Today's Wordle hint and answer #698: Thursday, May 18

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Keep your Wordle(opens in new tab) win streak going in the right direction no matter how your day goes—the answer is ready and waiting for you just a little way down this page. Prefer a little guidance? You've got it. There's a clue for the May 18 (698) game ready to read below, as well as all the tips and guides you need to make every Wordle a success.

Unearthing one solitary green in the first line didn't feel like a great start. It meant there was still almost an entire keyboard's worth of letters to eliminate, after all. But once I stopped worrying and thought about it, I could see that the letter I had ruled out all sorts of other combinations, and I ended up comfortably clearing today's Wordle by the halfway mark.

Your Wordle answer today refers to the act of removing something important—physical or otherwise—from someone, such as their power, dignity, or beauty. On a lighter note, you'd also reach for this word when discussing sheared sheep. You only need to uncover one vowel today. 

There are no repeat letters in today's Wordle. 

If you're new to the daily Wordle puzzle or you just want a refresher after taking a break, I'll share some quick tips to help you win. There's nothing quite like a small victory to set you up for the rest of the day. 

You're not up against a timer, so you've got all the time in the world—well, until midnight—to find the winning word. If you're stuck, there's no shame in coming back to the puzzle later in the day and finishing it up when you've cleared your head. 

There's no shame in needing a little help. The answer to the May 18 (698) Wordle isSHORN.

Keeping track of the last handful of Wordle answers can help to eliminate current possibilities. It's also handy for inspiring opening