Hangman
Guess the word letter by letter before your lives run out
100% free. Runs entirely in your browser - your files and data never leave your device and nothing is uploaded to any server.
6 lives · any word length
Tip: you can type letters on your keyboard too.
About this tool
The classic word-guessing game - guess letters one at a time to reveal a hidden word before you run out of lives/attempts, a simple but engaging test of vocabulary and letter-frequency intuition.
How to use this tool
- Start hidden-word roundGet blank word pattern and limited attempts.
- Guess frequent letters firstReveal structure quickly using common characters.
- Infer complete wordUse discovered pattern and misses to solve.
- Finish before attempts endComplete word with minimal wrong guesses.
How to play Hangman
The word is shown as a row of blanks. Guess a letter: if it is in the word, every place it appears is filled in; if not, another part of the hangman is drawn. Find the whole word before all six parts are drawn to win.
Start with the most common letters in English - E, A, R, I, O, T, N and S - then use the pattern of blanks to guess the rest. Short words are often harder than long ones, because they give you fewer letters to work from.
Key features
- Improves spelling and vocabulary recall.
- Teaches frequency-based guessing strategy.
- Easy rules with high engagement.
- Great educational and family-friendly game.
Common uses
- Language-learning vocabulary practice.
- Classroom spelling challenge rounds.
- Family game sessions.
- Quick word puzzle during breaks.
Tips for better results
- Start with vowels and common consonants.
- Use word length clues to narrow options.
- Track failed letters to avoid repeats.
- Delay rare letters until later stages.
Mistakes to avoid
- Guessing uncommon letters too early.
- Repeating already failed guesses.
- Ignoring known word pattern constraints.
- Rushing final word without cross-checking letters.
Frequently asked questions
Traditional Hangman allows a limited number of wrong guesses (often corresponding to the stages of the hangman drawing) - check the specific game's exact limit.
Starting with common vowels and frequently-used consonants (like E, A, R, S, T) tends to reveal useful letters early, narrowing down the possible word faster than guessing rare letters first.
Yes - a new word is randomly selected each time you play, so you won't face the exact same word repeatedly in a row.
Start with the most common letters in English - E, T, A, O, I, N, S, R - then use the pattern of revealed letters to guess whole words. Vowels early narrow things down quickly.
Yes. It makes children and language learners think about which letters a word contains and how common patterns are spelled.
Short words with rare letters, such as 'jazz', 'fjord' or 'lynx', because the common-letter strategy finds little in them.
Put the game on a shared screen and let players take turns calling a letter, or split into two teams that alternate. The team that completes the word scores the point.
Word-guessing games of this kind date back to at least the late 1800s in Britain. The simple pen-and-paper format is why it is still a classroom favourite.