n00b hangman

#include <cctype>
#include <iostream>
#include <string>

using namespace std;

// Function prototypes
bool guess(string word, string &curWord, char c);
bool hasChar(string word, char c);
bool wordComplete(string curWord);
string updateWord(string word, string &curWord, char c);
string hideWord(string word);

int main()
{
    char a, curGuess;
    int playCtr = 0;
    const int maxSkip = 1000;

    do
    {
        int tries = 6;
        const int maxHistory = tries + 1; // cout << maxHistory // Output: 7
        char guessHistory[maxHistory]; // expected constant expression, cannot allocate array of constant size 0, 'guessHistory' : unknown size
        bool gameFinished = false;

        string word = "AssaultCube";
        string curWord = hideWord(word);

        cout << "\nWelcome to Hangman! Good luck!\n\n";
        cout << "The word is " << word.length() << " characters long.\n";

        // Game loop
        while(!gameFinished)
        {
            // Ensure that alphabetical input is read
            curGuess = ' ';

            while (!isalpha(curGuess))
            {
                cout << "\nEnter your guess (an alphabetical character): ";
                cin.get(curGuess);
                curGuess = tolower(curGuess);
                cin.ignore(maxSkip, '\n');
            }

            // If the guess was incorrect, decrement the tries var and notify the player
            if (!guess(word, curWord, curGuess))
            {
                tries--;
                cout << "You have " << tries << " guesses left.\n";
            }

            // Break out of the loop if the player wins or loses
            if (wordComplete(curWord))
            {
                cout << "\nGAME OVER - Congratulations, you won!\n";
                gameFinished = true; // break
            }
            else
            {
                if (tries < 1)
                {
                    cout << "\nGAME OVER - Sorry, you lost!\n\n";
                    cout << "The word was " << word << "\n";
                    gameFinished = true; // break
                }
            }
        }

        playCtr++;

        // Ensure that y or n input is read
        a = '\0';

        while(tolower(a) != 'n' && tolower(a) != 'y')
        {
            cout << "\a\nPlay again? y/n? ";
            cin.get(a);
            cin.ignore(maxSkip, '\n');
        }

    } while(tolower(a) == 'y');

    if (playCtr < 2)
    {
        cout << "\nGood game, bye!\n";
    }
    else
    {
        cout << "\nGood games, bye!\n";
    }
    return 0;
}

// hideWord() - Initially masks the chosen word with dashes "-"
string hideWord(string word)
{
    string output = "";
    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < word.length(); i++)
    {
        output += "-";
    }
    return output;
}

// updateWord() - updates the temporarily masked word upon correct guesses
string updateWord(string word, string &curWord, char c)
{
    string output = "";
    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < word.length(); i++)
    {
        char letter = word.at(i);
        if (tolower(letter) == c)
        {
            output += c;
        }
        else
        {
            letter = curWord.at(i);
            if (tolower(letter) != '-')
            {
                output += letter;
            }
            else
            {
                output += "-";
            }
        }
    }
    curWord = output;
    return output;
}

// hasChar() - Determines if the user's guess was found in the word
bool hasChar(string word, char c)
{
    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < word.length(); i++)
    {
        char letter = word.at(i);
        if (tolower(letter) == c)
        {
            return true;
        }
    }
    return false;
}

// guess() - Handles the guesses users enter
bool guess(string word, string &curWord, char c)
{
    if (hasChar(word, c))
    {
        cout << "\nCorrect! The updated word is ";
        cout << updateWord(word, curWord, c) << "\n";
        return true;
    }
    else
    {
        cout << "\nIncorrect! The word is " << curWord << "\n\n";
        return false;
    }
}

// wordComplete() - Determines if the temporarily masked word has been completely unveiled
bool wordComplete(string curWord)
{
    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < curWord.length(); i++)
    {
        char letter = curWord.at(i);
        if (letter == '-')
        {
            return false;
        }
    }
    return true;
}