Games / Word Games / Sun Wheel / Guide
Sun Wheel
Seven letters sit around a smiling sun. Make as many words as you can, every one using the letter in the middle, and watch the sky brighten from Dawn to Solar.
What is Sun Wheel?
Sun Wheel is a word game where you find words from 7 letters. Six letters float around the wheel and one sits on the sun in the middle. Every word you make has to include that sun letter. Each wheel has at least one word that uses all seven letters, and finding it sets off a Sunburst.
There's a shared Daily Wheel that's the same for everyone, and an Endless mode for when you want wheel after wheel. It's free and plays in your browser on a phone, tablet or computer.
How to play
- Words must be 4 letters or longer.
- Every word must use the center letter on the sun.
- You can use any letter more than once. If the wheel has an O and a T, TOOT is fair game.
- Words have to be in our word list. Names and abbreviations won't count.
Tap letters to build a word and press Enter. If the word is good, it's added to your list and the points pop up. If not, you'll see why: Too short, Use the center letter, Already found, or Not in the word list.
Each wheel has a set of everyday main words, usually somewhere between 20 and 60 of them. Your rank is measured against those. Rarer words still count as bonus words and still score points, they just aren't part of the target list.
Controls
- Phone or tablet: tap the letters on the wheel, then tap Enter. Use the delete and shuffle buttons when you need them.
- Computer: type the letters, press Enter to play a word, Backspace to delete and Space to shuffle the outer letters. Esc pauses.
- Tap your found word list to see every word so far, plus the points needed for each rank.
Scoring
| Word | Points |
|---|---|
| 4 letters | 1 |
| 5 letters or longer | 1 per letter (a 6 letter word is 6) |
| Sunburst (uses all 7 letters) | Its length plus 7 extra |
A seven letter Sunburst is worth 14 points, and an eight letter one is 15. That's why it's worth hunting for: one Sunburst can be worth more than a dozen short words.
Ranks
There are eight ranks, and each one is a share of the total points available from that wheel's main words. The sky changes color and the sun's rays light up as you climb.
| Rank | Share of main word points |
|---|---|
| Dawn | Start |
| Sunrise | 3% |
| Morning | 8% |
| Bright | 15% |
| Noon | 25% |
| Golden | 38% |
| Blazing | 52% |
| Solar | 70% |
You don't need every word to reach Solar. Seventy percent is the top rank, and the top bar shows exactly how many points you need for the next step.
Modes
Daily Wheel
Same letters for everyone, new each day at midnight UTC. You can come back to it as many times as you like during the day, and your highest score counts for your streak and the daily leaderboard. When you're done, the results screen has a Yesterday's words button so you can see what you missed on the previous wheel.
Endless
A fresh random wheel each time. When you finish one, we show you the main words you missed, which is honestly the best way to get better at this game. Your best Endless score goes on its own leaderboard.
Sunbeams and suns
Sunbeams are hints. Each one shows the first two letters and the length of a main word you haven't found, like "PL _ _ _ _ (6)". You start with 3 and can hold up to 9. You earn one for every Sunburst, and one each time you reach a new rank from Morning upward.
Every word you find adds to your collection of suns. You start with Sunny, then unlock Peach at 20 words, Marigold at 50, Coral at 100, Lilac at 170, Mint at 260, Aurora at 380 and the dark Eclipse at 550. Pick any unlocked sun from the Suns screen.
Tips for finding more words from 7 letters
- There's never an S on the wheel. We leave it out on purpose, so you won't get easy plurals. Don't waste time looking for it.
- Start with endings. If you see E and D, try -ED words. If you see I, N and G, run through -ING words. Endings like -ER, -LY and -TION (if T, I, O and N are there) unlock a pile of words at once.
- Then try beginnings. RE-, UN-, IN- and DE- turn short words into longer ones. If you found TRAIN and the wheel has an R and E, check RETRAIN.
- Use repeated letters. Players forget letters can be reused. Doubles like -LL-, -EE- and -OO- hide lots of words.
- Hunt the Sunburst early. Look for the rarest letters on the wheel and think of longer words that need them. A Sunburst also earns a sunbeam, which helps you find the rest.
- Shuffle when you're stuck. Seeing the letters in a new order really does shake new words loose. Press Space on a computer.
- Build families. When you find a word, try its relatives right away: PLATE, PLATED, PLATER, PALE, PEAL, LEAP.
- Spend sunbeams on long words. A hint that gives you a 7 letter word is worth far more points than one that gives you a 4.
If you enjoy pulling words out of a handful of letters, try Word Tumble, where you swipe words across a 6 by 6 grid against the clock.
Questions
How do you find words from 7 letters?
Start with common endings like -ED, -ER and -ING, then add beginnings like RE- and UN-, and remember letters can repeat. In Sun Wheel every word must use the center letter.
Can you use a letter more than once?
Yes. Any letter on the wheel can be used as many times as you like in a word.
What is a Sunburst?
A word that uses all seven letters at least once. It scores 7 extra points and earns you a sunbeam hint.
Why isn't a word accepted?
It has to be at least 4 letters, include the sun letter and be in our word list. Proper nouns and abbreviations don't count.
Is Sun Wheel free?
Yes. It's free to play in your browser on any phone, tablet or computer.
When does the Daily Wheel change?
Every day at midnight UTC. You can return to the same wheel all day to add more words.
