Password Game

The password game, created by developer Neal Agarwal, is less of a security check and more of a brutal, hilarious puzzle gauntlet. It starts with simple requests and quickly escalates into a chaotic test of your multitasking, research, and problem-solving skills. If you’re staring at a screen filled with red error messages and a rogue fire emoji, you’ve come to the right place.

This guide is your tactical playbook. We will walk you through every single rule, from the deceptive simplicity of Rule 1 to the final, frantic rush of Rule 35. Our mission is to turn your frustration into a victory screen by providing a precise, step-by-step strategy for conquering this unique challenge.

Understanding the Password Game: Core Mechanics and Objective

Before diving into the specific rules, it’s crucial to understand the game’s core design. Unlike a typical password form, every new rule is layered on top of the previous ones. Solving a new rule can, and often will, break one or more of the rules you’ve already satisfied. The key is adaptation, not just addition.

Objective: Satisfying All 35 Rules Simultaneously

The singular goal of the password game is to create a single string of text that meets all 35 criteria at the same time. The game checks your password in real-time, providing immediate feedback. A green highlight means a rule is satisfied; a red one means it’s violated. “Winning” is achieved the moment all 35 rules are green, at which point a “Submit” button appears.

Preparation: Tools for Success in the Password Game

Going into this challenge unprepared is a recipe for failure. A professional player uses the right tools to execute their strategy. We recommend having the following ready before you begin:

A Plain Text Editor: Use Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac), or even a simple Google Doc. This is your workshop. You will build, modify, and troubleshoot your password here before pasting it into the game. This prevents accidental deletions from breaking your entire string.
Multiple Browser Tabs: This game requires significant external research. Keep tabs open for Google, a periodic table, a chess analysis board, and YouTube.
A Color Picker Tool: Many browsers have a built-in color picker in their developer tools, or you can use a browser extension. This will be essential for Rule 26.
Patience: This is a game of attrition. Some rules are time-gated, and some require precise, rapid input. Do not get discouraged.

The Complete Password Game Walkthrough: A Rule-by-Rule Strategy

This section provides the core execution plan. We will break down the 35 rules into logical phases. For complex rules, we explain not just what to do, but why it works and how it interacts with other rules.

Phase 1: The Basics (Rules 1-5)

This initial phase sets the foundation of your password. These rules are simple but introduce the core concept of conflicting requirements.

Rule 1: Your password must be at least 5 characters.
This is a simple length check. It will be easily met as we progress.
Rule 2: Your password must include a number.
Add any single digit. We will be modifying this heavily in Rule 5.
Rule 3: Your password must include an uppercase letter.
Add any single uppercase letter.
Rule 4: Your password must include a special character.
Add one of the following: !@#$%^&*().
Rule 5: The digits in your password must add up to 25.
This is the first real puzzle. You need to combine digits to hit a specific sum. A good strategy is to use several high numbers that are easy to change later. For example, adding 988 gives you a sum of 25 (9+8+8=25). Using multiple digits instead of a single large number gives you more flexibility for later rules.

Phase 2: Introducing External Knowledge (Rules 6-10)

This phase requires you to pull information from outside the game. This is where your research tabs come into play.

Rule 6: Your password must include a month of the year.
Type out a month, like “March” or “September”. Be mindful of capitalization, as it can satisfy Rule 3 if you haven’t already.
Rule 7: Your password must include a Roman numeral.
Add a simple Roman numeral like I, V, X, L, or C. Crucially, these letters will be used in a later multiplication rule, so avoid complex numerals for now. Let’s add ‘C’ and ‘L’ for now.
Rule 8: Your password must include one of our sponsors.
The game will display logos for Pepsi, Shell, and Starbucks. You must type one of these names exactly as written, with a capital letter (e.g., “Pepsi”).
Rule 9: The Roman numerals in your password should multiply to 35.
This rule invalidates the ‘C’ and ‘L’ we added earlier. You need Roman numerals whose values multiply to 35. The easiest combination is V (5) and VII (7). However, typing “VII” means you have three Roman numerals: V, I, and I. A much cleaner solution is to use XXXV (35). This is a single number and satisfies the rule perfectly.
Rule 10: Your password must include this CAPTCHA.
The game will show a randomized, slightly distorted image of letters and numbers. Transcribe it exactly into your password. There is no way to predict this, so you must solve the one you are given.

