🪢 Hangman

Hangman

Guess the hidden word one letter at a time. Six wrong guesses and it's game over — choose your letters wisely.

0Wins
0Streak
6Guesses left

How to play Hangman

Hangman is one of the oldest and best-loved word games there is. The computer picks a secret word and shows it as a row of dashes. You guess letters one by one: every correct letter is revealed in place, and every wrong letter adds a stroke to the drawing. Finish the word before the figure is complete to win.

  1. Look at the blanks. Each dash is one letter of the hidden word, so the length is your first clue.
  2. Guess a letter. Tap a letter on the keyboard. Correct letters fill their slots; wrong ones cost a guess.
  3. Watch your guesses. You have six wrong guesses before the round ends.
  4. Solve it. Reveal every letter to win and build your streak.

Smart Hangman strategy

More word fun

Enjoyed that? Test yourself against the clock in our Word Scramble, or take on endless puzzles in Wordle Unlimited. Curious which words are hardest to guess? Browse our word lists by length to study the possibilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you play Hangman?

A hidden word is shown as a row of blank slots. You guess one letter at a time: correct letters fill their slots, while wrong guesses add a piece to the drawing. Spell the whole word before the figure is finished and you win.

How many wrong guesses am I allowed?

You get six wrong guesses. Each incorrect letter draws another part of the figure — head, body, two arms and two legs. The sixth mistake completes the drawing and ends the round.

Where do the words come from?

Words are picked at random from a list of common English words between five and eight letters long, so every answer is familiar. There are no obscure or unfair entries.

Can I play Hangman with friends?

This version plays against the computer, which picks the word for you, so you can enjoy it solo. To play the pen-and-paper way with friends, one person can simply choose a word and use the on-screen keyboard to track guesses.

Is Hangman good for learning?

Yes. It is a classic for building spelling and vocabulary, and it works well for children and language learners because every guess reinforces letter patterns and word shapes.

Is the Hangman game free?

Completely free, with no sign-up and no download. It runs in your browser on any device, so you can play a quick round whenever you like.