Shuffalo
Four letters, one word. Then a fifth letter arrives and you need a five letter word, and so on. Shuffalo, from The New Yorker, is a word ladder that only ever climbs.
Opens the real game on newyorker.com. Free, in a new tab.
- Made by
- The New Yorker
- Edited by
- Mollie Cowger
- Start
- A four letter word
- Each round
- One new letter, one longer word
- Help
- Hints, counted in your result
- Archive
- Every past day by date
- Category
- Word games, word grids
How to play Shuffalo
- Make the first word
Use all four starting letters.
- Take the new letter
Each round adds a letter, and the next word must use every letter you have.
- Keep climbing
The word grows one letter at a time until the last round.
Why each round is harder
The word at each round must use every letter so far. Short words have many possible spellings, but long ones have few, so the last rounds often have just one answer. Spend your hints there, not on the easy start.
Shuffalo tips
- Shuffle the letters in your head out loud. Hearing them helps.
- Common endings like ING, ER and ED appear once the word gets long.
- Use a hint before you spend minutes on one round. Hints are only counted, not punished.
Shuffalo questions
Where can I play Shuffalo today?
On The New Yorker's games page, where every day's Shuffalo is listed by date.
Are there Shuffalo answers?
Megadle does not post them. The hint button in the game gives a nudge for the round you are on.
Is Shuffalo free?
The New Yorker offers a subscription that unlocks all its games, so some play may need one.
Facts checked on 2026-11-13. Shuffalo belongs to The New Yorker. Megadle is not linked to it.