Hangman (Metro)

About Hangman (Metro)

Hangman is one of the free browser puzzles on Metro.co.uk, the website of the UK newspaper Metro, alongside its quick and cryptic crosswords, Word Wheel and three levels of sudoku. Metro calls the game 11 Lives in its rules, which is the number of wrong guesses you get.

Each day's puzzle is a single hidden word shown as a row of empty boxes, with a theme printed underneath. The theme narrows things down: on the day we looked it was Verdi Operas, over a nine-letter word. You pick letters from an on-screen keyboard or type them, correct letters drop into every box where they belong, and each wrong letter adds a stroke to the gallows drawing.

A timer runs in the corner and can be paused or switched off in the rules box, and a Hint button helps when you are stuck. When you solve it, the game shows your time and offers to share the puzzle with friends, then points you to Metro's other puzzles.

It suits anyone who wants a quick word warm-up with a bit of general knowledge mixed in, and players who already do Metro's crosswords on the commute. The page carries Metro's usual adverts.

How to play Hangman (Metro)

1. Open Metro's Hangman page and read the day's theme under the empty letter boxes.
2. Guess a letter by tapping it on the keyboard or typing it.
3. A correct letter fills every box where it appears in the word.
4. A wrong letter costs one of your 11 lives and adds to the gallows drawing.
5. Use the Hint button if you are stuck, and find the whole word before all 11 lives are gone.

Tips

• Start with common vowels such as E and A, then move on to frequent consonants like R, S, T and N.
• Use the theme: list the words you know that fit it and the number of boxes before spending guesses.
• Switch the timer off in the rules box if you would rather play without the clock.

Questions