The Password Game: How to Play, Rules Guide & Tips

Updated October 2026 · 2 min read

The Password Game starts innocently — "your password must be at least 5 characters" — and escalates into a puzzle involving roman numerals, chess moves, moon phases and a Wordle answer, all inside one password. Here is how it works and how to survive it.

How to play

Open the game (search "password game neal.fun") and type a password that satisfies the rules shown. Each new rule appears only after you satisfy the previous ones, and every rule stays active — your password must satisfy all of them simultaneously, forever. Editing to satisfy a new rule often breaks an old one, which is the whole puzzle.

The famous rules (and how to handle them)

• Roman numerals: your password must include roman numerals that multiply to 35 — use XXXV (35 = 7 × 5, or just XXXV itself) and keep the product right as other rules add numerals.
• The leap year rule: your password must include a leap year — any year divisible by 4 (2024, 2028) works; watch that its digits do not break the "digits must add to 25" rule.
• The chess rule: include the best move in algebraic chess notation for a given position — the game shows the board; use a chess engine or the community's documented answers for the position shown.
• The moon phase: include the emoji for the current moon phase — check any moon-phase site for today's phase.
• The Wordle rule: include today's Wordle answer — play Wordle first, or look it up.
• The CAPTCHA rule: include the distorted characters shown — copy them exactly, case included.

Strategies that actually help

• Plan the digits early: the "digits add to 25" rule constrains every number you add later — keep a running total.
• Use a scratch pad: build the password in a text editor, checking rules as you go, rather than fighting the game's input box.
• Save milestones: the game has no save; a browser refresh loses everything. Some players screenshot progress.
• Expect 30+ rules: the full game runs past 35 rules, including a YouTube URL, a country name, and a chess move — pace yourself.

Why it went viral

It turns a daily annoyance (password rules) into a puzzle with escalating absurdity, and every rule is a small joke about real password requirements. The frustration is the point — and the shared struggle is why "password guesser game" and rule guides became search hits. If you just want a strong real password without the game, our Password Generator does it in one click.

Frequently asked questions

How many rules does the Password Game have?

The full game runs to 35 rules. Most players stall around the chess, moon-phase or CAPTCHA rules.

What is rule 16 in the Password Game?

Rule numbering shifts as the game updates, but the rule players search for as "rule 16" is part of the mid-game escalation — the leap-year requirement is one of the most-searched mid-game rules. The game itself shows each rule in order as you play.

Is there a word list for the Password Game?

No official list — the rules are designed to be solved, not looked up, though the community documents answers for the chess position, Wordle and moon phase daily.