Guess the Word

Guess the Word is a clue-by-clue word game. Every round has a secret word and five clues that start vague and get more specific, so the earlier you work it out, the more points you score. You can play this guess the word game free online in your browser with no download or sign-up, on a computer, tablet or phone. There are more than 300 family-friendly words in 12 categories, from animals and food to space, dinosaurs, weather and music.

How to play

The first clue appears at the top of the board, with four locked clues below it. Each clue shows what it is worth: 5 points for clue 1, 4 for clue 2, and so on down to 1 point for clue 5. The row of blanks shows how many letters the word has.

• Guess: type your answer on your keyboard or tap the on-screen keys, then press Enter or Guess. A right answer scores the value of the clue you are on.
• Wrong guess: the next clue opens, so you can try again for one point less. A wrong guess on clue 5 ends the word with no points.
• Next clue: stuck? Take the next clue without guessing. The right arrow key does the same.
• Show a letter: reveal one letter of the word for 1 point. You can’t use it on your last point, and it never reveals the whole word.
• Give up: see the answer and all five clues, then move on.

The game is forgiving about spelling. It accepts plurals (volcanoes for volcano), common alternatives (T rex, ping pong, mailman, TV) and, for longer words, a spelling that is one letter off. It won’t accept a different real word, so plane is not planet.

Game modes

• Timed 10: ten words and three minutes on the clock. The top score is 50, and your best is saved for each difficulty. Press Esc or the pause button to stop the clock. The game also pauses if you switch tabs.
• Endless: words keep coming until you miss three. Your best endless score is saved.
• Daily word: one word a day, the same for every player, with one try. Solve it to build a daily streak. The result screen has a short share text with your clue count drawn as squares. It never gives away the word, and the Copy button puts it on your clipboard.
• Pass and play: 2 to 4 players on one device. In Take turns, players pass the device and each gets 3, 5 or 8 words with the normal rules. In One reads, one person holds the device, sees the answer and reads the clues aloud while everyone else shouts guesses. The reader taps whoever got it first, and the points depend on how many clues it took.

Pick a category (or all of them) and a difficulty on the main screen. Easy words are things kids know well, like dog, pizza and rain. Hard words include sloth, constellation, parasaurolophus and humidity. Mixed draws from every level.

Tips

• Guess early. A wrong guess costs no more than taking the next clue yourself, so if you have a hunch, type it.
• Count the blanks. The number of letters rules out a lot of answers, and a two-word answer shows a gap.
• Watch the category tag. The category is shown at the top left, so “I have a long neck” means something different under Dinosaurs than under Music.
• Save letters for the end. A letter is most useful when you have narrowed it down to two or three words.
• Read every word of a clue. Clues are written to be true for the answer, and small details like “most of my kind” or “I am not a dinosaur” matter.

FAQ

Is Guess the Word free?

Yes. It is free to play with no account and nothing to install.

How is it different from Wordle or Hangman?

You never guess letters one at a time and get colored feedback. You work out the whole word from meaning, using clues that get easier, a bit like a riddle that gives more away each time you miss.

Is it good for kids and classrooms?

Yes. Every word and clue is family-friendly, Easy mode uses everyday words, and the One reads option turns it into a group game where a teacher or parent reads the clues out loud.

Does it work on phones?

Yes. On a phone or tablet, use the on-screen keyboard. The game area won’t scroll the page while you play.

Are my scores saved?

Your best scores, daily results and streak are saved in your browser on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Like word puzzles? Try our riddles for more brain teasers, or play Hangman to guess a word letter by letter.