Word Games

Word Chain

Each word starts with the last letter of the previous. You vs the bot. Solve a level to unlock the next.

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How to play

  1. The bot starts the chain with a word — say APPLE.
  2. Your word must begin with the last letter of the bot's word — so an E word: ELEPHANT.
  3. The bot replies with a T word: TIGER. You play an R word. And so on.
  4. Words cannot repeat anywhere in the chain — once APPLE is used, it's used.
  5. Build a chain of 12 valid words to win.
  6. If the bot can't find a word starting with the required letter, the bot resigns — you also win.

Strategy

  • End on tough letters. Words that end in X, Z, J, Q are rare — handing those to the bot makes it harder for it to continue. BOX, FIZZ, BUZZ, JAZZ are all bot-killers.
  • Avoid easy letters when you don't have to use them. Ending on common letters (E, S, R, T) gives the bot 50,000+ options to pick from.
  • Use compound words. BLACKSMITH, FIREFLY, RAINBOW — longer words tend to end on consonants and are less likely to repeat.
  • Watch the chain for what's been used. If RIVER is on the board, you can't play it again later. Plan 2 moves ahead.
  • Stockpile rare-end words mentally. Before you submit, ask: "if I end on this letter, can I still play next turn?" If you end on Q, you'll need a U word eventually.

A short history of Shiritori

Word Chain is the English name for Shiritori (しりとり), a Japanese word game that's been a children's classroom and family-car staple for centuries. The Japanese rule has a sharp twist: any player who plays a word ending in ん (n) loses immediately, because no Japanese word starts with ん. That single rule turns Shiritori into a strategic minefield — you spend the whole game trying to force your opponent into ending on ん.

The English version doesn't have a kill-letter quite like ん, but the same dynamic applies with rare letters. Q, X, and Z are the closest analogues — words starting with them are vanishingly rare, so ending your turn on those letters strands the next player.

Word Chain games have appeared in Korean (kkeunmal-itgi), Filipino (huling letra), and many European cultures under various names. The mechanic is universal because it requires no equipment — just two people, a shared language, and patience.

Difficulty curve

Levels follow a steady ramp: easy levels target a 6-word chain (3 of your turns), medium 8 words, hard 10, and bonus levels demand a full 12-word chain. The bot uses the same dictionary you do and plays deterministically per level — every player sees the same opener and the same bot moves.

Note: The dictionary ships with ~800 common English words. Phase 6 expands to the full SOWPODS and TWL06 Scrabble lists (~270,000 combined).

Why play here?

  • No signup, no ads above the fold. Open the page, you're in a match in 2 seconds.
  • Mobile-first. Touch keyboard, haptic feedback on every move.
  • Plays offline. Once the dictionary is cached, you can play without a connection.
  • Multilingual roadmap. Phase 6 lands per-locale Shiritori — Japanese ん rule, Spanish-letter avoidance, German compound-word advantage.

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