How to use the letter wheel
The wheel loads with all 26 letters of the English alphabet. Press Spin and the letter under the pointer is your pick. Because every letter is a separate line in the entries box, you can delete letters that are hard to use, such as Q, X and Z, or add digraphs like "SH" and "CH" for phonics lessons.
Turn on "Remove winner after each spin" to work through the alphabet without repeating a letter, which suits a round of Scattergories or an alphabet scavenger hunt.
Word games that need a random letter
- Scattergories and category games: name an animal, city or food that starts with the letter
- Spelling and vocabulary practice in class
- Alphabet scavenger hunts for kids
- Icebreakers: "say your favourite food starting with…"
- Writing prompts: write a sentence where every word begins with the letter
Make it harder or easier
For younger children, keep only the letters they are learning. For older players, use a wheel with only consonants, or add double letters to practise blends. Weights work too: add "E *3" to make common letters more likely if you want easier rounds.
More wheels for word and class games
Combine the letter wheel with the name wheel to pick who answers, then pick the letter. Teachers can see more ideas on our classroom wheel page.
Step-by-step: spin a letter
- Open the wheel; all 26 letters are loaded.
- Remove letters you want to skip, such as Q, X or Z.
- Press Spin and read the letter under the pointer.
- Use the letter for your game or activity.
- Turn on Remove winner after each spin to avoid repeats.
Five activities that use a random letter
Beyond party games, a random letter is a flexible teaching and writing prompt.
- Alphabet categories: name a country, animal, food and job that start with the letter.
- Quick writing: write for three minutes without using the letter.
- Phonics: say three words that begin with the letter's sound.
- Story chain: each sentence must start with the spun letter.
- Name game: introduce yourself with an adjective that begins with your letter.
Adapt it for different ages
For pre-readers, keep only the letters in their names. For early readers, use letters from the current phonics focus. For older students, add letter pairs such as TH, CH, SH, or consonant clusters like STR and BL. For word games with adults, remove the hardest letters or give friendlier letters extra weight.
Letter frequency and fairness
A letter wheel gives each letter an equal chance even though some letters, like E and T, are far more common in English words than J or Z. If you want a wheel that mirrors natural frequency, add weights, for example E *12, T *9, A *8 and so on. For most games equal chances is better because it keeps rare letters in play.
Last updated 6 October 2026 · Winners are chosen with the browser’s cryptographic random generator. How it works
Frequently asked questions
Is every letter equally likely?
Yes, unless you add weights. Each letter starts with a weight of one, so each has the same chance.
Can I remove difficult letters like Q or X?
Yes. Delete those lines in the entries box and the wheel redraws without them.
Can I use other alphabets?
Yes. Paste letters from any alphabet, one per line, and the wheel will use them.
Can I draw all 26 letters without repeats?
Turn on Remove winner after each spin. Each letter leaves the wheel as it is drawn.
Can I use it for Scattergories?
Yes. Spin for the round letter, remove the letter to avoid repeats and then run your category list.
How do I add letters with accents?
Type or paste them into the entries box like any other entry.
