Sixguess

Sixguess is a word-guessing puzzle concept in which a player has six attempts to identify a hidden six-letter word. The concept is used in discussions of modern puzzle design as a compact, accessible challenge that blends vocabulary with deductive reasoning and strategic guessing.

In gameplay terms, a round begins with a secret six-letter target. Each turn, the player submits a six-letter guess. After each guess, feedback is provided for every letter: a letter in the correct position is marked as correct, a correct letter in the wrong position is marked as present, and a letter not in the target word is marked as absent. The objective is to deduce the target word within six guesses. Some variants allow optional clues, such as letter-frequency hints or difficulty modifiers that alter feedback granularity.

Variants of sixguess appear in digital formats, tabletop adaptations, and printable word-puzzle sets. Digital implementations often include features like daily challenges, hints, automatic validation of legitimate six-letter words, and performance tracking. Printed or tabletop versions may use letter tiles or cards and can include cooperative or competitive play modes.

Design and influence: sixguess is discussed in puzzle-design literature and communities as an example of constrained feedback loops and bounded search spaces. It demonstrates how limited rounds and immediate feedback can shape strategy and engagement, drawing connections to broader families of word games and code-breaking puzzles.

See also: Wordle, Mastermind.