How to Play Chainle — Rules and Rounds
The first time I sat down with puzzle 65 I treated it like a spelling game and typed badge for medal and post. The board gave me 732 and “Three links short.” Pin, which I only trusted after reading the archive, closed all eight links. That one miss taught the rule better than the FAQ: both clues have to agree.
Chainle rules
You see two or three clue words and a gap. You type a single dictionary word made of letters. The game compares your word with every clue in a 300-number meaning space, then draws up to eight links. A full chain is 1,000 points. Five rounds make 5,000.
There is no timer. You get one guess a round. Plurals, the clue itself, a different spelling such as colour when the clue is color, names, filler, and offensive words are refused. British and American spellings of the same word score the same when both are ordinary dictionary forms: colour matches color, centre matches center.
Chainle game explained
A two-word bridge wants the middle of two ideas. The official teaching pair is pizza and pasta, linked by tomato. Sauce and noodle can also score 1,000 on that pair. A three-word bridge adds a third clue, and the weakest clue gets a head start so two strong links do not hide a broken third. Closest connection is one clue: violin points at cello in the FAQ example.
The FAQ also walks through bank, flow, and bridge. River is the strong middle. Money scores 575 in that example because bank is close and bridge is not. I use that example when my own score collapses: the low clue is the whole story.
- Round 1–3: two clues, one linking word.
- Round 4: three clues, one linking word.
- Round 5: one clue, the closest related word.
- Show best link can be turned off in settings. I left it on while learning.
Daily rhythm
The puzzle changes at midnight Eastern Time. The site shows a countdown. Finished games can be reopened from the archive back to August 20, 2026, and a replay does not rewrite the original score. Unlimited mode is the “Play unlimited” button on the chainle.io homepage. It is not a path you can bookmark.
Questions
How does Chainle work?
Each day has five rounds. You see two clues, three clues, or one clue and type a single word that connects them. The game compares your word with each clue separately, draws up to eight links per clue, and scores up to 1,000 a round. A word that misses one clue in a two-word bridge scores 0.
Do I need to log in to play Chainle?
No. There is no Chainle login and no account. Progress is stored in your browser, so clearing chainle.io site data resets it and another device starts fresh.
Is there a Chainle app?
No app-store listing is linked from chainle.io. It is browser-only.
Is Chainle free?
Yes. There is no paywall on the daily game.
Can I see old puzzles?
Yes. The archive starts at August 20, 2026. Today’s puzzle joins the list after you finish it.
Why is my score low?
Usually one clue is far from your word. Scoring uses a harmonic mean, so the weak link dominates. See the scoring page.
How many guesses do I get?
One guess a round, five rounds. I have not tested whether a rejected non-word spends that guess; the FAQ does not say, so I am not claiming it is free.
Are plurals allowed?
No. Enter the singular. The game may snap some relatives, such as decide and decision, and it shows the word you typed.
Is there a timer?
No. My session on October 23 had no clock on the board.
Sources
Checked 2026-10-29. Quotes are short; the pages below are the record.