What is Chainle?
Chainle is a daily word connection game, also called a word association game. In plain terms, each Chainle game asks you to find one word related to every clue. It has five rounds of English clues. Enter one connecting word, see how well it fits each clue, and earn up to 1,000 points per round. There is no timer, so curiosity matters more than typing speed.
Unlike a letter puzzle, Chainle does not ask you to rearrange characters or change one letter at a time. Your answer might link two ideas through different meanings of the same word. A useful connection could be an object, an action, a shared quality, or a familiar situation.
You can play Chainle immediately without creating an account or installing an app. In this Chainle game, the reference connection is a useful discovery, not the only possible good answer. Several playable words can earn the full score. Think of it as finding a strong relationship, rather than guessing a hidden password.
How to play the Chainle game
Start with the clues in the game above. Read all of them before entering an answer. In each Chainle game, the first three rounds ask for one word that connects both clues. In the fourth round, consider three clues together. The final round asks for a close connection to one word.
Type one English word into the answer box, then select Connect or press Enter. You have one valid guess per round. An empty entry, a phrase, a repeated clue, or a word outside the playable vocabulary does not use your turn. Correct the entry and try again; you do not lose points for an invalid submission.
After a valid answer, this Chainle game reveals your points and a chain for every clue. Review the connections, optionally discover a strongest link, and choose Next connection. Keep going until all five rounds are complete. Chainle saves valid guesses as you play, so refreshing after a reveal does not erase that completed round.
The five rounds in a Chainle game
A Chainle game follows the same rhythm: three two-clue bridges, one three-clue bridge, and one closest-connection round. The clues change, but this structure helps you learn what to look for. You never need to enter two missing words or solve a sequence of letter changes.
For a two-clue bridge, imagine how your word belongs beside each clue separately. For instance, key can connect piano and lock through two familiar meanings. That example explains the thinking process; it is not a promise of a particular numerical result in this version of Chainle.
Three clues make the puzzle more demanding. Look for an idea that reaches across all three instead of settling for the first strong pair. In the final round, focus on close meaning. A nearby object may be less effective than a word that expresses a similar idea.
| Rounds | Clues | Your task |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | 2 per round | Bridge both meanings |
| 4 | 3 | Connect all three clues |
| 5 | 1 | Find a close connection |
How Chainle scoring works
In every Chainle game, your guess is compared with each clue separately using fixed semantic data. Each connection is measured against the reference word for that round. Stronger relationships create longer chains, with a maximum of eight visible links for each clue. Your round score can range from zero to 1,000; five rounds add up to a maximum of 5,000.
Balance matters. Chainle rewards a guess that fits every clue, rather than one brilliant connection paired with a weak one. A two-clue answer with no connection to one clue scores zero. The three-clue round gives the weakest connection some help, so a word linking two clues strongly can still earn useful credit.
The chain display is rounded, while Chainle points use the underlying strengths. Two answers can therefore show the same number of links and receive different scores. Even two full-looking chains do not automatically mean exactly 1,000 points. A reference connection is a benchmark, and other words can also reach the maximum.
Your Chainle word rank compares your answer with eligible words for that round, including supported spelling variants. The daily player comparison is different: it shows how your first daily score stacks up once at least twelve players finish that puzzle. Unlimited practice does not count toward this comparison.
Daily Chainle, unlimited practice and the archive
The daily Chainle game gives players the same five-round selection for the same date on this site. A new daily puzzle begins at 00:00 UTC. The countdown shows the time remaining. If the date changes while you are playing, finish your current Chainle game before opening the new one; the clues will not suddenly change underneath your answer.
Choose Unlimited when you want another Chainle game without waiting. Practice builds a five-round session from the available collection. There is no limit on how many sessions you start, but the collection is finite, so clues and combinations can repeat. Unlimited results do not enter the daily player comparison.
