Spotting the Letter A

You don't need to look far for A — an Airplane overhead near any airport solves it immediately, and there's no shortage of backup options if the sky happens to be empty.

It's a good letter to grab early, since it lets everyone in the car get a feel for the game before the trickier letters show up later in the alphabet. Kids especially like this one because airplanes overhead are easy to point at without any debate over whether it counts.

Common Things to Spot

Airport
Antenna
Alley
Apartment building
Awning
Ambulance

If You Want a Challenge

Aqueduct
Amish buggy (in farm country)
Archway or gateway sign

Spotting Tip

Look up as much as you look out the window — a contrail or a plane on approach counts, and airports post their name on tall signage visible from the highway miles before you reach the exit.

Fun Fact

A doesn't actually start the most words in English — that distinction usually goes to S — but it's still a common starting letter, which is part of why it feels reassuring to open with. On the road, though, it's oddly slow at first: most early finds tend to be signs, not the objects the alphabet game trains you to notice. That gap between how common a letter is on paper and how common it is on the highway is part of what makes the game interesting.

For Younger Players

Airplane is a great starter word for younger kids since it's easy to spot overhead and doesn't require reading any signs. Turn on "Show Hints" if they want a reminder of the example word while they're still learning their letters.