Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about Pigs and Bulls. If your question is not covered here, visit the Support page to get in touch.
What is Pigs and Bulls?
Pigs and Bulls is a free online word and number guessing game inspired by the classic pen-and-paper game Bulls and Cows (also known as Mastermind). You guess a secret word, and after each guess you receive feedback: the number of Bulls (correct letters in the correct position) and Pigs (correct letters in the wrong position). Your goal is to deduce the word in as few guesses as possible.
How do I play?
Type a valid word of the selected length (4-8 letters) and submit your guess. You will receive feedback showing how many Bulls (right letter, right position) and Pigs (right letter, wrong position) your guess contains. Use this feedback to narrow down the possibilities and guess the secret word. Visit the How to Play page for a detailed visual guide.
Is Pigs and Bulls free?
Yes, Pigs and Bulls is completely free to play. All game modes, features, and leaderboards are available at no cost. The site is supported by minimal, non-intrusive advertising.
How is Pigs and Bulls different from Wordle?
While both are word guessing games, Pigs and Bulls uses the classic Bulls and Cows feedback system. Instead of coloring each letter individually (green, yellow, gray), you receive only the total count of exact matches (Bulls) and misplaced matches (Pigs). This makes the deduction process more challenging and rewards deeper logical reasoning.
What game modes are available?
Pigs and Bulls offers several game modes: Standard Play (random words at your own pace), Daily Challenge (same word for all players each day), Blitz Mode (60-second time limit), Archive (play past daily puzzles), Challenge Links (share specific puzzles with friends), Multiplayer (real-time head-to-head), and Tournaments (organized competitive brackets).
Can I change the word length?
Yes. In Standard mode, you can choose word lengths from 4 to 8 letters. Shorter words (4-5 letters) are easier and great for beginners, while longer words (7-8 letters) provide a significant challenge for experienced players. The Daily Challenge uses a fixed 5-letter word length.
What is the Daily Challenge?
The Daily Challenge presents one puzzle per day, shared by all players worldwide. Everyone gets the same word, so you can compare your performance with friends without spoiling the answer. Daily Challenges reset at midnight and completing them consistently builds your streak.
How do streaks work?
Your streak counts the number of consecutive days you have completed the Daily Challenge. Maintaining a streak earns bonus XP. If you miss a day, your streak resets to zero. You can view your current and best streaks in the stats panel.
What is XP and how do I earn it?
XP (experience points) is earned by completing games. You earn more XP for solving in fewer guesses, playing longer words, completing Daily Challenges, and maintaining streaks. XP accumulates to increase your player level, which is displayed on the leaderboards.
How do achievements work?
Achievements are badges earned by reaching specific milestones, such as solving a puzzle in a certain number of guesses, maintaining a streak, or completing a set number of games. Check the stats panel to view all available achievements and your progress toward each one.
Do I need an account to play?
No. You can play Pigs and Bulls without creating an account. Your game statistics are stored locally in your browser. However, creating a free account lets you appear on the global leaderboards, sync your progress across devices, and participate in multiplayer and tournaments.
What happens to my stats if I clear my browser data?
If you play without an account, your statistics are stored in your browser's local storage. Clearing your browser data will erase these stats. Creating an account backs up your leaderboard data server-side so it is preserved regardless of browser changes.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. Pigs and Bulls is fully responsive and works on any device with a modern web browser, including phones and tablets. A virtual on-screen keyboard is provided for touch devices. No app download is required.
What is Number mode?
Number mode lets you guess a secret number instead of a word. The same Bulls and Pigs feedback system applies, but with digits (0-9) instead of letters. Number mode offers a different kind of logical challenge. See the Number Mode Guide for strategies.
What are Challenge Links?
Challenge Links let you share a specific puzzle with friends. When you generate a Challenge Link, it creates an encrypted URL containing the puzzle configuration. Anyone who opens the link plays the same word, so you can compete head-to-head to see who solves it in fewer guesses.
Is my data private?
Yes. Pigs and Bulls collects minimal data and does not sell personal information to third parties. Game state is encrypted server-side using AES-256-GCM encryption. For full details, see our Privacy Policy.
Can I cheat by inspecting the page source?
No. The secret word is never sent to your browser. Game state is encrypted server-side with AES-256-GCM encryption using random salts, and the answer is only revealed after you solve the puzzle or give up. This ensures fair play for all users.
The game is not loading. What should I do?
Try refreshing the page, clearing your browser cache, or using a different browser. Pigs and Bulls requires JavaScript to be enabled. If the problem persists, check your internet connection and try again. You can also contact us through the Support page.
How can I support Pigs and Bulls?
The best ways to support Pigs and Bulls are: play daily and share your results with friends, leave the ads enabled (they help fund the servers), or visit the Support page to contribute through Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the game free for everyone.
How do I contact support?
Visit the Support page for contact information, including our email address. We read every message and do our best to respond within 48 hours.
Still have questions? Contact Support
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