Hangman

1. Pick a category, or keep Any category. The boxes show how many letters the secret word has.
2. Tap a letter, or type it on your keyboard. A right letter fills every box where it is.
3. A wrong letter pops a balloon. Guess the whole word before the last one pops. Pick 6, 8 or 10 balloons.
4. Stuck? A hint shows a letter, but it costs a balloon. Press Next word to keep your streak going.

This is the classic paper game with a friendlier picture: balloons and a pond instead of a gallows. The rules are the same. With 6 balloons you get 6 wrong guesses, as many as the head, body, arms and legs of the stick figure; 8 or 10 make the game easier for young players.

• Start with the vowels E and A, then try common consonants such as R, S, T, N and L.
• Look at the length. A short word with rare letters, like jazz or quiz, is harder than a long word.
• Use the category. In Space, a word of 4 letters may be mars or moon.
• Think of endings. Many words end in -ing, -er or -ion.

Press Make a word for a friend and type a secret word. You get a link that hides the word: send it, and your friend guesses it on their phone. Or choose Pass the phone, and they guess it on yours.

For a streak challenge, press Copy link after a few words. Your friend gets the same words in the same order, and the page shows the streak to beat.