SpeedCross Help

How To Play

  • Enter the time limit you would like for the game in the initial dialog box. If you want unlimited time, enter 0.
  • At the start of each move, you are given seven letter tiles. To place a tile on the board, simply drag it or click on a square on the board, then click the tile or enter the letter of the tile via the keyboard.
  • All the tiles in each move must be in the same line horizontally or vertically. Also, you must use at least one existing letter on the board for the new word, unless it's the first word in which case it must use the middle square.
  • In forming a horizontal word, any letters directly above or below those letters placed may form vertical words. A bonus is awarded for more than one word formed on a move. (Same applies to vertical words.)
  • To submit a word, click the "Submit" button or press the Enter key. Once accepted, a word cannot be undone.
  • Only words in the dkm SpeedCross dictionary are accepted (over 279,000). No proper nouns.
  • To undo the last tile placed, click the "Undo" button or drag the tile off the board. To recall all the tiles played in the current move, click the "Recall" button.
  • You can swap a tile for a new one but it will cost you 10 points. Drag a tile to the tile bag to swap it.

Scoring

Each word formed in a move scores the sum of it's letter values plus extra if one of the tiles in that move is placed on a special square. Special squares are:

Double Letter (DL) - letter on that square scores double its value.
Triple Letter (TL) - letter on that square scores triple its value.
Double Word (DW) - word scores double.
Triple Word (TW) - word scores triple.

In addition, a bonus is scored if four or more tiles are used in a move:
4 tiles scores 4 points
5 tiles scores 8 points
6 tiles scores 20 points
7 tiles scores 50 points.

An additional bonus is scored if you make more than one word in a move:
2 words scores 6
3 words scores 20
4 words scores 50
5 words scores 100.

Swapping a tile costs 10 points.

In the example above, adding the letter "R" to the "O" already placed makes the word "FOR" and also makes the word "NO". Therefore, the score for "FOR" is 12 (double word), for "NO" is 2 which totals 14. A bonus of 6 is scored for forming two words giving a score of 20.

Keyboard

You may find it quickest to place words using the keyboard. Click on a square on the board to highlight it and then enter the letter (of one of the tiles) to go in that square. You can move the highlighted square using your arrow keys. Press Enter to submit the word.