Hangman is the classic word-guessing game: there is a hidden word, you guess one letter at a time, and you try to find the whole word before you run out of wrong guesses. You can play Hangman free online on GamesBento, in your web browser with no download or sign-up, or with nothing more than a pencil and paper. This guide explains the rules, the letters worth guessing first, some fun variations, and a few other games you might enjoy if Hangman is a favourite.
A gentler kind of Hangman
Most of us remember drawing a little gallows on the back of an exercise book. It is a cheerful game, but the picture is not to everyone’s taste. Our Hangman keeps everything that makes the game fun and swaps the drawing for something kinder: a flower that loses one petal for each wrong guess. Find the word before the last petal falls and you win.
It is the same game you know, just a little friendlier, and perfectly suitable for playing alongside grandchildren.
The rules of Hangman
Hangman is usually played by two people, or by one person against the computer online. One side chooses the word, the other guesses it. Whether you play the game Hangman online or with pencil and paper, the rules are the same.
Setting up
- The person choosing the word thinks of one and keeps it secret.
- They draw a row of dashes, one for each letter. A five-letter word looks like this: _ _ _ _ _
- Before starting, agree how many wrong guesses are allowed. On paper this is usually decided by how many parts the picture has.
Playing
- The guesser says a letter.
- If the letter is in the word, the chooser writes it on every dash where it appears. If the word is APPLE and you guess P, both Ps are filled in: _ P P _ _
- If the letter is not in the word, the chooser adds one piece to the picture and writes the letter to one side, so nobody guesses it twice.
- Play continues until the word is complete or the picture is finished.
Winning and losing
- The guesser wins by filling in every letter, or by guessing the whole word correctly before the picture is finished.
- The chooser wins if the picture is completed first.
When you play online, the computer chooses the word and keeps track of everything for you, so you can simply concentrate on guessing.
The best letters to guess first
You can, of course, guess at random, but a little strategy goes a long way. The most common advice is to begin with the letters that turn up most often in everyday English words.
Start with the common letters
A popular order to work through is:
E, A, R, I, O, T, N, S
E is generally reckoned to be the most common letter in English, which makes it the classic first guess. A good mix of vowels (A, I, O) and frequent consonants (R, T, N, S) will usually reveal the shape of the word quickly.
Then think about the shape of the word
Once a few letters are showing, stop going down the list and start reading the word:
- Look at the ending. A word ending in _ _ N G may well finish in -ING. One ending in _ E D might be a past tense.
- Look for common pairs. TH, SH, CH and QU appear often. If you see a Q, a U almost always follows it.
- Count the vowels. If a long word only shows one vowel so far, there are probably more to come, and Y may be acting as a vowel.
- Think of real words. Say the pattern out loud and see what comes to mind. _ A _ _ E N might be GARDEN, WARDEN or HARDEN.
Save the rare letters
Letters such as J, Q, X and Z appear less often, so they are usually poor early guesses. Keep them for when you have a strong hunch.
Do not forget about double letters
Words such as BALLOON, COFFEE and LETTER have repeated letters. When a guess reveals one letter in two places, it can unlock the word very quickly.
Tips for choosing a tricky word
If you are the one choosing the word, perhaps when playing with family, some words are much harder to guess than others:
- Short words can be harder than long ones. A three- or four-letter word gives very few clues.
- Unusual letters help. Words with J, K, V, W, X, Y or Z are tougher to crack.
- Fewer vowels make it harder. Words such as RHYTHM or LYNX leave the guesser struggling.
- Keep it fair. Agree on whether names, places and very obscure words are allowed. A good game is one where the guesser has a real chance.
If you would rather make it easier, for beginners or older players, our list of easy Hangman words for seniors has plenty of friendly, familiar words, sorted by theme.
Variations to try
Part of Hangman’s charm is how easily it can be changed. Here are some popular ways to play.
Category Hangman
The chooser announces a category, such as animals, foods or places in the garden. Knowing the category makes the game a little easier and is ideal for younger players.
Phrase Hangman
Instead of a single word, choose a short phrase, a proverb or a song title. Draw a gap between the words. Longer phrases are often easier, because there are more letters to reveal.
Friendly pictures
Lots of families and teachers prefer a gentler drawing, just as we do. Popular choices include a snowman that melts, a flower that loses its petals, a spider that climbs down its thread, or a simple ladder that you draw one rung at a time.
Team Hangman
Split into two teams and take turns choosing words for each other. Keep score over several rounds, with points for each word solved.
Reverse Hangman
The guesser tries to reveal the word using as few guesses as possible, and the score is the number of wrong guesses. Lowest total after five words wins.
Playing Hangman with friends offline
You do not need a screen for Hangman. All you need is:
- A pencil or pen.
- A piece of paper, or a whiteboard if you have one.
- At least two people.
It is a lovely game for a rainy afternoon, a long car journey (for the passengers!), or a pub table. It also works well over the phone or on a video call: the chooser simply reads out the pattern after each guess.
If you would like more ideas for screen-free play, our guide to games you can play without internet has plenty, from card games to dots and boxes.
A little history
Nobody knows exactly where Hangman began. It is generally thought to be at least a century old, and a similar guessing game called “Birds, Beasts and Fishes”, in which players guessed the name of an animal letter by letter, is described in a well-known collection of traditional British children’s games from the 1890s. Whatever its origins, it has been a favourite of classrooms and kitchen tables ever since.
Games like Hangman you can play online
If you enjoy Hangman, there is a good chance you will like these too:
- Word Guess. Guess a hidden five-letter word, with coloured letters telling you what is right after each try. It uses the same mix of vocabulary and deduction.
- Word Scramble. All the letters are given, but in the wrong order. The Word Scramble guide has tips for spotting words quickly.
- Word Search. A calmer choice, where you find hidden words in a grid of letters.
- Word Ladder and Word Wheel. Two more classic word puzzles that reward a good vocabulary.
- Code Breaker. No words at all, but the same satisfying guess, learn and narrow down process, using colours.
Our article on free word games online explains each of these in more detail. You can also find every game on the all games page.
Ready to play?
Hangman is one of those rare games that almost everyone already knows, which makes it a perfect choice for a quick break. Start with E, keep an eye on the shape of the word, and enjoy that moment when the answer suddenly clicks. When you are ready, open our free Hangman game online and see if you can save every petal.
