Build words. Lock tiles. Create connections.

Quick Setup

1. Word validation: decide whether to use a dictionary (group vote if not).
2. Play area: choose a tabletop surface.
3. Prepare tiles: mix thoroughly and place tiles into the drawstring bag.
4. First player: each player draws one tile; closest to “A” goes first (a “PZ” wildcard tile beats all letters).
5. Starting tiles: each player draws 7 tiles onto their rack.

Turn Structure

• Use one or more tiles to form a valid word (minimum 2 letters).
• After the first turn, every word must connect to at least one tile already on the table.
• Words may be formed in any direction as long as tiles interlock (no diagonal lines).
• Score all new words formed during your turn, then draw back up to 7 tiles.

Tile Orientation

• You may rotate tiles in any orientation, provided they interlock correctly.
• Letter orientation does not affect word validity, as long as the final word is clear and agreed upon by the group.

Valid Tile Orientation (3 examples)

• A word may consist of one or more directional lines. Each directional line is a continuous straight sequence of letters within the word.
• Words may be formed in any direction, including left-to-right, right-to-left, top-to-bottom, or bottom-to-top. Words may also combine multiple directions, subject to the direction-change rules below.
• Directional rules are evaluated using the declared spelling order of the word. The starting letter is the first letter of the word as declared, even if the word is spelled in reverse.
• A word may travel across multiple directional lines, but any change in direction must occur at a tile placed during your current turn. The turning point must be one of your newly placed tiles.
• A word you form may intersect with existing directional lines, as long as:
  • Every letter grouping created forms a valid word, AND
  • Every tile you place connects (directly or through other tiles) to the word you are forming, AND
  • Your entire placement becomes part of one single connected structure that links to the existing layout (at least one newly placed tile must connect to a tile already on the table).
• Words that read in opposite directions may form more than one valid word. Scoring for such words is defined in Basic Scoring.
• Diagonal word lines are not allowed, as tiles would not interlock.
• A tile may only be used once in the spelling of a word.

Acceptable Forms of TOW

Unacceptable Forms of TOW

Acceptable Intersecting Directional Lines

Spell "BEET" and secondarily spell "LET"

Unacceptable Intersecting Directional Lines

Cannot spell "THE" because "E" does not also spell a word with "HCT"

Conditionally Unacceptable Intersecting Directional Lines

“B” CANNOT be placed to spell “BATCH” using the previously played letters “ATCH” from “LATCH” because “ATCH” does not lie along one continuous directional line. The letters “AT” and “CH” are separated by a change in direction. However, “B” CAN be placed to spell “BAT” using only the continuous directional line “AT”.

Two Words: BAT and TAB Forward and Backward

One Word: Same Word in Both Directions

Basic Scoring

• Add the point values of all new words formed during your turn.
• If you form more than one word in a turn, score each word separately, then add totals.
• If a single placement of tiles creates two different valid words when read in opposite directions, score each word separately. If the letters spell the same word forward and backward, it is scored as one word only.
• Only words created or extended as a result of tiles placed on your turn are scored.

Standard Letter Bonuses

• Double Letter: when a word is four or more letters long and includes the letter V, J, or Q, each V, J, or Q used in that word scores double its normal point value.
• Triple Letter: when a word is four or more letters long and includes the letter X or Z, each X or Z used in that word scores triple its normal point value.
• Standard Letter bonuses are applied before all other bonuses.

Standard Word Bonuses

• Double Word (DW): any word that includes a new or existing corner tile scores double (corner tile itself is 0).
• Triple Word (TW): any word that includes a new or existing “PZ” wildcard tile scores triple (“PZ” itself is 0).

Special Bonuses

• Bridge Bonus: +10 points when you connect two separate clusters into one structure.
• Full Fit Bonus: +50 points when you use all 7 tiles in one turn.

Puzzle Bonuses

• Cluster Bonus: +5 points when you create a 2x2 block of tiles forming one 4-letter word.
• Multi-Direction Bonus: +5 points when a single word travels in 4+ directions.
• Multi-Word Corner Tile Bonus: +10 points when a corner tile is used as the beginning and/or ending of two words.
• Ring Complete Bonus: +25 points when a word is formed by completely surrounding one or more empty spaces.

Bridge Bonus

Cluster Bonus

Spelling LAVA

Multi-Direction Bonus

Multi-Word Corner Tile Bonus (3 examples)

Ring Complete Bonus

Spelling MATCHBOX