Morse code snakes and ladders
The classic board game with a code-breaking twist. Roll the die to see how far you could move, but you only advance the full roll if you decode the Morse prompt that plays. Miss it and you crawl forward by half. Climb the ladders, dodge the snakes, and race a friend to square 100.
Decode to roll
- Roll the die: a letter or word plays in Morse.
- Pick it from four that sound alike. Right moves the full roll, wrong half of it.
- Climb the ladders, dodge the snakes, and land exactly on 100 to win.
Players
Player 1's turn
- 1Pick players and a levelSolo, Two players or Vs computer
- 2Roll the dieA Morse prompt plays straight away
- 3Pick what you heardRight moves the full roll; wrong moves half
How to play
- Choose Solo, Two players or Vs computer, and a level: single letters, two-letter words, or fast three-letter words.
- Press Roll the die. A Morse prompt plays straight away. Press Hear it again, or Show the code if you need the dots and dashes.
- Pick what you heard from four options that sound alike (tap, or press 1 to 4). Right moves the full roll; wrong moves half of it, rounded down.
- Your token walks the squares. Land on a green ladder to climb, or a red snake to slide down.
- First to exactly 100 wins; overshoot and you bounce back. Stuck? Skip the challenge (or press Esc) and your turn passes without a move.
What the game does
It ties every move on a snakes and ladders board to a Morse listening test, so luck decides how far you could go and your ear decides how far you do.
- Three ways to play. Alone, two players on one screen, or against the computer.
- Three levels. Easy plays single letters at 10 WPM, Medium two-letter words at 14 WPM, Hard three-letter words at 20 WPM.
- Tricky choices. The three wrong options are the ones whose Morse is nearest the answer.
- Help when you need it. Replay the prompt as often as you like, or show its dots and dashes.
- A real board. 100 squares, 9 ladders and 10 snakes, with the token stepping square by square so you can follow it.
- Keyboard play. Keys 1 to 4 pick an option, and Esc skips.
How it works
Each turn rolls a six-sided die and picks a prompt from the level's list:
- Easy uses 22 letters (J, Q, X and Z are left out).
- Medium uses 20 common two-letter words such as GO, UP and OK.
- Hard uses 20 three-letter words, including look-alike sets like TAN, ANT and NET.
The wrong options are chosen by how alike the codes are. The game counts how many dots, dashes or gaps you would have to add, drop or change to turn one code into the other.
A code played backwards counts as one step, so A (.-) and N (-.) are close. The three nearest codes join the answer, in a random order.
Timing follows the PARIS standard: one unit is 1,200 ms divided by the WPM. A dot is one unit and a dash three, with one unit between marks and three between letters.
A wrong answer moves half the roll, rounded down, so a wrong 1 doesn't move you at all. Moves past 100 bounce back from the top square, and any ladder or snake where you stop is taken.
Examples
The three levels side by side:
| Level | Prompts | Speed | Dot | Computer right |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | Single letters | 10 WPM | 120 ms | 85% |
| Medium | Two-letter words | 14 WPM | 86 ms | 75% |
| Hard | Three-letter words | 20 WPM | 60 ms | 65% |
How far each roll moves you:
| Roll | Right answer | Wrong answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 5 | 5 | 2 |
| 6 | 6 | 3 |
The kind of options you face:
| Prompt | Morse | Offered with |
|---|---|---|
| IT | .. - | AT, IN, AN |
| TAN | - .- -. | TEN, ANT, TAM |
| A | .- | Three of E, I, K, M, N, R, T, U, W |
The best ladder runs from 80 straight to 100, and 28 climbs to 84. The worst snake drops you from 87 all the way to 24.
Tips for winning
Listen to every mark, not only the first. The wrong options often differ from the answer by a single dot or dash, or are the same code played backwards.
Use Show the code early on, then stop. Reading dots and dashes helps you learn, but the game is practice for your ear.
Don't skip when you could guess. A skip moves you nothing; a wrong guess still moves half the roll.
Good questions
Frequently asked questions.
About Morse snakes and ladders
How do you play Morse code snakes and ladders?
Roll the die, then listen to the letter or word that plays in Morse. Pick it from four options.
Get it right and you move the full roll; get it wrong and you move half, rounded down. Ladders take you up, snakes take you down, and the first to land exactly on 100 wins.
Why do the four options sound so alike?
The wrong options are the ones whose Morse is closest to the answer: a dot or dash added, dropped or changed, or the code played backwards. A (.-) comes with codes like N (-.) and R (.-.). Guessing from the first sound alone won't work.
Can two people play on one screen?
Yes. Two players is the default: take turns on the same device, and the board shows both tokens. There is also Solo, to race to 100 alone, and Vs computer.
How good is the computer?
It decodes right 85% of the time on Easy, 75% on Medium and 65% on Hard, and moves half its roll when it misses. It plays after a short pause so you can follow its move.
What happens if I roll past 100?
You bounce back. If you are on 97 and move 5, you go up to 100 and back down to 98, and 98 has a snake to 78. You need the exact number to win.
Can I see the code instead of hearing it?
Yes. Press Show the code to see the dots and dashes, or Hear it again to replay it. Showing the code is a good way to start, then turn it off as you learn.
Is it good for a classroom or scouts?
Yes. On a big screen, split the room into two teams and use Two players. Easy mode, with single letters at 10 WPM, suits beginners; Hard mode, with three-letter words at 20 WPM, suits those who already know the alphabet.
Trust and limits
Private by design.
Honest about limits.
On your device
Runs in your browser
The tones are made on your device and nothing is sent anywhere. The game keeps no score between games.Know the limits
Sound on an iPhone
On an iPhone, if there is no sound, check the silent switch.Who keeps it
Who keeps it
Maintained by Translate Morse Code, an independent site; last updated November 2026.