Hard2–6 players·5–15 min
Ghost
Take turns adding letters to a growing word fragment — without completing a word.
Ghost is a spoken word game requiring no equipment. Players take turns adding one letter to a growing string, each aiming to continue building toward a word without completing one. Completing a word loses you a life (giving you one letter of the word "GHOST"). The last player without all five letters wins. The catch: your letter must keep a valid word possible — you cannot add a letter that makes the sequence impossible to complete.
Core rules
- Any player can challenge the previous player's letter — if no valid word starts with that sequence, the challenged player loses a life. If a valid word does exist, the challenger loses a life instead.
- Words must be at least 4 letters long to count — adding a letter that completes a 3-letter word is safe.
- Proper nouns are typically not allowed.
Strategy tips
- Steer the fragment toward a sequence where all completions are long words — your opponents are more likely to be forced to end them.
- Memorise sequences that end early (like -TION, -NESS, -ING) and avoid being the player who adds the letter that makes those endings inevitable.
- Bluffing is legal — add a letter and hope your opponent doesn't challenge. If they do, you need a word ready.
- Know your obscure words. A rare but valid 12-letter word can steer the sequence somewhere your opponents can't follow.