SCHEMA
Move the strokes of a segment-display word to build a hidden word you deduce, not guess.
Every day: One puzzle a day for everyone: a start word drawn in 14-segment letters, a par and a clue, from which you deduce and build the hidden target word. New puzzle: Once a day; the practice quota resets at midnight ET.
SCHEMA is a free daily logic word puzzle drawn in 14-segment letters, like an old alarm-clock display. You move strokes between the letters of a start word to turn it into a hidden target word, using segment counts, an exact par and a clue about the letters' shapes. Every puzzle has one answer that can be reasoned out.
About SCHEMA
SCHEMA is a daily deduction puzzle built from letter shapes. Each puzzle shows a short start word drawn on a 14-segment display, and somewhere there is a hidden target word with the same total number of lit segments. You turn one into the other by picking up segments and placing them elsewhere.
The game is designed so that you deduce the answer rather than guess it. Each slot shows its current segment count against the target count, par tells you exactly how many placements the solution takes, and a clue describes the target's geometry, for example how many horizontal strokes a slot has or how many letters use the centre spine. Together these leave only one possible word. If you are stuck you can reveal an easier clue, at a cost to your result.
A reference library shows how all 26 letters look on the display, and you can colour letters in it as you rule them out. A slot turns teal when it matches the target letter. Your shared result records each segment as stable, drifted or wrong, which clue tier you used and which attempt you were on; a perfect solve is par on the first clue and first attempt.
SCHEMA suits players who like logic grids and matchstick puzzles more than vocabulary tests. Beyond the daily you can play up to five practice puzzles a day from a separate pool.
How to play SCHEMA
- Open play-schema.com and look at today's start word, par and clue.
- Compare each slot's current and target segment counts to narrow down which letters could fit.
- Use the clue and the reference library to rule out letters until one word remains.
- Pick up lit segments and place them in empty positions to form that word.
- Finish in exactly par placements, then share your result.
Tips
- Work the answer out fully before moving anything; extra moves show up as drift or errors in your result.
- Mark letters in the reference library as you eliminate them.
- Only reveal an easier clue when you are truly stuck, since your share shows the tier used.
Questions
Is SCHEMA a guessing game?
No. Each puzzle has a single answer that follows from the segment counts, par and clue.
Is it free?
Yes. It plays in the browser with no account.
Can I play more than one puzzle a day?
Yes, up to five practice puzzles a day from a separate pool that does not use up future dailies.
What does par mean?
The exact number of segment placements needed to make the target word.
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