Last Letter

Every word starts with the last letter of the one before.

Play

Difficulty

Words

Time per turn

Last Letter Game

How to play

The game gives you a starting word. Type a word that begins with its last letter — apple ends in E, so elephant works. Then the next player (or the computer) has to find a word starting with T, and the chain goes on.

No repeats, no names, and three letters minimum. Run out of time or tap I'm stuck and you're out. The last player standing wins.

What is the Last Letter game?

The Last Letter game is one of the oldest word games there is, and one of the simplest: each word has to start with the last letter of the word before it. It needs no board, no cards and no setup, which is why it gets played on long car journeys, at the dinner table and as a classroom warm-up all over the world. It goes by plenty of names — word chain, last and first, alpha and omega — and Japan and Korea have their own versions, shiritori and kkeunmaritgi.

This online version keeps the rules honest. It checks every word against a dictionary of more than 120,000 English words, remembers what has been played so nobody sneaks a repeat in, and runs a turn timer so nobody can think forever. Play against the computer on your own, or pass one phone around a group.

Last letter game examples

Here is what a good chain looks like. Notice how each word starts with the letter the previous word ended on.

Any word

Apple → Egg → Giraffe → Elephant → Tiger → Rabbit → Table → Engine → Elbow → Window

Animals

Dog → Goat → Tiger → Rabbit → Turtle → Eagle → Elephant → Toucan → Newt → Tortoise

Countries

Japan → Norway → Yemen → Nepal → Laos → Spain → Nigeria → Australia → Austria → Argentina

Food

Bread → Donut → Toast → Tomato → Omelet → Taco → Olive → Egg → Garlic → Carrot

The countries chain shows the classic trap: so many countries end in A that once you're on A, you'll stay there — and the A countries run out fast.

Rules and variations

Classic. Any word, last letter to first letter, no repeats. Our version needs at least three letters and doesn't allow proper nouns.
Topic chains. Every word has to fit a category — animals, countries, food. Much harder than it sounds, because each topic has only a few hundred answers to share.
Timed. Give each player 5 to 10 seconds. Fail to answer and you're out. This is how the game is usually played at parties.
Last two letters. A harder variant for word lovers: the next word has to start with the last two letters. Garden → enter → error. Play it out loud — the app uses the one-letter rule.
Shiritori. The Japanese version, played with syllables instead of letters. Say a word ending in ん and you lose on the spot.

Tips to win at the Last Letter game

Leave your opponent a hard letter. Few words start with X, Q, Z, J, K or Y. Words like box, quiz and Iraq are the best moves in the game.
Avoid ending on E, S and T when you're playing to win — they leave your opponent with thousands of options.
Keep a few spares. Have one go-to word ready for each awkward letter, so the timer never catches you out.
In topic mode, count what's left. Once Argentina, Australia and Austria are gone, an A ending is a real weapon.

Word lists for each topic

Every answer the game knows in the topic modes. If you play a real one that isn't here, tap Allow it.

Animals

Aardvark, Albatross, Alligator, Alpaca, Anaconda, Ant, Anteater, Antelope, Armadillo, Baboon, Badger, Barracuda, Bat, Bear, Beaver, Bee, Beetle, Bison, Boar, Buffalo, Butterfly, Camel, Canary, Capybara, Caribou, Cat, Caterpillar, Chameleon, Cheetah, Chicken, Chimpanzee, Chinchilla, Chipmunk, Cobra, Cockatoo, Cougar, Cow, Coyote, Crab, Crane, Cricket, Crocodile, Crow, Deer, Dingo, Dog, Dolphin, Donkey, Dove, Dragonfly, Duck, Eagle, Echidna, Eel, Egret, Eland, Elephant, Elk, Emu, Falcon, Ferret, Finch, Flamingo, Fox, Frog, Gazelle, Gecko, Gerbil, Gibbon, Giraffe, Gnu, Goat, Goldfish, Goose, Gorilla, Grasshopper, Guinea pig, Hamster, Hare, Hawk, Hedgehog, Heron, Hippopotamus, Horse, Hummingbird, Hyena, Ibis, Iguana, Impala, Jackal, Jaguar, Jellyfish, Kangaroo, Kingfisher, Kiwi, Koala, Komodo dragon, Kookaburra, Ladybug, Lemming, Lemur, Leopard, Lion, Lizard, Llama, Lobster, Lynx, Macaw, Magpie, Manatee, Meerkat, Mole, Mongoose, Monkey, Moose, Mosquito, Moth, Mouse, Mule, Narwhal, Newt, Nightingale, Numbat, Ocelot, Octopus, Opossum, Orangutan, Ostrich, Otter, Owl, Ox, Oyster, Panda, Panther, Parrot, Peacock, Pelican, Penguin, Pheasant, Pig, Pigeon, Platypus, Polar bear, Porcupine, Puffin, Puma, Python, Quail, Quetzal, Quokka, Rabbit, Raccoon, Rat, Rattlesnake, Raven, Reindeer, Rhinoceros, Robin, Salamander, Salmon, Scorpion, Seahorse, Seal, Shark, Sheep, Skunk, Sloth, Snail, Snake, Sparrow, Spider, Squid, Squirrel, Starfish, Stingray, Stork, Swan, Tapir, Tarantula, Tiger, Toad, Tortoise, Toucan, Trout, Tuna, Turkey, Turtle, Umbrellabird, Vampire bat, Vulture, Walrus, Warthog, Wasp, Weasel, Whale, Wildebeest, Wolf, Wolverine, Wombat, Woodpecker, Worm, Yak, Zebra, Zebu

