Hangman

17th February 2002

Hangman is a DHTML version of the classic pen and paper game. The game works in all modern graphical browsers (with javascript enabled).

Choose from the preset themes below (opens in a popup window):

• Female Singers
• Male Singers
• Pop Groups
• Classic Rock
• Movies
• TV Programmes
• World Countries

• Cities of the World
• Mammals
• US States
• UK Counties
• Trees
• Colours
• Harry Potter

Get the script

Download the zipfile [32K], unzip it into your site directory and add the configuration script to your page in an external .js file:

• Skip code example

//********************************************************************
//***               Hangman script by Brothercake                  ***
//***                http://www.brothercake.com/                   ***
//********************************************************************

var themes = new Array;
var phrases = new Array;

//********************************************************************
//*********** DEFINE THE PRESET THEMES - STARTING FROM [1] ***********

	themes[1] = 'Movies';      // maxlength is 25 characters
	phrases[1] = new Array(    // avoid overlong puzzles - 669 characters in total
	'TERMINATOR',
	'STAR_WARS',
	'GREASE',
	'TWELVE_MONKEYS',
	'DRIVING_MISS_DAISY',
	'GALAXY_QUEST',
	'ALIEN',
	'PULP_FICTION',
	'TOTAL_RECALL',
	'THE_MUMMY_RETURNS',
	'ENTER_THE_DRAGON',
	'INDEPENDENCE_DAY',
	'MEN_IN_BLACK',
	'MAD_MAX',
	'PREDATOR',
	'THE_BEACH'
	);


	themes[2] = 'Female Singers';
	phrases[2] = new Array(
	'MARIAH_CAREY',
	'BRITNEY_SPEARS',
	'CHRISTINA_AGUILERA',
	'LAURYN_HILL',
	'MADONNA',
	'DIDO',
	'JANET_JACKSON',
	'MANDY_MOORE',
	'SHANIA_TWAIN',
	'KIM_WILDE',
	'BJORK',
	'KATE_BUSH'
	);


//********************************************************************
//build query string
themes[0]="*";
phrases[0]=new Array('*');
var hNum,hString,fText,hWin,jFind,jCount,jString,jEnc,tpa,tpl,goWin;
var enl=new Array('A','B','C','D','E','F','G','H','I','J','K','L','M','N','O','P','Q','R','S','T','U','V','W','X','Y','Z');
function generatePuzzle(hNum,goWin) {

	//encrypt and compile string
	hString='th='+themes[hNum]+'&ph=';
	var remPhrases=new Array;
	for(i=0;i<phrases[hNum].length;i++){
		remPhrases[i]=phrases[hNum][i];
		}
	for(i=0;i<phrases[hNum].length;i++){
		jCount=0;jString='';
		for(k=0;k<phrases[hNum][i].length;k++){
			tpl=phrases[hNum][i].charAt(k);
			if(tpl=="_"){
				jFind="99$";
				jString+=jFind;
				jCount++;
				}
			else {
				for(j=0;j<enl.length;j++){
					if(tpl==enl[j]){
						jFind=(j+50)+"$";
						jString+=jFind;
						jCount++;
						}
					}
				}
			}
		phrases[hNum][i]=jString;
		hString+=phrases[hNum][i];
		if(i<(phrases[hNum].length-1)){hString+=',';}
		}
	hString+='&en=true';
	
	//open game window
	hWin = open("hangman/hangman.htm?"+hString,"hWin","width=708,height=417,status=yes,scrollbars=no,scrolling=no,toolbar=no,menubar=no,location=no,resizable=no");
	for(i=0;i<phrases[hNum].length;i++){
		phrases[hNum][i]=remPhrases[i];
		}
	var sw = screen.width;
	var sh = screen.height;
	hWin.moveTo((sw - 708) / 2,(sh - 417) / 2);
	hWin.focus();
	}

Then you can open individual games by passing the relevant array number through a javascript: URL:

• Skip code example

<a href="javascript:generatePuzzle(1)">Movies</a>

The script contains the configuration arrays for each of your puzzles, and a function to encrypt the data before sending it as a query string to the game - the encryption is not at all sophisticated, but it's enough that the answers aren't right in front of you.

When adding new arrays you must index them beginning from 1 (because 0 is reserved). You can make any number of puzzles, but each must follow very strict rules:

1. The title cannot be longer than 25 characters and can only contain letters, numbers and spaces.
2. Phrases can only contain CAPITAL_LETTERS seperated by underscores - no numbers or special characters.
3. Each phrase can contain up to three words, which must be separated with underscores.
4. Each word should not be longer than 13 letters and each phrase not longer than 40 characters in total.
5. The total size of each puzzle array cannot exceed 669 characters, because once encrypted they triple in length, and there is a maximum size a URL + query string can be. This amounts to 15 or 20 phrases on average.