Letter Boxed is a daily word puzzle from The New York Times. Twelve letters sit around a square, three on each side, and your goal is to use every letter in as few words as possible.
The rules
- Words must be at least three letters long.
- Letters next to each other in a word cannot come from the same side of the square.
- Each word after the first starts with the last letter of the word before it.
- Letters can be used more than once.
- You win when every letter has been used at least once. The game shows a target number of words to aim for.
A strategy that works
- Start with the hard letters. Letters like J, Q, X, Z, V and K have few partners, so find a word that uses them first.
- Look for long words. A single long word can use eight or nine letters, leaving a short second word to finish.
- Think about endings. A first word that ends in a common starting letter, such as S, T or P, gives you more choices for word two.
- Work backward. If a short word covers the leftover letters, check whether a long word can end on its first letter.
- Watch the sides. Double letters such as LL are impossible, because both letters sit on the same side.
Our daily page tells you how many words the New York Times solution uses, then the lengths, meanings and first letters, and lists every two-word solution in the deep dive.
Letter Boxed questions
How does Letter Boxed work?
You get twelve letters, three on each side of a square. Make words by joining letters, but two letters in a row can never come from the same side. Each new word starts with the last letter of the word before it, and you win when every letter is used.
How many words should I use?
The game sets a target number of words each day, usually between three and six. The New York Times solution is almost always two words.
Can letters be used more than once?
Yes. A letter can appear as often as you like, as long as consecutive letters come from different sides.
When does the new Letter Boxed come out?
A new Letter Boxed puzzle appears every day. Our page goes up as soon as the new puzzle is live on the New York Times site.
Why is a real word rejected?
The game uses its own word list, which leaves out proper nouns, hyphenated words and some rare or offensive words. Words must be at least three letters long.