How to play Pete’s Word of the Day
Here’s how to play Pete’s Word of the Day: find the hidden five-letter word in six guesses. After each guess the tiles change colour to show which letters are in the word and which are in the right place. It’s a free online word game with a new word every day.
The word is the same for everyone and changes at midnight GMT. You get one go a day: fewest guesses tops the daily leaderboard, and the quickest breaks a tie.
The basics
Find the hidden five-letter word in six guesses. Type a word and press Enter; the tiles change colour to show how close you were.
The colours
C is in the word and in the right place.
I is in the word, but somewhere else.
S isn’t in the word at all.
- Letters can repeat. If you guess a letter twice and the word has it once, only one tile lights up — green first, then the leftmost yellow.
- Every guess must be a real word (British spellings like ODOUR, FIBRE and MOULD are welcome). The keyboard remembers your colours.
Today’s word
- Today’s word is the same for everyone and changes at midnight GMT. You get one go a day — fewest guesses tops the daily board, and the quickest breaks a tie.
- Share your coloured squares with friends — no letters, so no spoilers.
Word lists from the English Speller Database (SCOWL), © Kevin Atkinson — wordlist.aspell.net.
Beginner tips
- Start with a real word that uses common letters, and no repeats. A word like CRANE works well, because the colours then tell you a lot about where to go next.
- Use the on-screen keyboard. It remembers your colours, so you won’t waste a guess on letters you already know are out.
- Remember that letters can repeat. If you guess a letter twice and the word has it once, only one tile lights up, so a grey tile doesn’t always mean the letter is missing from the word.
Frequently asked questions
How many guesses do you get in Pete’s Word of the Day?
Six guesses to find the hidden five-letter word. Type a word and press Enter, and every guess must be a real word.
What do the colours mean?
Green means the letter is in the word and in the right place. Yellow means it is in the word but somewhere else, and grey means it isn’t in the word at all.
What time does the word change?
A new word appears every day at midnight GMT, the same for everyone. You get one go a day.
Does it use British spellings?
Yes, British spellings like ODOUR, FIBRE and MOULD are welcome.
Is Pete’s Word of the Day free to play?
Yes. Pete’s Word of the Day is free to play in your browser, with nothing to download. It is a solo game, with streaks and a daily leaderboard, and you can share your coloured squares with friends without spoilers.
Ready to play Pete’s Word of the Day?
It’s free and works in your browser — no download. Start against Trevor, the friendliest opponent, and sign up free to climb the ladder of ten computer players all the way to Pete.
Play Pete’s Word of the Day now