How to play
How to play CHAINED
Everything is connected. Get from START to GOAL through real connections, in as few links as you can.
One chain, start to finish
An example chain (not from any Daily). Three links is the shortest route here, so it scores full points.
StartNikola TeslaInventor- Link 1: Tesla on screen
Nikola Tesla, played by David Bowie, is a character in The Prestige.
The Prestige2006 film - Link 2: Alfred Borden
Christian Bale starred as magician Alfred Borden in The Prestige.
Christian BaleEnglish actor - Link 3: Ken Miles
Christian Bale played racing driver Ken Miles in Ford v Ferrari (2019).
GoalFord v Ferrari2019 film
The rules in four steps
1. Start at START
Every chain has a START and a GOAL: two real people, places, brands, films or teams.
2. Pick a connected card
Each card is linked to the last one by a real fact. Tap ⓘ to see who or what it is — that's free.
3. Keep building
Your chain grows one link at a time. Took a wrong turn? Undo a step.
4. Reach the GOAL
Fewest links wins: the shortest route (par) scores every point.
Shortest route scores best
Each chain has a par: the fewest links that solve it. Match it for every point; each extra link costs a step down the ladder.
On a 200-point chain
| Result | Share of points | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Perfectshortest route | 100% | 200 |
| Great+1 link | 85% | 170 |
| Good+2 links | 70% | 140 |
| Long+3 links | 55% | 110 |
| Very long+4 links or more | 40% | 80 |
You get a couple of spare moves on top of par. When they run out, only cards that can still reach the goal in time remain. When the goal is one link away it is the only card.
Near the end of a tight route one card can be a detour: a real connection that can't reach the goal in the links you have left. Step back with Undo — the right card is still there.
Hints, Undo and the clock
Hints get dearer within a chain and reset on the next one (from the Daily of 11 October 2026; before that every hint cost 5%).
- Hint
- 5% → 8% → 11% → 14% …
- dearer each time, resets every chain
- Undo
- −5%
- per manual step back
- ⓘ Info
- Free
- learn who or what a card is
- Floor
- 10%
- a finished chain never scores less
Each chain has its own clock (from the Daily of 3 October 2026). It starts when you start the chain and keeps running if you leave or lock your phone; reading results between chains doesn't count. Time can never cost a chain more than 100 points.
The Daily: 5 chains, 1,000 points
A new Daily every day at midnight UTC, the same five chains for everyone. They get bigger as you go.
After each chain you see why this works — a short, sourced fact for every link. At the end you get your score, a few Today you learned facts and a link to challenge a friend on the same five chains.
Ways to play
Live Duel is real-time multiplayer on a separate set of chains, with standings after every chain.
2–4 players
invite friends with a link
Same 5 chains
a set made for the room
Same time
everyone races at once
Same scoring
10 seconds free per move, then −5 pts/sec
One Live Duel per player per UTC day, whether you host or join. It never touches your Daily score, streak or leaderboard. Start a Live Duel
Daily is one official score a day, the global leaderboard and your streak. Friend Challenge sends your Daily result as a link: your friend plays the same five chains whenever they like, chain by chain against your score.
Learn more
New to this kind of puzzle? Read what a connection game is or where “six degrees of separation” comes from.