How to never lose a word chain

In a word chain, each word has to start with the letter the last one ended on. Beginners obsess over the word they're playing. Winners are already thinking about the letter they're handing over. Here's how to stop getting stuck.

Watch your last letter, not your first

The only thing that matters about your word is how it ends, because that's the problem you're passing to the next round. Ending on a friendly letter keeps you safe; ending on a brutal one is either a trap or a gift, so make it deliberate.

Know the dead-end letters

Words ending in the same letter they'd need to start with are your escape hatches. But watch out for the killers: very few common words start with X, and if you get handed one, you'd better have QI-level tricks ready. Stockpile a few openers for the nastiest letters before you ever need them.

Build a stash of tricky starters

The players who never get stuck simply memorized a handful of words starting with the letters everyone else fears. A couple of words each for U, Z, and Y turns a panic moment into a shrug.

Set traps on purpose

If the game is competitive, end on a letter that almost nothing starts with and watch your opponent sweat. The chain is a weapon, not just a rope. Just make sure you have the escape ready for when it comes back around.