C++ error C2181: illegal else without matching if - c++

Question

I'm new to C++. I have been following an online course that teaches you how to make a Hangman game in C++. For the most part the code was working, every time I debugged it ran fine. I completed the entire code and double checked it, but I'm getting an error on one of the 'else' the errors I'm getting is "error C2181: illegal else without matching if.
Here's my code.
// Hangman game
// CN
// Header file
#include "stdafx.h"
// Input/Output
#include <iostream>
// Text
#include <string>
// Information storage
#include <vector>
// Figuring out the information storage
#include <algorithm>
// Converts lower cased letters to higher case letters
#include <cctype>
// Reads computers time and distributes a word from a list accordingly
#include <ctime>
// Library for system
#include <cstdlib>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Constant data type which is a fixed value, MaxWrong in Pascal Text and the max number of guesses.
const int MaxWrong = 6;
vector<string> words;
words.push_back("SANTA CLAUSE");
words.push_back("REINDEER");
words.push_back("PRESENT");
words.push_back("TREE");
words.push_back("MILK");
words.push_back("COOKIE");
// Parenthesis must always match
srand(static_cast<unsigned int>(time(0)));
random_shuffle(words.begin(), words.end());
const string theWord = words[0];
int wrong = 0;
string soFar(theWord.size(), '_');
string used = "";
cout << "\n******** Welcome to Chaye's Hangman ********\n\n";
cout << " __ \n";
cout << " | | \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " ___|____ \n\n";
cout << " Do Your Best Human \n\n";
// Loop
while ((wrong < MaxWrong) && (soFar != theWord))
{
cout << "\n You have " << (MaxWrong - wrong);
cout << " incorrect tries left.\n";
cout << "\n You've used these letters:\n" << used << endl;
char guess;
cout << "\n\n Enter your guess: ";
cin >> guess;
guess = toupper(guess);
while (used.find(guess) != string::npos)
{
cout << "\n You've already tried " << guess << endl;
cout << " Enter your guess: ";
cin >> guess;
guess = toupper(guess);
}
used += guess;
if (theWord.find(guess) != string::npos)
{
cout << " That's right " << guess << " is in the word,\n";
for (int i = 0; i < theWord.length(); ++i)
{
if (theWord[i] == guess)
{
soFar[i] = guess;
}
}
}
else
{
cout << " sorry. " << guess << " isn't in the word.\n";
++wrong;
}
// If one is wrong
if (wrong == 1)
{
cout << " __ \n";
cout << " | | \n";
cout << " | O \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " ___|____ \n\n";
cout << " Do Your Best Human \n\n";
}
else
{
cout << endl;
}
// If one is wrong
if (wrong == 2)
{
cout << " ___ \n";
cout << " | | \n";
cout << " | O \n";
cout << " | # \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " ___|____ \n\n";
cout << " Do Your Best Human \n\n";
}
else
{
cout << endl;
}
// If one is wrong
if (wrong == 3)
{
cout << " ___ \n";
cout << " | | \n";
cout << " | O \n";
cout << " | /# \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " ___|____ \n\n";
cout << " Do Your Best Human \n\n";
}
else
{
cout << endl;
}
// If one is wrong
if (wrong == 4)
{
cout << " ___ \n";
cout << " | | \n";
cout << " | O \n";
cout << " | /#\ \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " ___|____ \n\n";
cout << " Do Your Best Human \n\n";
}
else
{
cout << endl;
}
// If one is wrong
if (wrong == 5)
{
cout << "\n You've been hung \n";
cout << " ___ \n";
cout << " | | \n";
cout << " | O \n";
cout << " | /#\ \n";
cout << " | / \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " ___|____ \n\n";
cout << " Do Your Best Human \n\n";
}
else
{
cout << "\n I'm suprised you've got this far\n";
}
cout << "\n The word was " << theWord << endl;
}
// If one is wrong
if (wrong == MaxWrong)
{
cout << "\n You've been hung \n";
cout << " ___ \n";
cout << " | | \n";
cout << " | O \n";
cout << " | /#\ \n";
cout << " | / \ \n";
cout << " | \n";
cout << " ___|____ \n\n";
cout << " Do Your Best Human \n\n";
}
else
{
cout << "\n I'm suprised you've got this far\n";
}
cout << "\n The word was " << theWord << endl;
// Pause Console
system("pause");
// Kills the application once done
return 0;
}

Answer 1

There should be no semicolon in this line:
if (theWord.find(guess) != string::npos);
this semicolon terminates the whole if statement and the following {...} block is executed unconditionally. Following else is therefore no longer matched with the if statement.
And you are also missing closing ) bracket in your while statement:
while (used.find(guess) != string::npos
{
...
}

Answer 2

Change
** else **
to
else
Your compiler is interpreting that as an operator. If it still fails, edit your post w/ the error. Also worth noting, if you compile w/ the -g flag you get some debug output which can be beneficial.