLLEYCorrect78s

These are all terms derived from French: cannon (from Old French canon), forge (from Old French forge), racine (French for root), and volley (from French volée).

Latency
78s
Tokens
13k(749 in / 12k out)
Cost
$0.0029

gemini-3.5-flash-lite

google/gemini-3.5-flash-lite

Solved0 mistakes4 guesses4.1s wait2.6k tokens$0.0012
CURE
DRY
PICKLE
SMOKE
BASE
BOTTOM
FOOT
FOUNDATION
BASKET
GOAL
RUN
TOUCHDOWN
CANNON
FORGE
RACINE
VOLLEY

Guess history

Guess 1CURE · DRY · PICKLE · SMOKECorrect882ms

These are all ways to preserve food.

Latency
882ms
Tokens
472(421 in / 51 out)
Cost
$0.0003
Guess 2BASE · BOTTOM · FOOT · FOUNDATIONCorrect920ms

These are all lower parts or supports for things.

Latency
920ms
Tokens
596(546 in / 50 out)
Cost
$0.0003
Guess 3BASKET · GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWNCorrect1.2s

These are all scoring plays or terms in American football or basketball.

Latency
1.2s
Tokens
713(675 in / 38 out)
Cost
$0.0003
Guess 4CANNON · FORGE · RACINE · VOLLEYCorrect1.1s

These are all Wisconsin cities.

Latency
1.1s
Tokens
851(801 in / 50 out)
Cost
$0.0004

gemini-3.7-flash

google/gemini-3.7-flash

Solved0 mistakes4 guesses13s wait3.1k tokens$0.0042
CURE
DRY
PICKLE
SMOKE
BASE
BOTTOM
FOOT
FOUNDATION
BASKET
GOAL
RUN
TOUCHDOWN
CANNON
FORGE
RACINE
VOLLEY

Guess history

Guess 1CURE · DRY · PICKLE · SMOKECorrect3.2s

Ways to preserve food.

Latency
3.2s
Tokens
621(421 in / 200 out)
Cost
$0.0011
Guess 2BASE · BOTTOM · FOOT · FOUNDATIONCorrect5.0s

Synonyms for the lowest supporting part or foundation of something.

Latency
5.0s
Tokens
798(543 in / 255 out)
Cost
$0.0014
Guess 3BASKET · GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWNCorrect2.3s

Ways to score points in various sports (basketball, soccer/hockey, baseball/cricket, football).

Latency
2.3s
Tokens
738(674 in / 64 out)
Cost
$0.0007
Guess 4CANNON · FORGE · RACINE · VOLLEYCorrect2.8s

Words that can follow 'BALL' (Cannonball, Forge/Fireball?, or Ball-something? Actually: Cannon, Forge, Racine, Volley? No, Racine, Cannon, Forge, Volley? Wait: Valley/Volley? Ball cannon, etc.) or terms associated with tennis/French roots/cities/something else, completing the remaining four words.

Latency
2.8s
Tokens
945(826 in / 119 out)
Cost
$0.0011

gemini-3.8-flash

google/gemini-3.8-flash

Solved0 mistakes4 guesses14s wait3.1k tokens$0.0042
CURE
DRY
PICKLE
SMOKE
BASE
BOTTOM
FOOT
FOUNDATION
BASKET
GOAL
RUN
TOUCHDOWN
CANNON
FORGE
RACINE
VOLLEY

Guess history

Guess 1CURE · DRY · PICKLE · SMOKECorrect4.3s

Methods of preserving food.

Latency
4.3s
Tokens
750(421 in / 329 out)
Cost
$0.0015
Guess 2BASE · BOTTOM · FOOT · FOUNDATIONCorrect2.0s

Words meaning the lowest part or supporting structure of something.

Latency
2.0s
Tokens
594(543 in / 51 out)
Cost
$0.0006
Guess 3BASKET · GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWNCorrect2.6s

Ways to score points in various team sports (basketball, soccer/hockey, baseball, American football).

Latency
2.6s
Tokens
736(673 in / 63 out)
Cost
$0.0007
Guess 4CANNON · FORGE · RACINE · VOLLEYCorrect4.7s

Words that can follow 'BALL' (cannonball, forge/forget? Wait: Cannon, Forge, Racine, Volley - Tennis/sport terms? Or Valley/Racine/Forge/Cannon as names? Or Ball - cannonball, volleyball, racquetball? Racine -> ? Wait: Valley forge? Cannon ball? Valley? No, words with Tennis connection: Racine? No, Jean Racine? Let's see: Ball cannon, ball forge? No, tennis: volley, forge, cannon, racine... wait, Tennis players? No, what connects CANNON, FORGE, RACINE, VOLLEY? They are the remaining 4 words.

