Although it is not known in which country and language the game was first played, according to some sources, it originated from an application made in Europe after people sentenced to death demand "Rite of Words and Life (Hess, Noah. 2020)" (Word and Life Method). it has received. According to this method, the death row convict requesting "Rite of Words and Life" is asked to find a word with five letter guesses. If the word is found correctly in five guesses, the death penalty is pardoned.

It is not known whether the game is really the result of such an application or such an ascription is made because of its name. There is no mention of such or a similar practice in the history books describing that period.