The Last Letter Word Game

It's the word game everyone has played and nobody can name: each word must start with the last letter of the word before it. CAT → TIGER → RABBIT → TOAD… keep the chain alive as long as you can.

Play it online free

The rules

  • Start with any word. The first player says any word to open the chain.
  • Chain the last letter. The next word must begin with the final letter of the word just said.
  • No repeats. Once a word has been used, it's out for the rest of the game.
  • Stumped? You're out. A player who can't produce a valid word (or repeats one) loses the round.

That's the whole game — no equipment, no setup, any number of players. It works spoken aloud or written down, which is why it thrives everywhere from classrooms to long car rides.

What is this game actually called?

It goes by a lot of names: word chain, the last-letter game, grab on behind, last and first, word snake — and in Japan it's a national pastime called shiritori, where players chain the final syllable instead of the final letter. Whatever you call it, the rule is the same: the end of one word is the start of the next.

Ways to play offline

  • Classroom. Teachers use it for spelling and vocabulary practice — go around the room, each student adds a word. Restrict it to a topic (animals, countries, food) to make it harder and reinforce a theme. Great as an ESL warm-up.
  • Car ride. The classic no-equipment road-trip game. Add a five-second rule to keep it moving.
  • Party elimination. Play in a circle; anyone who stalls, repeats, or breaks the chain is out. Last player standing wins.
  • Category chains. Only words from one category count. Countries is a famous one: Spain → Norway → Yemen → Netherlands…

Strategy tip: end your words with Q, X, or Z and watch the next player squirm — very few words start with those letters.

Play it online

Our free Endless Word Chain game is the last letter word game with a referee: a real dictionary checks every word (US, UK, Australian, and Canadian English), repeats are rejected automatically, and a countdown timer keeps the pressure on — every valid word resets it. Chains are scored, so you can climb the leaderboard. Pick your pace: Fast (10 seconds a word), Classic (15), or Relaxed (30).

Start a chain now

Or try the Daily Word Chain Puzzle — a once-a-day compound-word twist on the same idea.

Last letter word game FAQs

It's most commonly called word chain or the last letter word game. Other names include grab on behind, last and first, and word snake. The Japanese version, which chains syllables instead of letters, is called shiritori.

Start with any word. Each following word must begin with the final letter of the word before it, no word may be repeated, and a player who can't continue is out. Online, words must also be at least three letters and in the dictionary.

Q, X, and Z — very few English words start with them, so ending your word with one puts real pressure on the next player. Common ending letters like E, T, and R keep the chain easy.

Yes. You can play free as a guest with no sign-up, in US, UK, Australian, or Canadian English. An account is only needed to save scores to the leaderboard.
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