Latency
4.7s
Tokens
1.0k(824 in / 177 out)
Cost
$0.0013

gpt-4.1

openai/gpt-4.1

Solved1 mistake6 guesses1 invalid7.2s wait4.6k tokens$0.011
CURE
DRY
PICKLE
SMOKE
BASKET
GOAL
RUN
TOUCHDOWN
BASE
BOTTOM
FOOT
FOUNDATION
CANNON
FORGE
RACINE
VOLLEY

Guess history

Guess 1GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWN · VOLLEYWrong1.2s

These are all terms for ways to score points in various sports (soccer, baseball, football, volleyball).

Latency
1.2s
Tokens
418(370 in / 48 out)
Cost
$0.0011
Guess 2CURE · DRY · PICKLE · SMOKECorrect840ms

These are all methods used to preserve or prepare food, especially meats and vegetables.

Latency
840ms
Tokens
537(494 in / 43 out)
Cost
$0.0013
Guess 3GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWN · VOLLEYInvalid1.5s

These are all terms used to describe ways to score or earn points in various sports (GOAL in soccer or hockey, RUN in baseball, TOUCHDOWN in football, VOLLEY in volleyball or tennis).

Duplicate guess: ['GOAL', 'RUN', 'TOUCHDOWN', 'VOLLEY']

Latency
1.5s
Tokens
685(619 in / 66 out)
Cost
$0.0018
Guess 4BASKET · GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWNCorrect998ms

These four are all types of scores or ways to earn points in sports: BASKET (basketball), GOAL (soccer/hockey), RUN (baseball), TOUCHDOWN (football).

Latency
998ms
Tokens
855(793 in / 62 out)
Cost
$0.0021
Guess 5BASE · BOTTOM · FOOT · FOUNDATIONCorrect1.1s

These four words are all related to the idea of something's lowest supporting part or structure: base, bottom, foot, and foundation.

Latency
1.1s
Tokens
991(945 in / 46 out)
Cost
$0.0023
Guess 6CANNON · FORGE · RACINE · VOLLEYCorrect1.6s

These are all words that can also be used as verbs: to cannon (strike forcefully), to forge (form by heating or shape), to racine (French for 'to root'), to volley (hit or throw rapidly back and forth).

Latency
1.6s
Tokens
1.2k(1.1k in / 72 out)
Cost
$0.0027

gpt-4.1-mini

openai/gpt-4.1-mini

Lost4 mistakes1/4 categories5 guesses11s wait3.5k tokens$0.0018
CURE
DRY
PICKLE
SMOKE
BASE
CANNON
VOLLEY
FOUNDATION
BASKET
GOAL
BOTTOM
TOUCHDOWN
FORGE
RUN
RACINE
FOOT

Guess history

Guess 1CURE · DRY · PICKLE · SMOKECorrect6.6s

These words all relate to methods of food preservation or treatment: curing, drying, pickling, smoking.

Latency
6.6s
Tokens
413(370 in / 43 out)
Cost
$0.0002
Guess 2GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWN · VOLLEYWrong1.2s

These words are terms used in sports: GOAL (soccer/hockey), RUN (baseball/track), TOUCHDOWN (football), VOLLEY (tennis/volleyball).

Latency
1.2s
Tokens
553(495 in / 58 out)
Cost
$0.0003
Guess 3BASKET · BASE · BOTTOM · FOUNDATIONWrong1.1s

These words relate to things that support or are at the base or bottom of something: BASKET (container base), BASE, BOTTOM, FOUNDATION (support for structures).

Latency
1.1s
Tokens
690(635 in / 55 out)
Cost
$0.0003
Guess 4CANNON · FORGE · RACINE · FOOTWrong1.3s

These words can be associated with places or types of establishments or have noun forms connected to location or manufacture: FORGE (a workshop), RACINE (a city name), CANNON (weapon), FOOT (part of a building or measurement). However, this is a weaker grouping and I will reconsider if the guess is incorrect.

Latency
1.3s
Tokens
861(772 in / 89 out)
Cost
$0.0005
Guess 5GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWN · FOOTWrong1.1s

These words are related to sports terms or scoring: GOAL (soccer/hockey), RUN (baseball/track), TOUCHDOWN (football), FOOT (football or unit related to sports).

Latency
1.1s
Tokens
1.0k(943 in / 60 out)
Cost
$0.0005

gpt-5.6-luna

openai/gpt-5.6-luna

Solved0 mistakes4 guesses9.6s wait2.6k tokens$0.0010
BASKET
GOAL
RUN
TOUCHDOWN
CURE
DRY
PICKLE
SMOKE
BASE
BOTTOM
FOOT
FOUNDATION
CANNON
FORGE
RACINE
VOLLEY

Guess history

Guess 1BASKET · GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWNCorrect2.4s

All are ways of scoring in sports.

