Hangman online
Find the secret word one letter at a time. Each miss pops a balloon: after six misses, the basket lands and the round ends.
How do you play hangman?
In hangman, a player has to find a secret word by guessing one letter at a time. Each correct letter is shown in every spot where it appears in the word. Each wrong letter counts as a miss. You win by completing the word before reaching the limit of misses, which is six in this version.
How to play
- Pick a theme: animals, fruits, countries, jobs, objects or sports. The theme stays in view and works as your hint.
- The game draws a word from the theme and shows one blank for each letter.
- Tap a letter on the on-screen keyboard. On a computer, you can also type on the physical keyboard.
- If the letter is in the word, it shows up in every spot where it belongs.
- If the letter is not in the word, one of the six balloons pops and the basket sinks a little.
- Every word here is a single word with no spaces, hyphens or accents, so the 26 letters are all you need.
- You win when you find every letter before you lose all six balloons.
- On the sixth miss, the basket lands, the round ends and the full word is shown.
- Tap Start new game to get another word. Each win in a row adds to your streak.
Tips to play better
- Start with the vowels. In English, E and A show up in most words.
- After the vowels, try the most common consonants: T, N, S, R, H, L and D.
- Use the theme. In jobs, for example, many words end in ER, OR or IST.
- Count the blanks. The length of the word rules out many options.
- Look for letter pairs. U follows Q. Words often end in ING, and TH, CH and SH are common pairs.
- Save J, Q, X and Z for last. They are rare letters in English.
Why balloons instead of gallows
Hangman is a classic pencil and paper game. The rule here is the same, with six misses per word, but the drawing is different: a little critter in a basket tied to six balloons. That keeps the game light for anyone in the family.
Frequently asked questions
How many wrong guesses do I get in hangman?
Six in this version. Each wrong letter pops one of the six balloons. On the sixth miss the round ends and the word is shown.
Do the words have spaces or special characters?
No. Every English word in this game is a single word made only of the letters A to Z, so you never have to guess a space or a hyphen.
Which letters should I guess first?
The vowels E and A, which are the most common vowels in English. Then try frequent consonants such as T, N, S and R.
What is the streak?
It is the count of words you guessed in a row. It goes back to zero when you lose a round or skip a word you already started. Your best streak is saved on your device.
Can I play in Portuguese or Spanish?
Yes. Switch the site language and the game uses words and a keyboard for that language. Portuguese adds the Ç key and Spanish adds the Ñ key.
