Zynga’s mobile game, Words with Friends is a popular and addictive word game testing strategy and word sense. It is quite common to have multiple games being played at once. Up until Words With Friends, most of us likely never knew Qi or Za were even words. Combined with a bit of luck in tile selection, here are five strategies to use the next time you decide to challenge your opponent.
The ‘S’ tile is your best friend
Using the ‘S’ tile to form singular words into plural form is an easy way to capitalize on points. To take advantage of the end tile, try creating multiple words. For example, if using the ‘S’ tile to create a plural word that is horizontally placed, use that same ‘S’ tile to create a new word, placed vertically – and vice versa. By creating multiple words, you are creating multiple points on the same play.
Use prefixes and suffixes
The key to prefixes and suffixes is to utilize them to create existing words already on the board. For example, using the suffix, ‘ING’ to turn ‘PLAY’ into ‘PLAYING’ will work. Popular prefixes include: AB, BE, CON, DE, DO, EN, EX, and RE. Popular suffixes include, ABLE, ATE, CADE, ED, EN, ING, TY, and Y.
Q, J, Z, & X
Each one of these tiles is worth 10 points and the ‘X’ tile is worth 8. It is important to use these tiles as quickly as possible as the more crowded the board becomes, the less opportunity you will be able to successfully position a high scoring word. When in doubt, use the ever-so popular, ‘QI’ or ‘ZA’. The letter ‘X’ is useful for prefixes and suffixes such as, ‘EX’ and ‘AX’. Many people have difficulty coming up with words beginning with the letter, ‘J’. Popular ‘J-words’ include: jack, jade, jib, jinks, jive, jo, jug, and just.
TL & TW
An important strategy to aid in winning is the ability to capitalize on the Triple Letter (TL) & Triple Word (TW) spaces. If you can use both within one play, even better! For example, playing the word, JAW where the ‘J’ tile serves as a triple letter and is also strategically placed to create a Triple Word play, you are guaranteed at least 105 points – on a 3-letter word!
The Blank Tile
The blank tile comes in handy when you have no vowels to work with and when the playing board becomes too crowded to form words beyond two letters. Unlike the ‘Q’ and ‘Z’ tiles, it isn’t necessary to use the blank tile immediately. Saving it to apply during a strategic point in the game is a smart move.