Features available and how to play

Welcome to the Mindsports Academy Word Game, here is a guide to all the features available:

You can choose to play either:

• Player v Player
• Player v Computer

Player v Computer

Free Members will need 2 shields to challenge the computer, Premium Members will be able to challenge the computer without using up any shields.

Choose your level:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Experienced
• Professional
• Advanced
• Expert

Set your clock time: 4 minutes up to Unlimited (game ends when the last tile is played).

Pemium members are able to choose which language to play in:

• English
• Spanish 
• Catalan

Player v Player

Find a friend to challenge in the sports room.

Next to their username press the CHALLENGE button

• Set your clock time: 4 minutes to unlimited
• Premium Members will be able to choose which language to play in (opponent must also be a Premium Member): English, Spanish, Catalan.
• Choose your buy-in (Shields) – If you win, you receive double your stake back.
• Disable Illegal Words = challenge button is void, you must play words that are in the official word list you are using. No penalty.
• Premium Members can enable video chat, see and speak to your opponent in real time (opponent must also be a Premium Member).
• Choose to have your game rated or play for fun.

Inside the Word Game

Each player will have 7 tiles on their rack.

Player who moves first must place their word over the centre square.

Game continues as each player makes a new word, building on from the words already placed on the board. After each turn, tiles are randomly selected from the bag and placed on the rack until the tile bag is empty.

The game ends when either time runs out on a players clock (this player will automatically lose the game) or the first player uses all their tiles (winner is determined by score).

Player stats can be seen inside the game include:

• Time remaining on each clock
• Best Play
• Last Play
• Number of Bingos (when you use all 7 tiles on your rack in one play)

Keep a track of the tiles unseen using the tile tracker feature:

To place tiles on the board you can:

• Drag and Drop – Use your mouse to click on the tiles and drag to the spaces where you want to place your word.
• Type to Tile –  Using your mouse, click on the space you wish to start your word, choose the direction by clicking the arrow (left to right or top to bottom) then use your keyboard to type the letters to create your word.
• Tap to Tile – Using your mouse, click a tile you want to place on the board (it will highlight with a red boarder) then click the square on the board where you want to place the tile.

Scores are calculated as you add tiles to the board.

When you are happy with the word created, click ‘SEND MOVE’ to confirm.

Other features include:

• RESET – unhappy with what you have placed on the board? Then use this button to automatically bring your tiles back to your rack.
• A-Z – use this button to order the tiles on your rack aphabetically.
• MIX – use this button to randomly mix up the tiles on your rack.
• SWAP – cannot make a word with your tile selection, then use the ‘SWAP’ feature to pick new tiles (this will be your turn taken). Use your mouse to highlight all the tiles you want to swap then click the SWAP button to send these back to the bag and select new tiles.
• RESIGN – only use this button if you want to end the game, this will count as a loss.
• PASS – use this button to skip your turn.
• CHALLENGE – if enabled, unsure if your opponent’s word is valed (in the official wordlist) use this button to call their bluff. If the word is invalid the tiles are returned to the player’s rack and they lose their turn.

50 points are added to the players score if they use all 7 tiles on their rack in one turn.