How to play Word Groups: tips for sorting the words
Last updated October 1, 2026
Word Groups gives you sixteen words and asks you to sort them into four groups of four. It rewards patience more than speed: there is no clock to beat, no limit on mistakes and nothing to type. Here is how it works and how to solve it.
How a puzzle works
Tap four words that you think belong together. They move into the four boxes on the board. Press Check. If they are a group, it moves to the top of your list with its name. If three of the four are right, the puzzle says you are one word away. A word that you chose by mistake goes back when you tap it again.
Tip 1: start with the group you are surest of
Read all sixteen words before you choose. Often one group is plain, such as four birds or four colors. Solving it first leaves fewer words, and the rest become easier to sort.
Tip 2: look for a word that fits two groups
Some words belong in more than one place, especially in Hard puzzles. A word you are tempted by may be needed elsewhere. Count how many words could fit each group: a group with exactly four candidates is settled, and a group with five has one word that belongs somewhere else.
Tip 3: use the word play
Medium and Hard groups may be words that come after or before another word, such as FIRE with PLACE or WORK, or words that hide a smaller word inside, such as the CAT in SCATTER. Try saying the word out loud with the missing word next to it.
Tip 4: use Shuffle
Words that sit next to each other can mislead you. Press Shuffle to mix up the words that are left, and a group you had not noticed may appear.
When you are stuck
Press Hint to see the name of one group, and press it again to have that group found for you. Hints only change the stars you earn, and you can use as many as you like. When three groups are found, the last four words go together, so the puzzle finds the last group for you.
See the large print Word Groups puzzles.
More guides
Keep going with how to solve Sudoku, how to solve crossword puzzles, word search tips, how to play Word Scramble, how to play Word Fill-In, how to play Honeycomb Words, and how to play Mahjong Solitaire. Or browse all the puzzle guides.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a limit on mistakes?
- No. A wrong guess never costs you anything. You can try as many times as you like, and the puzzle remembers a guess you have already tried so it is not counted twice.
- What if a word seems to fit two groups?
- That happens in Hard puzzles, on purpose. Every puzzle has just one way to sort all sixteen words, so if one word could go in two places, the other words will tell you where it belongs. Start with the group you are surest of.
- What does “one word away” mean?
- Three of the four words you chose belong together and one does not. Put one back and try a different word.
- Does a hint spoil the puzzle?
- The first hint only shows the name of one group. A second press finds that group for you. Hints are unlimited and only change the stars you earn.
- What happens with the last four words?
- When you have found three groups, the last four words must go together, so the puzzle finds the last group for you.
Try it now
Try today’s Easy Word Groups: sixteen big words to sort into four groups. It is free every day, with no account and no ads.