How to Play Shabdle
Guess the word in 6 tries. English and desi modes. New word daily.
Shabdle is a five-letter word game in the Wordle style, built for Indian players. You get six tries to find the day's word, and after each guess the tiles turn green, yellow or grey to show which letters are placed right, present but misplaced, or absent. The twist is Desi mode, where answers are everyday Hinglish words like PAANI, JUGAD and MASTI instead of dictionary English.
Everyone gets the same daily word in each mode, so you can compare results with friends through the emoji share grid. Beyond the daily there is unlimited Practice with random words, an optional Hard mode, themed word packs, board themes and a goals list that pays coins for streaks and fast solves. It runs in the browser with an on-screen keyboard, and a physical keyboard works on desktop.
Controls
- Tap on-screen letters to fill the row, backspace to delete, ENTER to submit.
- Physical keyboards work on desktop: letters, Backspace and Enter.
- Hint button reveals one placed letter for 30 coins; hidden in Hard mode.
- Switch ENGLISH or DESI and toggle Hard mode on the home screen before playing.
How to play, step by step
- Pick a mode, then Play Today for the daily word or Practice for a random one.
- Enter any valid five-letter word and read the colours: green placed, yellow misplaced, grey absent.
- The keyboard recolours too, showing which letters are still untested.
- Refine each guess; you have six rows, plus one rewarded extra row in daily if you fail.
- After finishing, Share Result copies the emoji grid to send to friends.
Rules and scoring
- Five letters, six guesses; only words in the mode's list are accepted.
- Hard mode: every green and yellow clue must be reused in the next guess.
- Daily win pays 70 coins minus 10 per extra row, floor 20; a loss pays 20.
- Hints cost 30 coins, max two per game; a rewarded ad covers you if broke.
- Streaks are per mode and reset on a loss or a missed day.
Tips to score higher
- Open with common letters: A, E, R, S, T in English give the most information.
- In Desi mode double vowels like AA and EE are common (PAANI, SEEDHA), so test them early.
- Move a yellow letter to a new spot that also tests fresh letters, never just confirm it.
- Check the keyboard before every guess and skip grey letters entirely.
- Solving in one or two rows unlocks Genius (500 coins) and Ace (200), so gamble in Practice.
- Hard mode has no hints but pays its own goals and builds real discipline.
Modes and challenges
- Daily: one shared word per day in English and in Desi, progress saved mid-game.
- Practice: unlimited random words with hints allowed.
- Packs: themed sets like Animal Kingdom, Desi Khana and Rishtey, unlocked once with coins.
- Goals and Themes: 13 coin achievements and board colour themes.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Shabdle daily word the same for everyone?
Yes. The daily answer is derived from the date, so every player in the same mode sees the same word. English and Desi have different daily words, and you can play both each day.
What counts as a valid Desi word?
Desi mode accepts the game's curated list of five-letter Hinglish words spelled the way Indians usually type them in Roman script. If a guess is rejected, try the common spelling, for example PAANI rather than PANI.
How do hints work and can I get one free?
A hint reveals one correct letter in its true position for 30 coins, at most twice per game. If your wallet is under 30 coins the game offers a short rewarded ad instead.
Does a loss break my streak?
Yes, a loss or a skipped day resets the current streak for that mode, though your best streak is kept for the goals list. A completed loss still pays 20 coins.