About Guess the Word
Guess the Word is a friendly spelling game that turns reading practice into a fun little challenge. The screen shows one empty box for each letter of the word and a small picture as a clue, and you pick letters one at a time. Every right letter pops into its place in the word, reading from left to right.
Instead of the gloomy drawing of the old pencil-and-paper hangman game, a little teddy bear sits in a basket held up by 6 colorful balloons. Each wrong letter pops a balloon, and if they all pop the basket floats gently down onto the grass, the answer is shown and a new word is ready. Nothing sad happens, there is only encouragement to keep trying.
The words are short, everyday words, sorted into four groups: animals, fruit and vegetables, colors, and things at home. It suits anyone practising letters and spelling or looking for a quick puzzle, from preschool and early primary children to grown-ups, and it's fun to play as a family. A streak counter lets you challenge yourself every day.
How to play
- Choose a word group: animals, fruit and veg, colors or things at home.
- Look at the picture clue and count the boxes to guess the word.
- Press a letter on the keyboard. If it is in the word it appears and the key turns green.
- If the letter is not in the word, a balloon pops and the key turns grey.
- Fill in the whole word before all six balloons pop to win.
Controls
| Keyboard | Type a letter on your keyboard. |
|---|---|
| Mouse | Click a letter on the A to Z keyboard under the game. |
| Touch | Tap a letter on the big A to Z keyboard with your finger. |
Tips to win
- Start with vowels like A, E and O; almost every word has at least one.
- Say the name of the picture out loud, then think about which letter it starts with.
- Once you have a few letters, sound the word out slowly to spot the missing ones.
- Common letters like R, S, T and N show up in lots of short words.
Guess the Word: questions and answers
What age is this word guessing game for?
It suits everyone from about 6 up, whether you're learning to read and spell or just want a quick word puzzle, and adults enjoy it too. Younger players can join in with a parent helping.
Can I type letters on my keyboard?
Yes, just press the letter keys, or click and tap the letters on the screen.
Is this like hangman?
It is the same idea, guessing the word before you run out of tries, but with balloons popping and a basket that lands softly instead of a scary drawing, so it is gentle for every age.
Do the words repeat?
The game picks a different word from the same group each time until it has used them all, then starts again.