THE FLIGHT MANUAL
STARLING: a free space word game
Find an answer before the clock runs out, then watch your rocket cross an animated pixel universe. STARLING is a single-player browser word game with seven space-themed prompts, 25 seconds per prompt and a personal flight score to beat.
Play free on desktop or mobile, with no account or download required. The current version lets you replay the same seven prompts as often as you like.
How to play STARLING
- Select Start the countdown to begin your flight.
- Read the prompt and type one answer within 25 seconds.
- Press Enter or select Boost to submit. If your answer is not recognized, try another before time runs out. Use Pass to move to the next prompt without points or flight progress.
- Finish all seven prompts, check your flight score and select Fly again to replay.
For example, a prompt might ask you to name a moon in our solar system. You choose one answer; this is a typing game rather than a multiple-choice quiz.
How the word game is scored
Answers in the local answer table have preset rarity values. Higher values earn more flight points. Only answers and explicit aliases in this prompt’s answer list earn points. Unrecognized answers earn nothing and let you retry while the same timer keeps running. The list is curated and may not cover every valid answer; try another answer or use Pass.
Scores are not based on live player statistics. Passing or running out of time marks that prompt as missed: zero points, no boost and no change in distance. The next prompt starts from the same location. Your best score and flight count are saved in this browser on this device.
Each correct answer advances your rocket one sector along the route. Missed prompts leave it in place. Reach the cosmic horizon by answering all seven correctly; otherwise your result shows the location you actually reached. The journey compresses astronomical distances for play.
From the launch pad to the cosmic horizon
The scenery changes as the flight advances: Earth’s launch complex, the upper atmosphere, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, the solar system, the Milky Way and the cosmic horizon. Moving clouds, rocket exhaust, orbiting objects and drifting stars keep the pixel world in motion.
- Keyboard and touch: type an answer and press Enter, or use the on-screen buttons.
- Optional sound: turn on SND for synthesized ambience and flight effects.
- Reduced motion: the game responds to your device’s reduced-motion setting.
Frequently asked questions
Is STARLING free to play?
Yes. You can play the browser game and replay its seven prompts for free. No account is required.
Is there a new daily puzzle or a random question bank?
The current version has one fixed set of seven prompts. You can replay it, but it does not yet offer a daily puzzle, random question rotation or an archive.
How is STARLING related to Krillion?
STARLING is an independent space-themed word game inspired by the rare-answer challenge format. It is not the official Krillion game and does not use Krillion’s question service. You can play the original at krillion.io.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. The layout adapts to mobile screens. Tap the answer field to type, then use Boost or Pass. The game requires JavaScript and a modern browser.
Will my best score appear on another device?
No. Your best score and flight count stay in local browser storage. They do not sync between devices, and clearing site data removes them.
Do I need to download the game or enable sound?
No download is required. The game runs on this page, and sound stays off until you enable it with the SND button.