Phase 3: The Interactive Puzzles (Rules 11-16)

This set of rules introduces dynamic elements that change daily or are randomized with each playthrough. This is why a single “master password” cannot exist.

Rule 11: Your password must include today’s Wordle answer.
Open a new tab and search for “today’s Wordle answer.” Type the five-letter word into your password. Remember that this changes every 24 hours, so a password that works today will not work tomorrow.
Rule 12: Your password must include a two-letter symbol from the periodic table.
Choose a symbol that is unlikely to be confused with Roman numerals or other rules. Good choices include He (Helium), Li (Lithium), or Ne (Neon). This rule will become much more complex later.
Rule 13: Your password must include the current phase of the moon as an emoji.
Search “current moon phase emoji” and copy-paste the correct one (e.g., 🌕, 🌖, 🌗, 🌘, 🌑, 🌒, 🌓, 🌔) into your password. This is a critical rule that can become a hard wall later in the game.
Rule 14: Your password must include the name of this country.
The game will show a random Google Street View image. You must identify the country and type its name. If you don’t recognize the location, use another device to take a picture and use Google Lens, or look for clues like language on signs, license plates, or flags.
Rule 15: Your password must include a leap year.
A leap year is divisible by 4, except for end-of-century years, which must be divisible by 400. Simple options are 2000, 2016, or 2020. Be careful: adding these digits will break Rule 5. You must now go back and adjust the digits from Rule 5 so the total sum is once again 25.
Rule 16: Your password must include the best move in algebraic chess notation.
This is often the first major roadblock and a perfect example of how to beat a game level by using external tools. The game displays a chess board in a specific state. You must find the optimal move.

Execution:
1. Take a screenshot of the chess puzzle.
2. Go to a site like Lichess.org and open its Board Editor tool.
3. Set up the pieces on the board to perfectly match the position in the game.
4. Use the site’s computer analysis feature. The engine will immediately identify the best move.
5. The move will be given in algebraic notation (e.g., Nf3, Qxg7#, e4). Type this exact notation into your password.

Phase 4: The Chaos Rules (Rules 17-24)

Prepare for things to get messy. These rules introduce dynamic, moving elements and complex formatting that require your full attention.

Rule 17: 🥚
An egg emoji named Paul will appear in your password. You must keep him there. Do not delete him. He will be important later, and also a target.
Rule 18: The elements in your password must have atomic numbers that add up to 200.
This is a massive complication of Rule 12. Every capitalized letter or two-letter pair that matches a periodic table symbol will be counted. The sum of their atomic numbers must equal exactly 200.

Strategy: Plan this in your text editor. The best approach is to use single-letter elements to avoid accidental combinations. A reliable combination is U (92) + K (19) + P (15) + W (74). Together, their atomic numbers sum to 200 (92+19+15+74=200). Add the string “UKPW” to your password and remove any other elements you added for Rule 12.
Rule 19: All the vowels in your password must be bold.
The game’s input field is a rich text editor. You must now go through your entire password and select every vowel (a, e, i, o, u) and make it bold using the formatting tools. Be extremely precise.
Rule 20: Oh no, your password is on fire! 🔥
A fire emoji will appear and start randomly “burning” characters in your password, deleting them. You must be quick to retype them. Having your password saved in your text editor is your safety net. If the fire deletes something critical, you can quickly copy-paste the full password back in.
Rule 21: Your password must be at least 35 characters long.
By this point, you have likely already met this requirement. If not, add some filler consonants that are not periodic table symbols (like ‘q’ or ‘z’).
Rule 22: Your password must contain the current time in HH:MM:SS format.
You must include the current time, updating every second (e.g., 14:22:05). This makes your password constantly invalid. The only way to handle this is to ignore it for now and plan to type it in during the final seconds before you submit.
Rule 23: This is my favorite part of the password. You must include a YouTube link of this exact length.
The game will provide a random video length (e.g., 2 minutes and 47 seconds). Go to YouTube and search for something generic like “music” or “video”. Then, use the search filters to filter by duration (Short <4 mins). You will have to manually look for a video that matches the required length and paste the URL into your password.
Rule 24: The font size of every digit must be different.
Another formatting rule. Go through your password and select each digit individually. Use the font size tool to give each one a unique size. Be careful not to accidentally delete a digit, as this will break the sum rule (Rule 5).

