19 game modes: rules, examples and tips

How do the modes work?

Every mode shares the same core: turn-based, by voice or by typing, 3 lives and 2 passes (changeable in GAME SETTINGS), the last one standing wins. A mode only changes the rule of the turn. Every mode has its own music; it gets tense as the clock runs down and pauses while you talk. In chain modes the words stack into a tower like a crossword, sharing a tile where they share a letter. For the overall flow, see the how to play guide.

Which mode is for you?

• New players and families: Word Chain, Name Chain, City Chain, Category
• Big parties: Bomb, Speed, Mix, A to Z
• Word masters: Last Two, Letter Pool, Banned Letter, Climb
• Puzzle lovers: Missing Letter, Rhyme, Double Letters, Word, Bum’s Secret
• Reflexes and rivalry: Buzz In, Speed, Bomb, Chess Clock

Word: start with one letter, end with another

Two letters appear on screen: one is the start of the word, the other its end. With C…T you say a word that starts with C and ends with T. The same pair stays on the table for a while, getting harder as the easy words are taken; then a new pair comes. A word can’t be said twice.

Hint button: stuck? HINT opens a letter in the middle of a word. Hints are limited, and a word found with a hint scores less.

• Example: C…T → CAT · COAT · CHART · CARPET
• Difficulty: Medium
• Tip: Short, well-known words run out in the first rounds. Keep a long spare word in mind for when the turn comes back to you.

Word Chain: a new word from the last letter

Say a word that starts with the last letter of the previous word. The first letter is random. Every dictionary word counts, but a word said once can’t be said again in that game. If a word ends in X, the letter before it counts: BOX → O.

• Example: APPLE → EGG → GOAT → TIGER → RABBIT
• Difficulty: Easy
• Tip: Words ending in Y, K or Z leave your rival a harder letter than words ending in E or S.

Name Chain: a new name from the last letter

Say a first name that starts with the last letter of the previous name. Girls’ and boys’ names both count; a name can’t be said twice in the same game.

• Example: ANNA → ADAM → MIA → ALAN → NOAH → HANNAH
• Difficulty: Easy
• Tip: Lots of names end in A and N. Have a few names starting with A and N ready (AMY, ALEX, NINA, NATHAN).

City Chain: cities, countries and US states

Say a city, country or US state that starts with the last letter of the previous place. Big world cities count too. Under a right answer the game shows what it is: capital, country, state or city.

• Example: LONDON → NAIROBI → ITALY → YORK → KENYA → ATHENS
• Difficulty: Easy
• Tip: Many places end in A. Know a handful of A places by heart: ATHENS, AUSTRALIA, ALASKA, AMSTERDAM, ARIZONA.

Category: say the first thing that comes to mind

Say something from the category on screen: fruits, animals, jobs and many more. The category stays for a while, then a new one comes; an answer can’t be repeated in the same game.

• Example: FRUITS → APPLE · CHERRY · PEAR
• Difficulty: Easy
• Tip: Be quick: the best-known answers go first. Save a less common one for later rounds.

Bomb: the chunk must be in your word

A two-letter chunk appears on screen. Say a word with that chunk anywhere in it: at the start, in the middle or at the end. The chunk goes around the table and every word shortens the clock: the fuse is burning. Said words can’t be repeated. If you run out of time the bomb blows in your hands and you lose a life; a new chunk comes with a shorter fuse.

• Example: AN → ANT · BANANA · PLANET · CANDY
• Difficulty: Medium
• Tip: Long words hide many chunks. Think of the chunk in the middle of a word, not only at the start.

Last Two: start with the last two letters

Say a word that starts with the last two letters of the previous word. If no word starts with those two letters, the last letter is enough. Leaving a tough ending is allowed: corner your rivals!

• Example: BEACH → CHURCH → CHEST → STAR → ARM
• Difficulty: Hard
• Tip: Endings like -NK, -LF or -XT are hard to start with. Use them when it’s your turn to leave a word.

Rhyme: end with the same sound

The word must end with the three letters on screen. A new rhyme comes every round and the next player opens it. Said words can’t be repeated, so it gets harder as the pool shrinks. Plain endings such as -ING, -ED and -LY don’t come up as rhymes.

• Example: -ACK → BACK · SNACK · TRACK · BLACK
• Difficulty: Medium
• Tip: Go through the alphabet in front of the rhyme: B-ACK, H-ACK, J-ACK, P-ACK, R-ACK…

Letter Pool: the longest word from 9 letters

Nine letters appear on screen. Make a word of at least 4 letters using only those letters, each one once. Longer words score more. New letters come every round; the next player opens each new set.

• Example: CHOCOLATE → COAT · HOTEL · LOCATE
• Difficulty: Hard
• Tip: Look for common endings first (-ER, -ATE, -ION) and build backwards.

