How to play Doodle Word Chain
Doodle Word Chain is the classic word chain game with a twist: instead of saying the next word, you draw it. Every word has to start with the last letter of the word before it, and an AI that knows 131 everyday things checks each drawing. Keep the chain going as long as you can before the clock runs out.
- Press Start the chain. The game gives you a first word and draws it for you.
- Look at the big letter: draw something that starts with it.
- When the AI recognises your drawing, it is added to the chain and the next letter appears.
- Stuck? Press Ideas to see words that fit (the link then scores 1 point instead of 2).
- Each link gives you a little less time. When the timer runs out, the chain ends and your drawings replay.
Tips for longer chains
- Plan two letters ahead. Words that end in E, R or T are common, and few drawable things start with E or R. If you have a choice, pick a word whose last letter has lots of options, like S, B or T.
- Draw the iconic version. The AI learned from how most people draw: a snake is a wavy line with a head, a sun is a circle with rays. Simple shapes are recognised fastest.
- Watch the speech bubble. If the AI sees the wrong thing, add the detail that tells them apart, like stripes for a zebra or a long neck for a giraffe.
- Remember what you used. Each word can appear only once per chain, so save easy words for hard letters later in the game.
- Don’t over-draw. Extra scribbles confuse the AI. If a drawing goes wrong, clear it and start again.
A word chain game you play with a pencil
Word chain games are as old as car journeys: one person says a word, the next says a word starting with its last letter, and so on until someone gets stuck. In Japan the same game is called shiritori. Doodle Word Chain keeps the rule but makes it visual, which adds a second challenge: you have to think of a word that fits and then draw it well enough for an AI to recognise. Because only drawable words count, the puzzle becomes picking words that keep the chain alive: after a word ending in N or Y, for instance, the game falls back to the letter before.
It is a fun way to practise English spelling and vocabulary, a quick brain teaser for a break, and a good classroom warm-up: put it on the board and let the class call out ideas while one person draws. Share your chain at the end and challenge friends to beat it.
More word and drawing games
Like word puzzles? Decode pictures and letters in Doodle Rebus. For pure drawing speed, see how many doodles the AI recognises in 60 seconds in Speed Draw, or warm up with six words in Quick Draw.
Doodle Word Chain FAQ
How does the word chain game work?
You get a starting word, for example cat. Draw something that starts with its last letter, T, such as a tree or a train. As soon as the AI recognises your drawing, it joins the chain and you continue from its last letter. The chain ends when the timer runs out.
What if nothing starts with the last letter?
Only things the AI can recognise count, and no drawable word starts with some letters, such as N or Y. In that case the game moves back one letter, so after lion you draw something that starts with O. The prompt always tells you which letter to use.
How do points work?
Every link is worth 2 points, or 1 point if you used the Ideas button to see the words that fit. Each word can be used only once per chain, and the time for each link shrinks from 25 seconds down to 14, so long chains get harder.
What can I draw?
Anything from the AI’s list of 131 everyday things: animals, food, vehicles, objects and nature. Press Ideas to see the words that start with the current letter. The chain follows English spelling, so on translated pages the English name is shown next to yours.
Is it the same as the classic word chain game?
It follows the same rule as the spoken word chain game (also known as shiritori or the last letter game), but instead of saying a word you draw it, and an AI checks your drawing. It is free, works in the browser and needs no sign-up.
Does it work on phones?
Yes. Draw with your finger on a phone or tablet, or with a mouse or pen on a computer. Your longest chain is saved in your browser.