Phase 5: The Final Gauntlet (Rules 25-35)

This is the final sprint. It involves more formatting, time-sensitive rules, and self-referential checks. Execute these steps calmly and methodically.

Rule 25: The font size of all Roman numerals must add up to 100.
This is similar to Rule 24. If you used “XXXV”, you have four Roman numeral characters (X, X, X, V). Adjust their font sizes so the sum of the sizes equals 100 (e.g., 25+25+25+25).
Rule 26: The color of your password must be a hex code that is this color.
The game displays a colored box. Use a color picker tool to get its hex code (e.g., #8B4513). You must then type this hex code into your password.
Rule 27: The hex code must be bold and italic.
Find the hex code you just typed and apply both bold and italic formatting to it.
Rule 28: Paul has hatched! 🐔 He is now a chicken.
The egg emoji from Rule 17 automatically transforms into a chicken emoji. No action is needed, but be aware that Paul is still vulnerable to the fire.
Rule 29: You must sacrifice two letters to the void.
Right-click on any two letters in your password and choose the “sacrifice” option. They will be visually removed but still count toward the rules they satisfy. Choose non-essential letters, like filler characters you added or letters in the Wordle answer that aren’t also Roman numerals or elements.
Rule 30: Your password must include the number of rules you have completed so far.
This is another dynamic rule. As you complete the final rules, this number will change. For now, type “30”. You will update it at the very end.
Rule 31: The number from the previous rule must be in a different font.
Select the number “30” and change its font using the formatting tools (e.g., to Times New Roman or Courier).
Rule 32: The moon emoji from rule 13 must be waning.
This is a hard time-gate. If the current moon phase is waxing (growing from new to full), you cannot pass this rule. You must wait for a day when the moon is in a waning phase (waning gibbous, third quarter, or waning crescent). There is no way around this.
Rule 33: I’ve forgotten the previous rule. Can you remind me?
You must type the full text of Rule 32 into your password: The moon emoji from rule 13 must be waning.
Rule 34: Your password must include the length of your password.
Yet another dynamic rule. The game will show you the current length. Type this number into your password. This will, of course, change the length, creating a loop. Ignore it for the final rush.
Rule 35: The length of your password must be a prime number.
This is the final check. You will likely need to add or remove filler characters to make the total length a prime number. Do this by adding or removing non-vowel, non-element, non-numeral characters.

The Final Execution

Once you have a solution for all 35 rules, you must execute the final, time-sensitive steps in one swift motion.

Finalize your password in your text editor.
Paste it into the game. Fix all formatting (bold vowels, font sizes, etc.).
Wait for the fire emoji to move away from a critical area.
Update the rule count (Rule 30), password length (Rule 34), and current time (Rule 22) in quick succession.
Quickly check if the new length is a prime number. If not, add/remove a filler character and update the length number again.
As soon as all 35 rules are green, click “Submit”.

Common Pitfalls in the Password Game and How to Avoid Them

Many players fail not because the puzzles are impossible, but because they fall into predictable traps. Here are the most common ones and how to counter them.

The Cascade Failure: The most common issue is fixing one rule only to break three others. Counter-Strategy: Use a text editor. Treat your password like a delicate machine. When you add a new component (like a leap year), you must immediately check and recalibrate the other components it affects (the digit sum).
The Fire Emoji: The 🔥 is designed to induce panic. It can delete Paul (🐔), a critical number, or part of a URL, causing instant failure. Counter-Strategy: Keep your master password copied to your clipboard. If the fire causes a catastrophic failure, you can select all (Ctrl+A) and paste to instantly restore it.
Formatting Errors: Accidentally bolding a consonant, making two digits the same font size, or forgetting to italic
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