Guide
How to Play Layers
How the daily puzzle fits together: the four mini-games, the Final Board, and a few tips for getting better at it.
Layers is a daily word puzzle built in two stages. First, solve four mini-games to unlock four words. Then combine those words with twelve others and sort the full 16-word board into four hidden groups.
The four mini-games
You'll see all four formats in every puzzle. Solving one unlocks a word for the Final Board.
LetterLock
Guess a hidden five-letter word. After each guess, color-coded feedback shows which letters are correct, misplaced, or absent. Solving it unlocks that word for the Final Board.
Anagram
Rearrange a scrambled set of letters to form one complete word. You can shuffle the letters whenever you need a fresh way to see the answer.
Crossword
Solve several clues to fill words that cross through a central answer. The crossing clues often share a theme, giving you another way to work toward the unlocked word.
Word Search
Use a clue to identify a word, then find it hidden horizontally, vertically, or diagonally in a compact letter grid.
The Final Board
The four unlocked words join twelve others on a 16-word board. The board contains four intended groups of four words, with each group connected by a category, phrase, meaning, or shared pattern. Select four words you believe belong together and submit them as a group.
Every word has one intended group, even though several are deliberately selected because they could plausibly fit more than one category. For example, APPLE, BANANA, ORANGE, and PEAR might form a fruit category — but APPLE could also appear to belong with computer-related words. Layers often uses these alternate meanings as deliberate misdirection.
When a group is correct, its four words are removed from play and its category is revealed. Continue until all four groups are solved or you run out of mistakes. Guesses are limited, so an early mistake can end the puzzle before you reach every group — identifying the category you're most confident about first is generally the safer approach.
Mistakes and hints
Mistakes on the Final Board are limited. If you use up all of your allowed mistakes, the Final Board ends and the remaining groups are revealed. If you get stuck on a mini-game or the Final Board, you can watch a short ad to unlock a hint. Layers+ removes that requirement with unlimited hints.
Daily streaks and sharing
Every player gets the same puzzle on a given day. Playing that day's puzzle keeps your streak going, whether or not you solve the Final Board. The app also tracks basic stats and includes a way to share your result that doesn't reveal the answers.
Layers+
Layers+ is an optional subscription that adds:
Full archive
Play every past daily puzzle, not just today's.
No ads
Play every puzzle without ad interruptions.
Unlimited hints
Get help with any mini-game or the Final Board without watching a rewarded ad.
Streak protection
Automatically protects your streak if you miss a day.
Strategy
- Solve the mini-games in any order — there's no advantage to a particular sequence.
- Read all sixteen words on the Final Board before submitting a group.
- Look for a clean set of exactly four words, not just four that vaguely relate — the intended group is usually more specific than it first appears.
- Consider alternate meanings for words that look obvious. Layers often uses a second, less common meaning as misdirection.
- Once you solve a group, reassess the remaining words from scratch. A connection can become obvious only after a distracting word is removed from play.
Frequently asked questions
Is Layers free?
Yes. The daily puzzle is free to play. Layers+ is an optional subscription for the archive, unlimited hints, and an ad-free experience.
Can I play without installing the app?
Yes. Play in Browser runs the current daily puzzle directly from the website.
Does everyone get the same puzzle?
Yes — there is one puzzle per day, the same for every player.
What happens if I run out of guesses on the Final Board?
The Final Board ends and the remaining groups are revealed. Locking in your most confident group first reduces the chance of running out early.
What keeps my daily streak going?
Playing that day's puzzle keeps your streak alive, whether or not you solve the Final Board. Layers+ adds streak protection, which automatically covers you if you miss a day.
Where can I report a bug or ask a question?
Email support@hiddenlayerlabs.com or visit the support page.
Ready to try it?