Shiritori vs CPU (Japanese Word Chain)Free, no sign-up

The CPU starts with shiritori. Answer with a word that starts with the last kana of the previous word, typing its reading in hiragana or romaji (risu, sakana…). If you say a word that ends in n, you lose, and no word can be used twice. If the CPU can't answer, you win.

A small kana counts as its full-size version (matcha → ya), and a long-vowel mark counts as the vowel before it (koohii, coffee → i). ji and di, zu and du, and wo and o count as the same kana. Voiced sounds are different kana: if a word ends in ka, you can't start with ga.

The CPU only knows a few words for each kana. Once you make it answer a kana, the number of words it has left for that kana is shown. Keep ending your words on kana where it has few left, and it will eventually run out. Using a word the CPU knows before it does also lowers its count.

Words are checked against a dictionary of about 90,000 Japanese words, mostly common nouns (SudachiDict, JMdict and staple shiritori words). Some names of people and places, and verbs and adjectives, aren't included. A word that isn't in the dictionary is just rejected; you don't lose.

Only games where you beat today's CPU can be submitted. Fewer words wins; ties go to the faster time. You only need a nickname, up to 30 submissions a day.