Word X Rules

Object

Game Play

Rules

Ending Game

Scoring

Object Of The Game

Players form interlocking words, crossword style, on the board using letter tiles of different values. Each player competes for high score by taking advantage of the letter tiles, as well as the premium squares on the board.

Game Play

The first player combines two or more of his/her letters to form a word and places it on the board to read either across or down with one letter on the center square. Diagonal words not allowed. You can move your letters in your rack by highlighting them and then click on the arrows at the ends to move them. Once the word is formed, place it on the board by clicking where you want first letter then last on the board. When you are satisfied with the word, click Done; if you are not satisfied with the word, click Undo.

Play passes to the left. The second player, and then each in turn, adds one or more letters to those already played to form new words. All letters played must be played in one row across or down the board. If they touch other letters in other rows, they too must make a word.

Rules

New words may be formed by:

adding one or more letters to a word or letter already on the board;

placing a word at right angles to a word already on the board. The new word must use one of the letters already on the board, or add a letter to an existing word.

placing a complete word parallel to a word already played so that adjacent letters also form a complete word.

The 2 blank tiles may be used as any letter. A box will come up to ask you what you want the letter to be. Blanks have no point value.

A player may use a turn to swap all or some of the letters on his/her rack. To do this, line up the letters you wish to swap; then, click in a row the first and last letters and then click Swap. You will receive new tiles. This ends your turn for that round.

All words labeled as a part of speech are permitted, with the exception of the following: words always capitalized (proper names), abbreviations, prefixes and suffixes standing alone, and words requiring either a hyphen or an apostrophe.

Ending The Game

The game ends when all the letters have been drawn and one player uses all his/her letters, or when all possible plays have been made.

Scoring

The computer will keep score. The value of each letter is shown beneath that letter in your rack. The score value of a blank is zero.

The score for each turn is the sum of the letter values in each word formed or modified on that turn, plus the additional points from placing letters on premium squares.

Premium letter squares: Light blue doubles the letter played on it and dark blue triples the letter played on it.

Premium word scores: Play a letter on a pink square, and your whole word value will be doubled; or play one on a red square, and your word value will be tripled.

When a blank tile is played on a pink or red square, the player will receive the double or triple word score even though the blank is worth zero. Should the blank be played on a light or dark blue square, no points are given for that letter.

Any player who plays all seven tiles on one turn scores 50 points plus the value of the word.