Today's Wordle answer for Friday, August 23

There's no way you're going to lose Wordle on a Friday, not now you're here. Skip straight to today's answer if you've got no time for games, or take your time with our hint for the August 23 (1161) puzzle if you just need to make those first few guesses really count. It's your game—enjoy it your way.

Wait, where did the Wordle go? I seemed to solve today's game so fast that the letters tumbled off my keyboard before I'd even really thought them through. I think I'm about as shocked as I am pleased with myself for that. Hopefully, you've had a similar experience—or are about to, thanks to our help.

Today's answer describes a squishy bloodsucking parasite, or someone who acts like one. Sometimes used in medicine, both ancient and modern. You only need one vowel today. 

There is a double letter in today's Wordle. 

A good starting word can be the difference between victory and defeat with the daily puzzle, but once you've got the basics, it's much easier to nail down those Wordle wins. And as there's nothing quite like a small victory to set you up for the rest of the day, here are a few tips to help set you on the right path: 

There's no racing against the clock with Wordle so you don't need to rush for the answer. Treating the game like a casual newspaper crossword can be a good tactic; that way, you can come back to it later if you're coming up blank. Stepping away for a while might mean the difference between a win and a line of grey squares. 

 Here you go. The answer to the August 23 (1161) Wordle is LEECH.

Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

Past Wordle answers can give you some excellent ideas for fun starting words that keep your daily puzzle-solving fresh. They are also a good way to eliminate guesses for today's Wordle, as the answer is unlikely to be repeated. 

Here are some recent Wordle answers:

Wordle gives you six rows of five boxes each day, and you'll need to work out which secret