Is this hangman game free?

Yes. You play without signing up or downloading anything, and there is nothing to buy. A free PanicLines account also keeps your statistics on every device.

Are the words in English?

Yes, over 450 English words in four categories. On the start screen you can also switch the word language to German; your statistics are kept separately for each language.

Can I play on my phone?

Yes, in the browser on phone, tablet and PC. You tap the letters on the built-in keyboard; no app is needed.

Is my progress saved?

Yes. A round in progress survives a reload, and your statistics (played, won, win streak) stay in your browser. With an account both are kept on the server, and the rounds you played before are carried over when you sign in.

Play Hangman Online Free – Guess the Word

Play hangman online for free

This is the classic game of hangman with a gentler picture: instead of a gallows there is a balloon, and every wrong letter lets a little air out. Uncover the word before the balloon is empty and you win.

You guess from over 450 hand-picked English nouns about animals, food, nature and the home – or switch to German words if you fancy a challenge. It is free in your browser on phone, tablet and PC, with nothing to download and no sign-up, and a round usually takes just a few minutes.

How to play hangman

A word is hidden; all you see is how many letters it has.
Guess one letter at a time. If it is in the word, it appears in every place it belongs.
Each wrong letter costs a try and the balloon loses air. When the tries run out it pops and the word is revealed.
Guessing a letter twice costs nothing. (In the German word list, Ä, Ö, Ü and ß are letters of their own.)

Levels and words

Easy: words of 4–6 letters, 9 tries, and the first letter is already shown.
Medium: 5–9 letters, 7 tries.
Hard: 8 letters or more, only 6 tries, and the category stays hidden. Rarer words only turn up here.
Pick a category (animals, food, nature, household) or play them mixed. Words you have played recently do not come back for a while.
Once per round a hint reveals a letter. It costs a try and is no longer available when you are down to your last one.

Controls

On phones and tablets, tap the letters on the built-in QWERTY keyboard. Correct letters get a tick there, wrong ones are crossed out.
The word language is chosen on the start screen: EN for English words, DE for German ones (with a QWERTZ keyboard and Ä, Ö, Ü and ß).
On a PC, just type on your keyboard. After a round, Enter starts the next one and Esc takes you back to the menu.
The settings offer a light and a dark theme, large text, and music and sound effects you can switch off.

Hangman tips

Start with the vowels: E and A appear in most English words, then try O and I. Among the consonants, R, T, N, S and L are the best guesses.
Look for typical pairs: TH, SH and CH are common, as are double letters like EE, OO, LL and RR (as in SQUIRREL or COFFEE).
Use the category: an animal with seven letters and an E in second place leaves only a handful of candidates. Run through them before you guess.
Think compound: many longer words are two words in one, like BUTTERFLY, WATERFALL or TOOTHBRUSH. Once one half shows, the other is often easy.
Save the hint: it reveals the letter that occurs most often in the rest of the word, so it helps most once a few letters are in place and you are stuck.

Frequently asked questions

Is this hangman game free?: Yes. You play without signing up or downloading anything, and there is nothing to buy. A free PanicLines account also keeps your statistics on every device.
Are the words in English?: Yes, over 450 English words in four categories. On the start screen you can also switch the word language to German; your statistics are kept separately for each language.
Can I play on my phone?: Yes, in the browser on phone, tablet and PC. You tap the letters on the built-in keyboard; no app is needed.
Is my progress saved?: Yes. A round in progress survives a reload, and your statistics (played, won, win streak) stay in your browser. With an account both are kept on the server, and the rounds you played before are carried over when you sign in.