diff --git a/src/components/status-text.tsx b/src/components/status-text.tsx
index f975c051..b1e919c4 100644
--- a/src/components/status-text.tsx
+++ b/src/components/status-text.tsx
@@ -1,20 +1,22 @@
 import { Box, Text } from "ink";
-import React from "react";
-import { KEY_NEW_GAME, KEY_QUIT } from "../constants.js";
+import React, { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { GIVE_UP_HINT_DELAY_MS, KEY_NEW_GAME, KEY_QUIT } from "../constants.js";
 import { GameState } from "../types.js";
 
-function notesForState(gameState: GameState): [string, string] {
+function notesForState(gameState: GameState): [string, string, boolean] {
   switch (gameState.status) {
     case "win":
       return [
         `🏆 You win! 🏆`,
         `Press '${KEY_NEW_GAME}' for a new game, or '${KEY_QUIT}' to quit.`,
+        false,
       ];
     case "loss":
       if (gameState.gameBoards.length == 1) {
         return [
           `The word was ${gameState.gameBoards[0].solution}. Better luck next time.`,
           `Press '${KEY_NEW_GAME}' for a new game, or '${KEY_QUIT}' to quit.`,
+          false,
         ];
       }
       return [
@@ -22,23 +24,33 @@ function notesForState(gameState: GameState): [string, string] {
           .map((b) => b.solution)
           .join(",")}. Better luck next time.`,
         `Press '${KEY_NEW_GAME}' for a new game, or '${KEY_QUIT}' to quit.`,
+        false,
       ];
   }
+  const giveUpHint = "Ctrl+Q to give up";
   if (gameState.note) {
-    return [gameState.note, ""];
+    return [gameState.note, giveUpHint, true];
   }
-  return ["", ""];
+  return ["", giveUpHint, true];
 }
 
 export const StatusText: React.FC<{ gameState: GameState }> = ({
   gameState,
 }) => {
-  const [note1, note2] = notesForState(gameState);
+  const [note1, note2, note2IsGiveUpHint] = notesForState(gameState);
+
+  const [hintReady, setHintReady] = useState(false);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => setHintReady(true), GIVE_UP_HINT_DELAY_MS);
+    return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+  }, []);
+
+  const showNote2 = !note2IsGiveUpHint || hintReady;
 
   return (
     <Box minHeight={2} alignItems="center" flexDirection="column">
       <Text>{note1}</Text>
-      <Text color="gray">{note2}</Text>
+      <Text color="gray">{showNote2 ? note2 : ""}</Text>
     </Box>
   );
 };
diff --git a/src/constants.ts b/src/constants.ts
index f410c1a1..f4c49a99 100644
--- a/src/constants.ts
+++ b/src/constants.ts
@@ -2,3 +2,5 @@ export const WORD_LEN = 5;
 
 export const KEY_NEW_GAME = "N";
 export const KEY_QUIT = "Q";
+
+export const GIVE_UP_HINT_DELAY_MS = 15000;
diff --git a/src/state/reducer.ts b/src/state/reducer.ts
index d2ac8ff1..be922bad 100644
--- a/src/state/reducer.ts
+++ b/src/state/reducer.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ export function reducer(state: GameState, action: GameAction): GameState {
         if (rowIsFull(state)) {
           return handleSubmission(state);
         }
+        break;
+      case "give-up":
+        return { ...state, status: "loss" };
     }
   } else {
     if (action.action == "input-letter" && action.letter == KEY_NEW_GAME) {
diff --git a/src/ui.tsx b/src/ui.tsx
index f7fcb78d..fb613c37 100644
--- a/src/ui.tsx
+++ b/src/ui.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ import { useStdoutDimensions } from "./use-stdout-dimensions.js";
 export type GameAction =
   | { action: "input-letter"; letter: string }
   | { action: "submit-guess" }
-  | { action: "backspace" };
+  | { action: "backspace" }
+  | { action: "give-up" };
 
 const App: FC<{
   initialState?: GameState;
@@ -52,6 +53,9 @@ const App: FC<{
       if (key.backspace || key.delete) {
         dispatch({ action: "backspace" });
       }
+      if (key.ctrl && input == "q") {
+        dispatch({ action: "give-up" });
+      }
     },
     { isActive: gameState.exitPlease != true },
   );