How to play Ascent
Ascent is a free daily word game. You get seven prompts. Give the answer other players won't, and you climb higher up Mount Everest. One climb takes about four minutes.
Play today's climbThe rules in 30 seconds
- Open today's climb. Go to climbascent.com. Everyone in the world gets the same seven prompts, and a new climb starts every day at 00:00 UTC.
- Read the prompt. Each round shows one prompt, such as "Name a fruit normally eaten with its skin on". You have 25 seconds.
- Type an answer nobody else will. Any valid answer counts. The fewer other players who gave the same answer, the more points you score. Wrong answers cost 3 seconds, so keep guessing.
- Watch yourself climb. Points turn into altitude. You start at Base Camp (5,364 m) and climb toward the summit of Everest (8,849 m), passing 12 real checkpoints.
- See how you rank. After seven rounds you get your altitude, your rank for the day and a share card. Come back tomorrow to see your final global ranking.
How scoring works
Ascent scores rarity, not speed. Every answer is compared with what other players said for the same prompt that day. An answer most people give is worth 10 points. An answer almost nobody gives is worth 100. Rarity is calculated from real player answers and updates as people play.
The six climber ranks
| Rank | Points | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 🥾 Day Hiker | +10 | Most climbers said it |
| 🎒 Trekker | +15 | A popular pick |
| 🧗 Climber | +30 | Off the main trail |
| ⛏️ Mountaineer | +60 | Few thought of it |
| ❄️ Death Zone | +85 | Thin air. Very rare |
| 🏔️ Legend | +100 | Almost nobody. Legendary |
Seven rounds can add up to 700 points. Points convert to altitude between Base Camp (5,364 m) and 8,800 m. Nobody reaches the 8,849 m summit in Ascent. It stays just out of reach.
Daily boards and the Everest award
Every player picks a permanent climber name, like Honey Leopard. Your first climb of the day counts towards the daily, weekly and all-time boards. The next day you see your final world ranking. The day's highest climber wins the Everest award.
Good to know
- It's free, with no ads and no sign-up. Just pick a name.
- Missed days stay missed. That's what keeps the streak meaningful.
- Pop Saturday: every Saturday has a pop culture theme (music, gaming, film and TV, sport or internet).
- Practice mode lets you play extra rounds any time. Practice doesn't count towards the boards.