How to solve today's Wordle.SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesLooking for help with today’s Wordle? Look no further. An abundance of hints, clues and other helpful items await, not to mention a bonus Custom Wordle and plenty more.I’ve been traveling, headed home from a fun family vacation up north beyond the Wall, and as such I’m a bit off my game and forgot to include a riddle in yesterday’s Wordle Wednesday post (and mucked up scheduling said post). I guess it’s also the months changing over (happy July!) and navigating time and geography, but I’m upside down. Instead of doing a makeup riddle today, when I’m even more pressed for time, I’m just skipping this week with a return to our regularly scheduled puzzling next week. Let’s solve today’s Wordle!Looking for Wednesday's Wordle? Check out our guide right here.Today’s Bonus Custom WordleNow that we can create our own custom Wordles, I’m including a bonus Wordle with each daily Wordle guide. These can be 4 to 7 letters long. Hopefully this is a fun extra challenge. Click the link below to play the Wordle I hand-crafted for you.Today’s Bonus Custom Wordle is 6 letters long.MORE FOR YOUThe hint: A kind of military mission.The clue: This Wordle ends with vowels.Yesterday’s Custom Wordle Answer: DUELHow To Play WordleWordle is a daily word puzzle game where your goal is to guess a hidden five-letter word in six tries or fewer. After each guess, the game gives feedback to help you get closer to the answer:Green: The letter is in the word and in the correct spot.Yellow: The letter is in the word, but in the wrong spot.Gray: The letter is not in the word at all.Use these clues to narrow down your guesses. Every day brings a new word, and everyone around the world is trying to solve the same puzzle. Some Wordlers also play Competitive Wordle against friends, family, the Wordle Bot or even against me, your humble narrator. See rules for Competitive Wordle toward the end of this post.Today’s Wordle Hints And AnswerWordle Bot’s Starting Word: SLATEMy Starting Word Today: STAIN (36 words left)The Hint: One who knows things.The Clue: This Wordle begins and ends with consonants.Okay, spoilers below! The answer is coming!...The Answer:Today's WordleScreenshot: Erik KainWordle Bot AnalysisEvery day I check Wordle Bot to help analyze my guessing game. You can check your Wordle score with Wordle Bot right here. A bit of banging my head against a wall with today’s Wordle. Things started out fine with STAIN. Two boxes and, I would find out later, just 36 words remaining. CHORE, alas, only slashed that down to 8, and then it was a slow attrition through GLEAN and VEGAN before finally getting today’s Wordle: MAVEN of all things.Competitive Wordle ScoreWordle BotScreenshot: Erik KainJust like last month, the Wordle Bot snags an early lead (not that it did the Bot any good in the end). I get -1 for guessing in five and -1 for losing to the Bot. The Bot gets 1 point for guessing in three and 1 for beating me. Ouch.Erik: -2 pointsWordle Bot: 2 pointsHow To Play Competitive WordleGuessing in 1 is worth 3 points; guessing in 2 is worth 2 points; guessing in 3 is worth 1 point; guessing in 4 is worth 0 points; guessing in 5 is -1 points; guessing in 6 is -2 points and missing the Wordle is -3 points.If you beat your opponent you get 1 point. If you tie, you get 0 points. And if you lose to your opponent, you get -1 point. Add it up to get your score. Keep a daily running score or just play for a new score each day.Fridays are 2XP, meaning you double your points—positive or negative.You can keep a running tally or just play day-by-day. Enjoy!Today’s Wordle Etymology“Maven” comes from Yiddish meyvn (מבֿין), meaning “one who understands” or “an expert,” from Hebrew mevin, “one who understands.” It entered American English in the mid-20th century to mean someone who is highly knowledgeable or an authority on a subject.Be sure to follow me for all your daily puzzle-solving guides, TV show and movie reviews and more here on this blog!