Game Guide
How to
play
Wordwards
Connect letters, build words, and climb the leaderboard. Here's everything you need to know.
The Basics
Look at the 5×5 Grid
You're given a board of 25 letter tiles arranged in a 5×5 grid. Each tile has a letter and a point value. Your goal is to find words by tracing connected paths through the letters.
Trace a Word
Press and hold the first letter, then drag through adjacent tiles (up, down, left, right, or diagonal) to spell a word. Release to submit. The word must be at least 3 letters and exist in the English dictionary.
Tiles must be directly touching — no jumping over letters.
Score Points
Each valid word scores points based on the letters used and the word's length. Rare letters like Q, X, and Z are worth more. Longer words get a length bonus multiplier on top of the letter values.
A 7-letter word can score 5–6× more than a 3-letter word with the same letters.
Keep Going
Find as many words as you can before time runs out (in timed modes) or submit your best score. The same tile can be used in multiple words across different turns.
Letter Values
Each letter has a base point value. Higher-value letters appear less frequently on boards but can turn an average word into a winning play.
Length Bonus Multipliers
×1.0
3 letters
×1.2
4 letters
×1.5
5 letters
×2.0+
6+ letters
Game Modes
Classic Mode
The original Wordwards experience. Find as many words as you can on the 5×5 board in 3 minutes. Fast, focused, and endlessly replayable.
Format
3 min timed
Plays
Unlimited
Leaderboard
Global rankings
Zen Mode
No clock, no pressure. Move through the board at your own pace and savour every discovery. Perfect for winding down.
Format
Untimed
Plays
Unlimited
Pace
Self-paced
Daily Board
One board, shared by every player worldwide. Find as many words as you can in 3 minutes — one attempt per day. Resets at midnight UTC. Compare your score on the global leaderboard and build your streak.
Time limit
3 minutes
Plays per day
1 attempt
Streak reset
Midnight UTC
Daily Puzzle
A shared daily board with a list of target words to find — word-search style, no time limit. Complete the list and compare your path with players worldwide. Resets at midnight UTC.
Format
Untimed
Plays per day
1 attempt
Goal
Find all target words
Async PvP
Challenge a friend or be matched with a random opponent. Both players receive the same board and have 24 hours per turn to submit their words. No live session required — play on your own time.
Turn timer
24 hours
Tiebreaker
Most unique words
Rematch
Offered after result
Labyrinth Mode
Navigate 15 sequential rooms of procedurally generated word boards. Each room you clear earns coins and occasionally rare cosmetics. You have a limited number of lives that regenerate over time.
Rooms
15 sequential
Lives
Regenerate over time
Rewards
Coins + rare cosmetics
Powerups
Powerups are activated during a match. Buy them with coins earned from play, or via in-app purchase.
Tile Reveal
50 coinsReveals the score value of a random unrevealed tile. Use before tracing to maximise your path.
Score Doubler
100 coinsDoubles the score of your next submitted word. Stack with long words for massive gains.
Word Hint
75 coinsHighlights a valid path for a high-scoring word. Doesn't play it for you — just shows the way.
Time Extend
60 coinsAdds 30 seconds to your remaining time (timed modes only).
Shuffle Board
80 coinsRe-randomises all unplayed tiles on the board. Useful when you're stuck in a corner.
Pro Tips
Scan for rare letters first
Before tracing, spot where Q, X, Z, and J are. Plan paths that incorporate them for max score per word.
Work from the edges in
Corner and edge tiles have fewer neighbour options. Include them early before they become stranded.
Suffixes unlock big words
Common endings like -ING, -ED, -TION and -LY can turn 4-letter paths into 7-letter words.
Diagonal moves are key
Diagonals give you 8 neighbours per tile instead of 4. Many long words are only possible via diagonal paths.
Save powerups for crunch time
The last 60 seconds of a timed round are worth 2× powerup investment vs. using them early.
Play the Daily Board last
Use Zen Mode to warm up your eye, then nail the Daily Board. That streak isn't going to build itself.
Ready to test what you've learned?