Today's Wordle puzzle (#1580) for October 16, 2025, has left many players scratching their heads. The New York Times daily word challenge includes a sneaky twist today -- a repeated letter and a clue tied to a common household pet. If you're stuck and want hints or the full answer without frustration, here's everything you need to solve today's puzzle.

Wordle, created by Josh Wardle and now owned by The New York Times, continues to captivate millions of daily players. Each puzzle challenges users to guess a five-letter word in six attempts, using deduction and letter-placement logic. Today's solution is particularly tricky due to a repeated consonant and a word meaning that isn't immediately obvious.

If you prefer solving the puzzle without directly seeing the answer, here are several hints to guide you:

Hint 4 - Pet Connection: The word contains the name of a common furry domestic animal.

Hint 5 - Meaning: The word can describe someone deliberately hurtful or mean in behavior or tone.

These clues should steer you toward the solution. If not, keep reading for the answer below.

✅ Today's Wordle answer is: CATTY

"Catty" refers to remarks or behavior that are deliberately hurtful, snide, or mean -- often used to describe cutting comments made in gossip or criticism. The word also hides the word "cat" inside it, tying back to the pet hint. The double "T" makes this puzzle tricky for many solvers, as repeated letters often throw off standard guessing strategies.

If you solved it without seeing the answer, well done! If not, don't worry -- repeated letters are among the most common stumbling blocks in Wordle puzzles.

Here's a quick look back at the last few puzzles, which show a mix of simple and complex solutions:

Today's "CATTY" continues the trend of slightly more challenging solutions as the week progresses. Its double consonants and layered meaning make it a tougher solve than straightforward nouns like "STACK" or "BEARD."

Today's puzzle demonstrates how repeated letters and less common word meanings can raise the difficulty level. Starting with vowel-heavy words like "AUDIO" or balanced options like "CRANE" can help quickly eliminate possibilities. Once you suspect a repeated consonant, try guesses that repeat likely letters to narrow down the options.

Another tip: pay attention to clue words like "pet" in Wordle discussions -- they often hint at hidden word fragments. "Catty" fits this perfectly, hiding "cat" while also describing a tone of speech.