Pair Down
Take a letter out of a word and another word is left behind. Do it on every row, and the letters you removed spell a secret message from top to bottom.
Opens the real game on pairdown.com. Free, in a new tab.
Pair Down rules in short
- Level One
Remove exactly one letter from each row so the rest still spells a real word.
- Read the secret word
The letters you removed, read top to bottom, spell a word. It is a hint for the next level.
- Level Two
Remove two letters next to each other from each row, again leaving a real word.
- Find the phrase
The letters you pull out in Level Two spell the day's secret phrase.
Pair Down at a glance
- Level One
- Remove one letter per row
- Level Two
- Remove two letters in a row from each word
- Reward
- Removed letters spell a secret word or phrase
- Modes
- Easy and Hard
- Made by
- Jeff Chen and Jim Horne
- Category
- Word games, word grids
A made up example
| Word | Remove | Left |
|---|---|---|
| PLANT | L | PANT |
| BEARD | E | BARD |
| STEAM | T | SEAM |
Read the removed letters from top to bottom: L, E, T spells LET.
The two layers
Pair Down feels like two puzzles stacked together. On the surface you are making small word changes. Underneath, those removed letters are building a message. Halfway through a level, look at the letters you have pulled so far. Guessing the secret word can tell you which letter to remove from the rows that are left.
Questions people ask about Pair Down
What kind of word game is Pair Down?
A letter removal puzzle. You take letters out of words so that real words remain, and the letters you took spell a hidden answer.
Is there a Pair Down unlimited mode?
The archive does that job. Past puzzles are open to play, so you are not limited to one a day.
What is the difference between Easy and Hard?
In Hard, some letters are blurred and only come into focus when you click them. Using fewer clicks earns more stars.
Who makes Pair Down?
Crossword constructors Jeff Chen and Jim Horne. Jeff Chen also makes Wordplete.
Can I get help?
Yes. A Reveal One button shows a single answer if you are stuck.
Ways to get better at Pair Down
- Try removing each letter in turn and say what is left. Real words stand out fast.
- Use the Level One secret word. It hints at the phrase you are building in Level Two.
- In Hard mode some letters are fuzzed out until you click them, so fewer clicks earn more stars.
- In Level Two the two letters sit side by side. Scan each word for pairs like ST, ER or IN that lift out cleanly.
Facts checked on 2026-11-09. Pair Down belongs to Jeff Chen and Jim Horne. Megadle is not linked to it.