The rules, step by step
- Turn the start word into the target word, one ladder at a time.
- Tap the letter you want to change, then tap its replacement — every rung must be a real word.
- You are a team on ONE shared chain: a rung either of you plays lands on both phones.
- Stuck? Skip the ladder — it scores nothing, but the clock stops for no one.
- Ladders finished, then fewest steps: that is the pair score the world sees.
Scoring and the fiddly bits
What a rung must be
The same length as the word before it, exactly one letter different, and in the dictionary. Anything else bounces and costs you no steps.
No word twice
A word already standing in the chain cannot be played again, and the dealt start word counts as being in it.
The clock
Four minutes covers all five ladders and is held by the server. It does not pause between ladders, and it does not pause for a skip.
Skipping
Either partner can fold the ladder in play. It scores zero and moves you straight to the next one.
One run a week
Each player gets a single attempt per week, per division. The ladders are hidden until the clock starts, so nobody gets free thinking time.
Questions about Word Chain
Is Word Chain free?
Yes. Every game on Table Party is free, with no accounts, no adverts and nothing to buy.
How many people do you need for Word Chain?
Exactly 2 — Word Chain is built for that number and no other.
Do we need to download anything?
No. One person opens the site and starts a room; everybody else joins by typing the room code on their own phone. Nothing to install, nothing to sign up for.
Can we play Word Chain over a video call?
Yes. Share the room code in the chat and play with the call running — everything private stays on each player’s own phone.
Play Word Chain online
Free, in the browser, with everyone on their own phone.