Greetings, garden of wordsmiths! It’s time to roll up our sleeves and dig into another fresh plot of letters. Whether you’re a casual corrector or a seasoned lexicographer aiming for the “Master” rank, we’re here to help your score bloom. Unlike other puzzles that ask for every word under the sun, Blossom by Merriam-Webster is a game of curated elegance, challenging you to pick your best 12 entries to create the ultimate high-scoring bouquet.
The strategy is all about the “Bonus Petal” and making sure every one of your 12 slots counts toward that record-breaking total. Here are the insights and answers for Today’s Blossom Word Game for January 23, 2026 .
Today’s Blossom Answers For Highest Score: January 23, 2026
Today’s Letters: D (Center), S, H, O, E, R, W, H
- HORSESHOED
- WOODHORSE
- REDRESSES
- DRESSERS
- RHODESWOOD
- HORSEWOOD
- HORSEWEED
- REDRESSER
- REORDERED
- WOODSHEDDED
- SWORDWEED
- SHOREWEED
This solve has a nicely structured feel, with a strong sense of pattern-building and careful exploration of related word forms. It seems like you focused on stretching core letter clusters into longer, more rewarding constructions rather than settling for quick, simple finds. The overall flow feels steady and deliberate, suggesting good control over the letter set. While it leans toward a tight theme, the consistency keeps it satisfying, earning 4 out of 5.
You can also check out answers for similar puzzles like this below:
- Minute Cryptic Answers
- Jumble Puzzle Answers
- NYT Wordle Puzzle Answers
- Spotle Puzzle Answers
- All LinkedIn Games Answers
How To Play Blossom
Blossom is a strategic daily word game from Merriam-Webster. While it looks like other hive-based games, the strategy is entirely different:
The Objective : Create exactly 12 words using the seven letters provided to achieve the highest possible score.
The Rules of the Garden
- The Center Letter: Every word must include the center letter.
- Minimum Length: Words must be at least four letters long.
- Repeatitions allowed: You can use the same letter in a word more than once
- The 12-Word Limit: You can only play 12 words total. Once you use a slot, you can’t take it back, so make every word count!
- The Bonus Petal: Each turn, one outer letter is highlighted as a “Bonus Petal.” If you use that letter, you get 5 bonus points for every time it appears in that word.
Scoring
- 4-letter words: 2 points.
- 5-letter words: 4 points.
- 6-letter words: 6 points.
- 7-letter words: 12 points.
- 8+ letters: 12 points + 3 points for each letter beyond seven.
- Pangram Bonus: Using all 7 letters earns an extra 7 points
Tips To Master Blossom
- Sync with the Bonus Petal: Don’t just play your longest word immediately. Wait until the Bonus Petal matches a letter that appears multiple times in your big word (e.g., if your word has three ‘E’s, wait for the ‘E’ bonus).
- Quality over Quantity: Since you are capped at 12 words, ignore the simple 4-letter words unless you are truly stuck. Focus on 6+ letter entries.
- Hunt the Pangram: Finding the word that uses every letter is essential for a top-tier score.
- Suffixes are Key: Look for words ending in -ED , -ING , or -NESS (if available) to stretch your word length and point value.
