Boggle-style word game online
A free word hunt on a 5x5 grid of letters. Link touching letters to spell words, and the longer the word the more it scores. It is called HATCH, and it is ours.
HATCH: spell words, hatch eggs
Connect letters to spell words and crack the egg. Three boards a day, no signup, no timer unless you turn one on.
Play HATCHHow a Boggle-style game works
- Drag across touching letters in any direction, diagonals included. Lift your finger to submit. On a computer you can click the letters one by one, or type the word and press Enter.
- Use each square once in a word. A word that needs the same square twice will not work, so look for another route.
- Words need three letters or more. 3 letters score 1 point, 4 score 2, 5 score 4, 6 score 7 and 7 score 11. J, X, Z and K add a point.
- Crack the egg. Points crack the egg three times, then it hatches a creature for your book. More points mean a rarer one.
Boggle is a trademark of Hasbro. HATCH is an independent game and is not made by or connected to Hasbro.
An example: finding RAISINS
This was the first HATCH board, from the launch day, October 28, 2026. A solver found 116 everyday words on it. One of the longest was RAISINS, worth 11 points.
The path starts at the R in the top right corner, drops to the A, goes up and left to the I, then to the S, the I, the N and the last S. No square is used twice. The highlighted squares show the route.
HATCH compared with the classic board game
| HATCH | The classic board game | |
|---|---|---|
| Grid | 5x5 letters | Usually 4x4, with a larger version |
| Spelling | Link touching letters, diagonals included, each square once | The same idea |
| Timer | None by default; optional 90 seconds an egg | Usually a three-minute sand timer |
| Board | Fixed each day, the same for everyone, three boards a day | Shaken up for each round |
| Goal | Crack three egg stages and hatch one of 44 creatures | Find more words than the other players |
| Players | One, on your phone or computer | Usually several players around a table |
Tips for finding more words
- Short words first. They crack the egg quickly and show you the letters on the board.
- Add endings. Look for S, ED, ER and ING next to a word you have found.
- Check the diagonals. Many words hide in a corner-to-corner route.
- Build a combo. Words found one after another earn a bonus from the third in a row.
For help with a long word, try the word finder, which lists words you can make from a set of letters.
Not what you were after?
If you want to find a list of words hidden in straight lines, try a word search. For one new letter at a time, see the daily word ladder. All of our free word games are on one page.
Word list: ENABLE word list
Keep going
Questions
Can I play Boggle online for free?
You can play a Boggle-style game here: HATCH. You link touching letters on a 5x5 grid to spell words. It is free, with no account and no download, and it runs on phones and computers. HATCH is our own game and has no connection to Boggle or its maker.
Is HATCH like Boggle?
It uses the same core idea: a grid of letters where you spell words by linking touching letters, with each square used once per word. It differs in having a 5x5 board, no timer unless you turn on timed mode, eggs that crack as you score, and a collection of 44 creatures.
What are the rules of a Boggle-style game?
Find words by linking letters that touch, in any direction including diagonals. A square can be used once in a word. Words need at least three letters. Longer words score more.
How many words are on each board?
Every HATCH board is checked by a solver to hold at least 70 everyday words and a few long ones. The launch-day board in the example above held 116.
Does HATCH have a timer?
Not by default. Timed mode is optional in settings and gives you 90 seconds an egg, with lower targets.
Which words count?
Everyday words earn full points. Any other real word from the public ENABLE word list is accepted as a bonus word worth 1 point. Offensive words are removed from every list.
How do I find longer words?
Find the short words first, then look for endings such as S, ED, ER and ING that turn them into longer ones. Use diagonals, which are easy to forget.
Do I need to sign up?
No. Open HATCH and play. Your streak and creature book are saved in your browser.