Easy compound chain
- WATER → BOTTLE → CAP → GUN → FIRE → TRUCK
- water bottle
- bottle cap
- cap gun
- gunfire
- fire truck
Compound-word chain guide
How to play Word Chain solo or with two players
Build a six-word chain where every adjacent pair forms a familiar compound word or two-word phrase. This guide covers the Cardyard Solo score attack, one-phone Duel, private Room race, custom challenges, hints, scoring, and fair chain examples.
Use this guide
Make the round work.
- 01
Build forward phrase links
Start with one visible word. Guess the next word so the pair forms a familiar compound or established phrase in that order. WATER followed by BOTTLE makes “water bottle”; reversing the words is not the same link.
- 02
Solve from left to right
Each chain contains exactly six words and five links. The first word is shown, while each hidden word begins with one revealed letter. A later word cannot be solved before the active link.
- 03
Race the clock in Solo
Solo is one 60-second self-competition run. Each correctly guessed link scores one point. Partial hints still leave the link scoreable, but fully revealing a word skips it with no point. A rematch loads a fresh chain.
- 04
Use the right Duel rules
On one phone, players take 15-second turns. Correct answers capture a link and keep control. A wrong answer, timeout, or hint passes control. Five links guarantee a board winner, and the first player to win three boards takes the match.
- 05
Race privately in a Room
In a private Room, both players receive the same chain and solve simultaneously for 60 seconds after a three-second countdown. Opponents see only progress and hint count. The first complete chain wins; timeout ties use links solved, fewer hints, then earliest last correct answer.
- 06
Keep custom challenges friendly
An author can write six words or generate a chain with AI, then lock the answers before handing it to the solver. Players swap roles for a two-leg recap, but custom chains are friendly rather than ranked because the author already knows the answers.
Prompt starters
Ideas to pull from fast.
Use a list as a starting point, then open the game when you want the round to run itself.
Everyday phrase chain
- BOOK → SHELF → LIFE → JACKET → POCKET → WATCH
- bookshelf
- shelf life
- life jacket
- jacket pocket
- pocket watch
Medium phrase chain
- HOME → WORK → SPACE → STATION → WAGON → WHEEL
- homework
- workspace
- space station
- station wagon
- wagon wheel
Before you start
Questions, answered.
What is the Word Chain game?
Solve a six-word chain in which every adjacent pair forms a familiar forward compound word or phrase. Cardyard supports a 60-second Solo score attack, a shared-phone Duel, and a simultaneous two-player private Room race.
Is this the game where each word starts with the last letter?
No. This version links meanings and phrases rather than letters. WATER connects to BOTTLE because “water bottle” is a familiar phrase.
How do hints work?
A hint reveals the next unrevealed letter of the active word. In Solo, partial hints remain scoreable but a full reveal skips the link. In one-phone Duel it passes control; in a Room it stays private and locks input for five seconds.
How do you win a Word Chain Duel?
On one phone, capture at least three of the five links to win a board, then become the first player to win three boards. In a Room, finish the chain first or win the timeout tiebreak.
Can we make our own Word Chain?
Yes. Custom Challenge accepts six manual words or an AI-generated chain that the author can edit before locking and sharing with the solver.
Keep exploring
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Play Word Chain online
Start a 60-second Solo sprint, a two-player Duel, a friendly custom challenge, or a private Room.
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