Countries

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Czechia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wales, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Food

Apple, Apricot, Artichoke, Asparagus, Avocado, Bacon, Bagel, Banana, Basil, Bean, Beef, Beetroot, Biscuit, Blackberry, Blueberry, Bread, Broccoli, Brownie, Burger, Burrito, Butter, Cabbage, Cake, Candy, Cantaloupe, Caramel, Carrot, Cashew, Cauliflower, Celery, Cereal, Cheese, Cherry, Chicken, Chili, Chips, Chocolate, Coconut, Cookie, Corn, Couscous, Crab, Cracker, Croissant, Cucumber, Cupcake, Curry, Date, Donut, Doughnut, Dumpling, Eclair, Edamame, Egg, Eggplant, Enchilada, Endive, Falafel, Fig, Fish, Flapjack, Fries, Fudge, Garlic, Ginger, Gingerbread, Granola, Grape, Grapefruit, Guacamole, Gumbo, Ham, Hamburger, Hazelnut, Honey, Hot dog, Hummus, Ice cream, Jam, Jelly, Kale, Kebab, Ketchup, Kiwi, Lasagna, Leek, Lemon, Lentil, Lettuce, Lime, Lobster, Macaroni, Mango, Maple syrup, Marshmallow, Meatball, Melon, Milk, Muffin, Mushroom, Mustard, Nachos, Nectarine, Noodles, Nougat, Nutmeg, Oatmeal, Olive, Omelet, Onion, Orange, Oyster, Pancake, Papaya, Parsley, Pasta, Peach, Peanut, Pear, Peas, Pepper, Pickle, Pie, Pineapple, Pizza, Plum, Popcorn, Pork, Porridge, Potato, Pretzel, Pudding, Pumpkin, Quiche, Quinoa, Radish, Raisin, Raspberry, Ravioli, Rice, Risotto, Salad, Salami, Salmon, Sandwich, Sausage, Scone, Shrimp, Soup, Spaghetti, Spinach, Steak, Strawberry, Sushi, Sweet potato, Taco, Tangerine, Tiramisu, Toast, Toffee, Tofu, Tomato, Tortilla, Truffle, Tuna, Turkey, Turnip, Udon, Vanilla, Waffle, Walnut, Watermelon, Yam, Yogurt, Zucchini

Frequently asked questions

How do you play the Last Letter game?

Someone says a word, and the next player has to say a word that starts with the last letter of that word. Apple ends in E, so the next word could be elephant; elephant ends in T, so the next could be tiger, and so on. You can't repeat a word that has already been played. If you can't think of a word before the timer runs out, you're out. The last player still in the game wins.

Can I play the Last Letter game on my own?

Yes. Choose 'vs Computer' and you take turns with the computer. On Easy it runs out of ideas quickly; on Hard it plays tricky words that leave you with awkward letters like X, J or Z. The game remembers your best chain on each difficulty.

What words are allowed?

In 'Any word' mode, any English word of three letters or more from our 120,000-word dictionary counts — no names, places or abbreviations. In the Animals, Countries and Food modes the word has to fit the topic. If a real word isn't in our list, tap 'Allow it' and the game accepts it — it's your group's call. Plurals of a word that has already been played don't count as new words.

What happens when a word ends in a letter nothing starts with?

In the topic modes, some letters have no answers at all — there is no country that starts with X, for example. When that happens the game moves back one letter and uses the second-to-last letter instead, and tells you which letter to use.

Is the Last Letter game the same as Shiritori?

Shiritori is the Japanese version of the same idea: each word starts with the last kana of the word before. In Japanese, a word that ends in ん (n) loses, because no Japanese word starts with it. Korea has the same game, called kkeunmaritgi. In English it is also called word chain, last-and-first, or alpha and omega.

Is the Last Letter game good for kids and classrooms?

Very. It practises spelling and vocabulary, takes no setup, and the topic modes keep it focused. Teachers often use it as an ESL warm-up. For younger players turn the timer off or set it to 30 seconds, and choose the Animals or Food topic.

Is the Last Letter game free?

Yes. It runs in any browser on a phone, tablet or computer, with no sign-up and no download.

More word games to play in the browser

Solve today's Word Chain puzzle, crack a secret word in Jotto, give clues on a budget in 15 Words or Less, find the liar in the Imposter Game, or browse all our games.