Hangman Strategy: Which Letters to Guess First (and the Hardest Words to Pick)
Hangman is usually the first word game children learn, and it is still a favourite for car journeys and rainy afternoons. It looks like pure luck, but it is not. Some letters are far more likely to appear than others, and the best order to guess them changes with the length of the word.
The best letters to guess first
We counted how many everyday words of each length in our dictionary contain each letter. These are the letters to try first:
| Word length | Best first guesses, in order |
|---|---|
| 4 letters | A, E, S, O, R, T, I, L |
| 5 letters | E, S, A, R, O, I, T, L |
| 6 letters | E, R, S, A, I, T, N, O |
| 8 letters | E, I, R, A, S, N, T, O |
E is the strongest guess for most lengths, appearing in nearly half of everyday five-letter words and about two-thirds of eight-letter words. For short words, A is a slightly better start. Notice how I and N climb the list as words get longer. Long words are full of endings like -ING and -TION.
Vowels first, then common consonants
Once you have tried E and A, guessing the other vowels quickly shows you the shape of the word. After that, switch to the common consonants: S, R, T, N and L. Save rare letters such as J, Q, X and Z until you have a good idea what the word might be.
Use the shape of the word
- A final S often means a plural. Try it early on words of six letters or more.
- Double letters are common at the end of short words: -LL, -SS and -FF.
- Q is almost always followed by U. If you find a Q, guess U next.
- Common endings such as -ED, -ER, -ING and -LY are worth testing once you see a likely pattern.
The hardest words to guess
If you are the one choosing the word, short words made of uncommon letters are the hardest to crack, because the usual guesses miss them. Some of the toughest everyday choices are:
JINX, QUIZ, FOX, VEX, FIX, FEZ, JIG, JAW, ZIP, JUG, WHIZ, FOXY, QUICK, JOY.
These work because they have few vowels and they use letters most players leave until late. Longer words, perhaps surprisingly, are usually easier to guess, because their common letters fill in the gaps quickly.
Keep it friendly
- Match the word to the player. For young children, short familiar words are best.
- Use a theme. Animals, food or a favourite film make good word lists and help with guessing.
- Change the picture. Many families draw a flower losing its petals or a snowman melting instead of the traditional drawing.
For more ideas, see our guides to word games for kids and word games for seniors.
Related reading: Word games for kids · Short words with Z, X, J and Q · Most common letters in English
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