Parseword rules
This is the quick-reference version of the Parseword tutorial. If you want the full learning experience, read the how-to-play guide. This page is for players who already have the basics and want a skimmable reference they can check mid-solve.
Every Parseword clue has two parts: a definition and wordplay. The definition is a straight synonym or description of the answer, and it is ALWAYS at the very start or very end of the clue — never in the middle. The rest of the clue is wordplay: instructions that tell you how to build the answer through letter manipulation. Both the definition and the wordplay lead to the same answer.
- Read the entire clue. Look at the first word and the last word — one of them is the definition.
- Identify indicator words (e.g., “mixed” suggests anagram, “inside” suggests container, “initially” suggests selection).
- Click words in Parseword to see available transforms.
- Apply transforms one at a time: replace synonyms, delete letters, reverse words, rearrange anagrams.
- After each transform, the clue simplifies. Keep going until only two parts remain.
- When the remaining parts match — the constructed answer equals the definition — the puzzle is solved.
- Substitution — Replace a word with its synonym or standard abbreviation
- Anagram — Rearrange letters of a word or phrase
- Container — Insert one word or letter group inside another
- Deletion — Remove one or more letters from a word
- Reversal — Spell a word or phrase backwards
- Hidden word — The answer is hidden within the clue text
- Homophone — The answer sounds like another word
- Join / Charade — Combine word parts side by side
- Selection — Take specific letters (first, last, alternating)
- Translation — Use a word from another language
In Learn and Play modes, Parseword shows you two numbers: the answer length (how many letters in the final answer) and the transform count (how many transforms you need to apply). Use the answer length to verify your work — if your constructed answer has the wrong number of letters, something went wrong. In Challenge mode, both numbers are hidden.
A new Parseword puzzle appears every day at 5:00 AM in your local time zone. Puzzles are numbered sequentially starting from launch. Once you solve a puzzle, you can share your results in a spoiler-free emoji format: puzzle number, solve time, hints used, and mode. Example: “Parseword #43 ⏱️ 7m36s ✅ 3 Hints 🥚 Learn Mode”.