The Chainle archive lists earlier dates available on this site. Open a date to revisit its five rounds and explore different connections. Replaying a completed Chainle game does not replace your original first recorded daily score. If you want to compare totals with a friend, check that you both played the same date and the same version.
Finding stronger connections
When playing a Chainle game, give every clue equal attention before submitting your answer. A word that feels obvious beside one clue may have almost nothing in common with another. Try explaining each connection in a short sentence. If one explanation feels strained, keep exploring before committing your one valid guess.
Think about multiple meanings. A word may name both an everyday object and an action, or connect a physical place with an abstract idea. Chainle rewards connections captured in its semantic data, so a common, clearly related word is often a better starting point than a very obscure reference.
A low Chainle score is feedback within a model, not a verdict on your imagination. Rare meanings, cultural references, jokes, and clever wordplay may be poorly represented. Review the reference connection for another perspective. If a sensible Chainle answer seems underrated, use the feedback form after completing the session and describe the relationship you intended.
Saved progress and spoiler-free sharing
Chainle keeps your in-progress guesses and results in this browser. Return with the same browser and device to continue your Chainle game. There is no account-based cross-device sync. Clearing site data or using a different browser can remove access to those saves. If storage is blocked, Chainle explains the limitation and still lets you play.
When you finish a session, use Share result to copy your total and five colored squares. The spoiler-free card leaves out guesses and reference words, so it is easy to compare the same daily puzzle with friends. Sharing is optional; if clipboard access fails, select and copy the result text manually.
About the Chainle word game
This Chainle website has its own vocabulary, puzzle collection, and scoring data. It is an independent version, not the original chainle.io website. Scores and available words can differ, so compare results from the same edition.
Chainle uses fixed semantic scoring data derived from Numberbatch, with vocabulary resources from WordNet and wordfreq. It does not ask a generative model to judge each answer. The data credits explain the sources and licenses. For players, the useful consequence is consistency: repeating the same guess in a saved Chainle edition uses the same scoring version.
Chainle questions, answered
What is the Chainle game?
Chainle is a daily word connection game, also called a word association game: find one word that connects the clues. Play five rounds, with one valid guess per round.
How many guesses do I get in a Chainle game?
You get one valid guess in each of the five rounds in a Chainle game. Invalid entries do not consume your turn. Once a playable word is accepted and scored, that round is settled.
Can more than one answer score 1,000?
Yes. Chainle uses a reference connection, not an exclusive answer. Other words can match the reference strengths and reach the full 1,000 points.
Why was my Chainle word rejected?
Use one English dictionary word, with letters only. Clues, close clue variants, and words outside this version’s playable vocabulary are rejected. Try a common singular form.
Why do full chains sometimes score below 1,000?
Chainle rounds the visible links to whole pieces, while points use unrounded connection strengths. Similar-looking chains can represent slightly different numerical relationships.
When does daily Chainle reset here?
Daily Chainle changes at 00:00 UTC on this site. Check the countdown for the next puzzle. An unfinished session keeps its existing clues until you finish or choose the new daily game.
Can I play Chainle unlimited times?
Yes. Select Unlimited for another five-round practice session. It draws from a finite puzzle collection, so repeated clues are possible and practice does not alter daily comparisons.
Can I resume Chainle on another device?
Progress belongs to this browser. It does not automatically move to another device. Returning to the same browser normally restores your accepted guesses and results.
Does the Chainle game have a leaderboard?
The Chainle game currently offers a daily player comparison: see how your first score compares once at least twelve players finish that puzzle. A public leaderboard with player names is not available yet. Unlimited practice is not included in the daily comparison. Share your spoiler-free result to compare the same puzzle with friends.
What if Chainle cannot score my word?
If a network or scoring error appears, your turn is safe. Keep the page open, check your connection, and try again when the service is available. An error is different from an accepted low-scoring answer. Chainle only settles a round after a valid result, so repeatedly pressing Enter during an outage will not improve your score.