Lexrific

Bridge two unrelated words with a chain of related ones, in as few steps as you can.

Every day: Two unrelated words a day, the same for everyone: bridge them with a chain of words, each close in meaning to the last, in as few steps as you can. New puzzle: Once a day (the listing does not state the time).

Play Lexrific on nerflabs.com

Lexrific on the App StoreLexrific at Nerf Labs

A Lexrific puzzle from fabric to cyclist, with a chain of canvas, sculpture and bronze and each word's closeness to the goal

Lexrific is a daily word-chain puzzle for iPhone. Each day gives everyone the same two unrelated words, such as fabric and cyclist, and you connect them through a chain of words that each feel close to the last. Fewer steps is better, but any chain that arrives counts as a win.

About Lexrific

Lexrific starts each day with two words and asks you to walk from one to the other. The example it gives is winter to lullaby by way of snow, silence and sleep. Each word you add should be close in meaning to the one before, and the app shows how close every guess is to the goal as a percentage, so you can feel whether a step is heading the right way. Closeness is judged by a trained language model, which rewards the kind of leaps a reader makes without thinking.

The puzzle is the same for everyone, numbered by day. When you reach the goal, the app compares your chain with the shortest one it knows and tells you where you rank among the day's solvers; the result card shares as a row of squares with the step count. A hint reveals the next word but costs a step, and giving up shows the optimal path.

There are two ways to play. Classic lets you type your own bridge words with live warm and cold feedback. Compass offers eight suggested neighbours at each step, a gentler version of the same puzzle.

Lexrific is made by Nathan Feeser at Nerf Labs and came out in May 2026. It has no timers and no ads, and no account is needed; signing in keeps history across devices and joins the leaderboard. It works offline once the day's puzzle is loaded, and streaks and optional reminders keep the habit going.

How to play Lexrific

  1. Open Lexrific to see today's start word and goal word.
  2. Type a word that is close in meaning to the start word and add it to your chain.
  3. Watch the percentage that shows how close each word is to the goal.
  4. Keep adding words, each close to the last, until you reach the goal.
  5. Compare your step count with the optimal path and share your result.

Screenshots

A solved Lexrific puzzle marked A perfect path in five steps, with the day's ranking and a shareable result
Lexrific's tutorial showing the chain winter, snow, silence, sleep, lullaby

Tips

  • Look for a broad middle word that links both themes, such as a material, a place or an activity.
  • A step that scores lower than the last is not wasted if it opens a better route.
  • Switch to Compass when you are stuck on a blank box; the eight suggestions show what the model sees as near.
  • Use the reveal only near the end; it costs a step like any other word.

Questions

Is the Lexrific puzzle the same for everyone?

Yes. One fresh puzzle every day, the same for everyone.

How is closeness judged?

By a trained language model that measures how related two words are in meaning.

Is Lexrific free?

Yes, with no ads and no account required. Signing in adds history across devices and the leaderboard.

What if I get stuck?

A hint reveals the next word at the cost of one step, Compass mode suggests neighbours, and giving up shows the optimal path.

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