How to play Cluster

The rules

1. You get 16 words. They split into four groups of four, and every word belongs to exactly one group.
2. Tap four words you think share a connection, then tap Submit. Use Shuffle to mix the board up and Deselect All to start a selection again.
3. Get it right and the group locks in with its name and colour. Get it wrong and you lose one of your four mistakes.
4. Find all four groups before your fourth mistake to win. If you run out, the game ends and the groups you missed are revealed.

The colours

Each group has a colour that tells you how hard it was meant to be:

Purple groups are usually about the words themselves rather than what they mean: a word that goes in front of another (BLUE, FOOT and THUMB before PRINT), a hidden word (COWARD starts with COW), a homophone (PAIR sounds like pear) or an anagram.

One away

If three of your four words belong to the same group, Cluster tells you you are One away. It still costs a mistake, but now you know to swap just one word.

Scoring

Every daily game is scored the same way, and the score is worked out on the server so nobody can fake one:

score = 1000 - 200 × mistakes + time bonus, where the time bonus = 500 - seconds ÷ 6, rounded down and never below zero.

• Each mistake costs 200 points. Each minute costs 10 points of time bonus.
• Example: one mistake and a two-minute solve scores 1000 - 200 + (500 - 20) = 1,280.
• A flawless instant solve would score 1,500. After 50 minutes the time bonus has run out.
• The clock starts when you open the puzzle.

Streaks, leaderboards and leagues

• Streaks count the days in a row you finish the daily puzzle. Every seven days in a row earns a streak freeze (you can bank two), which covers a day you miss.
• Daily leaderboard: add a name to see how your score compares with everyone who played today.
• Leagues: create a private league and share its six-character invite code to compare daily scores with friends, family or colleagues.
• Share: share your result as a grid of coloured squares or a picture card. Neither gives the words away.

The archive

Missed a day, or want more? The archive has every past Cluster since 5 June 2026, free and unlimited. Archive games are for practice, so they are not scored and do not change your streak. If you get stuck, the answers archive explains every finished puzzle.

Tips for solving

• Look for the trap. There are often five or six words that seem to fit one group. One of them belongs somewhere else.
• Find the purple early. Check for words that go before or after the same word, hidden words, sound-alikes and anagrams. Spotting the trick often unlocks the rest.
• Take your time. A mistake costs 200 points, the same as 20 minutes of thinking, so it pays to be sure.
• Lock in what you are sure of. Each group you solve removes four words and makes the rest easier to see.
• Use One away. If you hear it, change one word at a time rather than starting again.

Cluster FAQ

What is Cluster?

Cluster is a free daily word-connections puzzle. Sixteen words hide four groups of four that share something in common, and you have to find all four groups.

How many mistakes can I make?

Four. Each wrong group of four uses one up. After the fourth mistake the game ends and the groups you did not find are revealed.

What does "One away" mean?

It means three of the four words you picked belong to the same group. One word is wrong, so swap one out and try again. It still counts as a mistake.

How is my score worked out?

Your score is 1000, minus 200 for each mistake, plus a time bonus of 500 minus one point for every six seconds you take (the bonus never goes below zero). A perfect, instant solve scores 1500. The score is calculated on our server so the leaderboard is fair.

When is there a new puzzle?

Every day at midnight UTC, which is 1am in the UK during British Summer Time. Everyone gets the same puzzle.

Can I play more than one puzzle a day?

Yes. The daily puzzle is one a day, but the archive has every past Cluster puzzle since launch on 5 June 2026, free to play with no daily limit. Archive games are practice: they are not scored and do not affect your streak.

Where can I find the answers?

The Cluster answers archive has the solution and an explanation for every finished day. Today's answers are only added once the day is over.

Is Cluster free? Do I need an account?

It is free, with no account and no download. It plays in any browser. You can add a name if you want to appear on the leaderboard.