Latency
2.4s
Tokens
456(368 in / 88 out)
Cost
$0.0002
Guess 2CURE · DRY · PICKLE · SMOKECorrect2.2s

All are methods of preserving food.

Latency
2.2s
Tokens
555(484 in / 71 out)
Cost
$0.0002
Guess 3BASE · BOTTOM · FOOT · FOUNDATIONCorrect3.4s

All can refer to the lowest supporting part of something—the bottom or base.

Latency
3.4s
Tokens
806(605 in / 201 out)
Cost
$0.0004
Guess 4CANNON · FORGE · RACINE · VOLLEYCorrect1.6s

These all pair with “ball”: cannonball, forge? (possibly a proper name or phrase), Racine? (likely a place/name), and volleyball. This appears to be the remaining group, though the shared connection is uncertain.

Latency
1.6s
Tokens
811(735 in / 76 out)
Cost
$0.0002

grok-4.3

x-ai/grok-4.3

Solved1 mistake5 guesses122s wait12k tokens$0.023
CURE
DRY
PICKLE
SMOKE
BASKET
GOAL
RUN
TOUCHDOWN
BASE
BOTTOM
FOOT
FOUNDATION
CANNON
FORGE
RACINE
VOLLEY

Guess history

Guess 1CURE · DRY · PICKLE · SMOKECorrect32s

These are all methods of preserving food.

Latency
32s
Tokens
2.8k(578 in / 2.2k out)
Cost
$0.0062
Guess 2BASE · CANNON · FOOT · VOLLEYWrong30s

These can all precede 'ball' to form common compound words or terms (baseball, cannonball, football, volleyball).

Latency
30s
Tokens
2.8k(700 in / 2.1k out)
Cost
$0.0061
Guess 3BASKET · GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWNCorrect17s

These are all ways to score points in different sports (basketball, soccer/hockey, baseball, football).

Latency
17s
Tokens
1.9k(837 in / 1.0k out)
Cost
$0.0029
Guess 4BASE · BOTTOM · FOOT · FOUNDATIONCorrect13s

These are all synonyms for the lowest part or support of something.

Latency
13s
Tokens
1.7k(981 in / 737 out)
Cost
$0.0023
Guess 5CANNON · FORGE · RACINE · VOLLEYCorrect31s

These are all French words (canon, forge, racine, volée).

Latency
31s
Tokens
3.1k(1.1k in / 2.0k out)
Cost
$0.0055

glm-5.3-flash

z-ai/glm-5.3-flash

Solved0 mistakes5 guesses1 invalid173s wait10k tokens$0.0037
CURE
DRY
PICKLE
SMOKE
BASKET
GOAL
RUN
TOUCHDOWN
BASE
BOTTOM
FOOT
FOUNDATION
CANNON
FORGE
RACINE
VOLLEY

Guess history

Guess 1Food Preservation Methods: CURE, DRY, PICKLE, SMOKE · Sports Scores: BASKET, GOAL, RUN, TOUCHDOWN · Bottom/Lowest Part: BASE, BOTTOM, FOOT, FOUNDATION · Can precede 'FIRE': CANNON, FORGE, RACINE, VOLLEYInvalid166s

CURE/DRY/PICKLE/SMOKE are ways to preserve food; BASKET/GOAL/RUN/TOUCHDOWN are scoring terms; BASE/BOTTOM/FOOT/FOUNDATION all mean the lowest part of something; the remaining four (CANNON, FORGE, RACINE, VOLLEY) form the last group.

Invalid entries: ['Food Preservation Methods: CURE, DRY, PICKLE, SMOKE', 'Sports Scores: BASKET, GOAL, RUN, TOUCHDOWN', 'Bottom/Lowest Part: BASE, BOTTOM, FOOT, FOUNDATION', "Can precede 'FIRE': CANNON, FORGE, RACINE, VOLLEY"]

Latency
166s
Tokens
6.6k(317 in / 6.3k out)
Cost
$0.0032
Guess 2CURE · DRY · PICKLE · SMOKECorrect1.7s

These are all methods of preserving food.

Latency
1.7s
Tokens
694(632 in / 62 out)
Cost
$0.0001
Guess 3BASKET · GOAL · RUN · TOUCHDOWNCorrect4.1s

Ways to score in sports.

Latency
4.1s
Tokens
929(741 in / 188 out)
Cost
$0.0002
Guess 4BASE · BOTTOM · FOOT · FOUNDATIONCorrect999ms

All mean the lowest part of something.

Latency
999ms
Tokens
883(857 in / 26 out)
Cost
$0.0001
Guess 5CANNON · FORGE · RACINE · VOLLEYCorrect916ms

Last remaining group — likely Wisconsin city names (Racine, etc.).

Latency
916ms
Tokens
1.0k(974 in / 39 out)
Cost
$0.0001