Latchword

How to play Latchword

Every day there's a new pair of words with a gap between them, like TEA _ _ _ _ LINE. Find the word that latches onto both and makes a new word with each. Here it's TIME, giving TEATIME and TIMELINE.

You've got five guesses. After each one, the tiles change colour: green means the letter's right and in the right spot, yellow means it's in the word but somewhere else, and grey means it isn't in the word at all. Any letters you've pinned down appear in the clue too.

Questions

What's the connection with Lockword?

Latchword is Lockword's gentler little sister. Lockword is a proper code to crack; Latchword is a quick one to warm up with first, or to wind down with afterwards.

Is Latchword free?

Yes. It's free to play in your browser on a phone, tablet or computer, with nothing to download and no sign-up.

When is there a new one?

Every day at midnight, your time. Everyone gets the same one, so you can compare with friends.

Is it like Wordle?

The colours work the same way, but you've got a clue to crack as well, so a good guess can come from the words as much as the letters. It's often solvable in two or three if you spot it.

How long is the missing word?

Always four letters, every day.

Can I play more than once a day?

The daily Latchword is one go each. Once you're done, you can practise on earlier days' puzzles.

Do you keep any of my data?

No. Your games and stats are saved only on your own device, in your browser, and there's no account. It's free because it shows adverts from Google; see privacy and cookies for how those work.