Banned Letter: that letter can’t be used

Say a word that starts with the given letter, but the banned letter must not appear in it at all. The banned letters are vowels: A, E, I, O, U. From the third round, two letters are banned at once!

• Example: Start with B, banned E → BOX · BOOK · BIRD
• Difficulty: Hard
• Tip: Words built on a single vowel save you: with E banned, think of BOX, BUS, BIRD.

Climb: a longer word every round

Say a word that starts with the given letter and has at least N letters. N goes up by one every round: 5, 6, 7… Longer words score more.

• Example: B, 5+ → BEACH · B, 6+ → BRIDGE · B, 7+ → BIRTHDAY
• Difficulty: Medium
• Tip: Keep long words for later rounds; easy five-letter words are enough at the start.

Double Letters: the same letter twice in a row

Say a word with the same letter twice in a row: BALL, TREE, BOOK. From the third round the pair is named (LL, SS, EE, OO, TT…), and a word with that pair earns extra points.

• Example: BALL · TREE · BOOK · APPLE · COFFEE
• Difficulty: Medium
• Tip: Keep a word for each common pair in mind: LL (BALL), SS (GLASS), EE (TREE), OO (MOON), TT (BOTTLE).

A to Z: the next letter is yours

Each turn the letter moves one step: A, B, C, D… X is skipped. Say a word that starts with the current letter; you always know which letter is coming. After Z it goes back to A, and the starting letter changes every game.

• Example: KITE → LEMON → MOON → NEST
• Difficulty: Medium
• Tip: Count ahead: with three players, your letter is three steps away. Have spare words for Q, V and Z.

Speed: less time every round

Say a word that starts with the given letters; a new start comes every turn. The time gets shorter every round, down to 5 seconds. If your time runs out, you’re out.

There are EASY, MEDIUM and HARD levels: the start gets longer as it gets harder (B…, BA…, BAR…).

• Example: B… → BOOK · BA… → BANANA · BAR… → BARN
• Difficulty: Hard
• Tip: No time to think: say the first word that fits.

Chess Clock: everyone has their own minutes

The Word Chain rule (start with the last letter) gets a chess clock. Everyone has their own time bank; your clock only runs on your turn and the time left carries over. If your bank runs out you’re out at once; three mistakes still knock you out.

• Example: Word chain + personal time bank
• Difficulty: Medium
• Tip: Answer fast on easy letters and save your time for the hard ones.

Missing Letter: fill the gap

A letter pattern appears with one letter missing: CA?E. Put any letter in place of the question mark to make a word of the same length. Patterns get longer as the game goes on.

• Example: CA?E → CAGE · CAKE · CAME · CAPE · CARE · CAVE
• Difficulty: Medium
• Tip: Run through the alphabet in the gap (CABE, CACE, CADE…) and say the first real word.

Bum’s Secret: find Bum’s word letter by letter

Bum is thinking of a 4, 5 or 6-letter word; only its first letter is open. On your turn, say a word that fits the board and has as many letters: letters that are in Bum’s word drop into place, the others show up in red below the board. A word that doesn’t fit the board doesn’t cost a life; the game tells you why.

Whoever says Bum’s word cracks the secret and takes the big points: the earlier the secret is cracked, the more it’s worth.

• Example: Board T _ _ _ _ → THINK · T _ _ _ _ → TIMES · T I _ E _ → TIGER: secret cracked!
• Difficulty: Medium
• Tip: A word that tries new letters opens the board quickly. If you can guess the secret, don’t wait.

Buzz In: the word opens letter by letter

No turns. A 5 to 8-letter word starts with its first letter open, and another letter opens every few seconds. The moment you know it, press the button in your corner and say it: the clock stops and only you talk. The fewer letters open when you get it, the more points you score. Wrong, and you lose a life and can’t buzz until the next letter opens, so someone else can grab it. After 10 words the highest score wins.

• Example: R _ _ _ _ _ → R _ C _ _ _ → R _ C _ _ T → buzz: ROCKET!
• Difficulty: Medium
• Tip: Don’t buzz unless you’re sure: a wrong answer costs a life and opens the door for your rivals.

Mix: a different rule every turn

The rule changes every turn: Bomb, Rhyme, Banned Letter, Climb, Letter Pool, Double Letters, Word and Category. The name of the rule is in the middle of the screen.

• Example: Bomb → Rhyme → Banned Letter → Climb…
• Difficulty: Hard
• Tip: Read the badge first: getting the rule wrong eats your time.

Random: let the wheel pick

Can’t decide? Choose Random: the wheel spins when the game starts and picks a mode, followed by that mode’s intro. A surprise every game.

Mode of the week and turn time

Every week one mode becomes the Mode of the week and is open to everyone for the week; one of the daily quests asks for it too.

The turn time works with every mode: 15 (fast pace), 30, 60 or 90 seconds. Speed uses its own shrinking clock and Chess Clock a time bank.

For the characters, go back to the home page; for the rules, see the how to play guide.