How to Play Hangman (and Win More Often)
To play hangman, one player picks a secret word and draws one blank per letter. The other player guesses one letter at a time: a right letter is written into every blank where it belongs, a wrong one adds a stroke to the hangman drawing. Guess the word before the drawing is finished to win. Start with E, A and the other vowels, then common consonants like T, N, S and R.
The rules
- The word-picker thinks of a word and draws a blank (_) for each letter. Saying the category (an animal, a food) makes it fairer.
- The guesser calls out one letter.
- If the letter is in the word, write it in every blank where it appears.
- If it isn't, draw the next part of the figure and write the letter to one side so nobody guesses it twice.
- The guesser may try the whole word at any time. A wrong word usually counts as a miss.
- The guesser wins by finishing the word; the picker wins if the drawing is finished first.
How many misses do you get?
It depends on how detailed the drawing is. The classic figure takes 6 misses (head, body, two arms, two legs); add the gallows (base, post, beam, rope) and it's 10. In GameLake Hangman you get 8 misses on Easy, 7 on Medium and 6 on Hard.
The best letters to guess first
| Order | Letters | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | E | The most common letter in English words. |
| 2nd | A, I, O | Vowels show the shape of the word fast. |
| 3rd | S, T, R, N, L | The most common consonants. |
| Later | C, D, P, M, H, G, B | Middle of the pack: use the pattern to choose. |
| Last | J, Q, X, Z, V, K, W | Rare letters: only when the pattern calls for them. |
Watch out for Y. If a short word has missed two or three vowels, it may have no vowel at all except Y: MYTH, LYNX, HYMN.
Tricks that win hangman
- Think in patterns, not letters. Once you see _EA_, list the words that fit (BEAN, PEAR, MEAT, LEAF) and pick the letter that splits them best.
- Look at word endings. -ING, -ED, -ER, -TION and -LY are everywhere; one hit on G or Y can show a whole ending.
- Remember pairs. Q is almost always followed by U; C often comes with H or K.
- Use the category. In "Birds", _ _ _ K is probably HAWK, and _ _ _ _ K is probably STORK.
- Guess the word when you're sure. Saying it early saves misses for the next round.
Stuck in GameLake Hangman? Press Teach me and Hops suggests the letter that appears in the most words still fitting the pattern, the same trick the best players use.
Variations to try
- Phrases: guess a saying instead of a word; show the spaces. See good hangman words and phrases.
- Hard mode: short words with rare letters. Try hard hangman words.
- Teams: two teams take turns guessing; each team gets its own misses.
- Daily word: GameLake has one shared word each day, the same for everyone.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play hangman?
One player picks a secret word and draws a blank for each letter. The other guesses letters: right letters fill in their blanks, wrong ones add a part to the hangman drawing. Find the word before the drawing is finished.
How many guesses do you get in hangman?
Usually 6 wrong guesses for head, body, two arms and two legs, or more if the gallows is drawn too. GameLake gives 8 on Easy, 7 on Medium and 6 on Hard. Right guesses never count against you.
What is the best first letter in hangman?
E. It's the most common letter in English. Then try A, I, O and the consonants S, T, R, N and L.
What is the hardest word in hangman?
Short words with rare letters, like JAZZ, JINX, LYNX and FUZZ. See our list of hard hangman words.
Can you guess the whole word in hangman?
Yes, at any time. Most people count a wrong word as one miss.
Can I play hangman online with friends?
Yes. In GameLake Hangman choose 2 players to share one device, or Online and Play a friend to send a link to 2 to 6 players.