Guess the Word (Hangman)

Players

2 or more

Time

10 minutes

You need

Nothing

Ages

8 and above

Type

WhatsApp group games

Who it suits and when to play

Guess the Word suits children who have begun to spell, from about eight, and adults who enjoy a quiet puzzle. On a chat it moves slowly and pleasantly, so it is a good game for an evening when members drop in and out. Teachers use it to revise spellings; families use it on journeys with a pen and the back of a ticket.

How to play

1. The host thinks of a word and posts it as blanks, with the topic. For example: "_ _ _ _ _ _ (a fruit)".
2. Players guess one letter at a time.
3. For a right letter, the host posts the word again with that letter filled in.
4. For a wrong letter, the host removes one heart from seven: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️.
5. The group wins by finishing the word before the hearts run out. The player who completes it sets the next word.

Ready message to start the game

Tips and variations

• Start with vowels. Then try common letters such as R, S, T, N and L.
• Use words everybody knows. Names of dishes, cities and animals work best.

Common problems and how to fix them

• Nobody remembers which letters were tried. The host posts the tried letters with the word after every guess.
• The word is too easy or too hard. Give the number of letters and a theme. Six to nine letters is the comfortable range.
• Younger children do not like the hanging figure. Draw a flower losing petals or a ladder losing steps instead. The game is the same.

More WhatsApp group games

• Emoji Guess 10 to 20 minutes
• Name, Place, Animal, Thing 15 minutes
• Two Truths and a Lie 15 to 30 minutes
• Would You Rather 10 to 20 minutes
• This or That 5 to 10 minutes
• Pick a Number 15 minutes
• Unscramble the Word 10 minutes
• Story Chain 15 to 30 minutes

Need fair teams or someone to go first? Use the team maker. See all 45 games.