This is a slight variation on the good old basic version, in that the setter may present a well-known phrase containing more than one word, or a single word at his/her choice and players can guess two letters at a time. The players have a limited number of guesses (I am trying 7 for the moment) to solve the puzzle or they end up hanged. If you guess the answer correctly, you get to set the next word/phrase, otherwise the previous setter goes again.

The rules are simple and (I hope) familiar:

(i) A player guesses one or two letters and any correct letters will be placed by the setter wherever (and however many times) they appear in the outline of the word/phrase. If the guess is wrong the setter starts to construct the gallows using the instructions and URLs below, also listing the incorrect guesses. If you choose to guess two letters at a time and they are both wrong, that will count as two steps toward the completion of the gallows.

(ii) The above process continues until a player feels able to have a shot at guessing the whole word/phrase. If the guess is correct that player wins and becomes the next setter. A wrong guess is one more step towards completion of the gallows.

(iii) There is nothing to prevent one player from making consecutive guesses, or from jumping in when someone else seems to be hogging a whole game.

(iv) Do not be put off playing by having to construct the gallows and feel free to substitute your own version of it: as long as you keep track of the wrong guesses somehow, that will be fine. This could be a great opportunity to broaden your computer skills, as it was for me!

(v) Beware of transatlantic spelling differences (aka American spelling errors)!

Instructions for setters on creating the picture of the gallows and hanged person

The picture steps (kindly contributed by Pandora) are in a photobucket album on the internet which are accessed by using one of the urls (web addresses) below, and here's how you do it:

In the full reply screen one of the option buttons across the top is "enter an image" which then offers you a choice of various image positions to insert followed by a dialogue box for a url.

You just copy and paste the url you need into the dialogue box, deleting and replacing (using the edit process) as you go through the game and want to change the picture.

[I have been using the position "non-floating image"]

In case of any problem, just ask for help: you should know by now how readily that is available at Gameboomers!

The urls

The gallows, in place at the start of the game
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/G4.gif

Step one, the head of the condemned person
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H1.gif

Step two, the body
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H2.gif

Step three, the right leg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H3.gif

Step four, the left leg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H4.gif

Step five, the right arm
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H5.gif

Step six, the left arm
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H6.gif

Step seven, the face of death
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/PandoraSD/Hangman/H10.gif







This one is a single word in 9 letters:


O N I O N S K I N solved by MxM

Wrong guesses: T E A R
Steps left: 3

T, E

Two misses!

(Battleships, anyone?)

A & R ?

Bernie

Two more misses!

I, N

Now you're cookin': both good.

O

Bernie

Yep!

onionskin

Sure thing: your turn!

Thanks Lex

_ S Y _ _ O L O G Y (10 letters, 1 word)

psychology guessed by LadyK

incorrect guesses: E, A, I, T, R
steps left: 2

E and S

S is good

A and I.

two misses

T and R

two more misses

L and O

Very good

G and Y.

I think you were using psychology on us, Manxman!

Indeed I was, but it seemed to reverse on me

This one is a 7-letter word:



MA _ IM _ M
Answer: MAXIMUM guessed by Lex

Wrong guesses: T,E,R,O,N

T, E

Neither T nor E are correct.

A, R

Yes to A and no to R.

I and O.

I is good but not O.

M, N

Yes to M but not N.

Maximum.

You have reached maximum correctness, Lex!

The next one is a single 6 letter word:

B U D G E T guessed by MxM

Steps remaining: 1
Wrong guesses: ARNILC
Hint: only one of each letter.

A, R

Both absent!

E, N

E but not N.

T

Yes.

I

No.

L

Still no.

B, C

You got one! - B but no C.

D

Yes indeed.

budget

Correct! Your turn.

That was a tough one. Method of elimination worked

A 6 letter word.... S U _ _ A Y

incorrect guesses:E,I,R,O,T,N
steps remaining: 1

E.

The shorter words are often tougher, so I am starting with caution...

no E

Just as well I'm treading carefully - A.

Two new music suggestions: Vena Portae - debut album by latest collaboration of Emily Barker, and Dannica Lowery - Mind Games (only available as download).

A is good

thanks for the music suggestions. will look into them.

But where is A?

in there somewhere consider it a challenge

Must be at least one more vowel: I?

No I

O and T.

S and R

S is good. No R, O, T.

Y.

Yes

U and N.

U is good

I think the answer must be subway.

Correct

Another 6 letter word:

_ E R A L D

Incorrect guesses: SI

E

It's there!

R

So is that one!

S

Not so lucky this time.

A, I

A but no I.

L

Another good one.

D

And again!

herald

Correct.

Thank you Lex.

7 letter word... P R O _ E _ T

PROJECT solved by Lex

incorrect guesses: A,S,I
steps remaining: 4

E.

Good one

A.

Not this time Lex

S

Hi LadyK no S

Well let's about I...

No I

O?

O is good

R.

Another good one

I'll be a little bolder - P and T.

correct

Project.

Yes

This one is a two word expression 7,7:

_ N _ I E N T * _ I S T _ R _

Ancient History courtesy of MxM

Wrong guesses:

T, E

Both good.

I, R

Two more good ones.

N, S

And again.

When you've polished this one off, the new Hangmanagram thread awaits your offering!

And like this thread, is now Ancient History

Amen to that!