Wordfeud Helper

Wordfeud is a crossword-style tile game for phones, made by a small Norwegian developer and released in 2010. It plays much like Scrabble: seven tiles on a rack, a 15×15 board with letter and word multipliers, and words that must connect to what is already on the board. A few things set it apart. You can play up to 30 games at once. You can choose a random board that scatters the premium squares differently every game. Each move has a time limit, and a player who lets 72 hours pass without moving loses the game. Wordfeud is available in many languages, each with its own word list and tile set. This page covers English.

Most word finders score everything with Scrabble values, which gives the wrong totals in Wordfeud. Six English letters are worth different amounts:

This helper scores every result with the Wordfeud table shown above. Jinx is 20 here and 18 in Scrabble, and quiz is 23 here and 22 in Scrabble. Playing all seven tiles earns a 40-point bonus in Wordfeud, between WWF's 35 and Scrabble's 50.

English Wordfeud games can be started with a US or an international word list. The US list is close to the North American Scrabble list (our Scrabble US option). The international list is close to Collins (our Scrabble UK option). If you aren't sure which one your game uses, keep All English words selected and check a doubtful word in the Word checker tab before you play it. Wordfeud accepts a word only if it is in the list for that game, and the app tells you straight away if a word is not allowed.

Learn the random board

On a random board, premium squares can sit right next to each other. Before you look at your rack, scan the board for spots where a double or triple word square is in reach of a letter multiplier. That spot decides your move more often than the rack does.

Two-letter words do the heavy lifting

Short words let you put an expensive tile on a multiplier and score it in two directions. Xi, xu, ax, ex, ox and jo are your best friends. In the international list, za and qi are too. Study the full list of two-letter words.

Q without U

There is only one Q in the bag, and no guarantee you'll draw a U to go with it. Keep a few Q-without-U words in mind, such as qat, qaid and faqir, or swap the Q early if the board is closed.

Use your 72 hours

Unlike a timed game, Wordfeud gives you days to think. Use the time. Run your rack through the helper, compare the top options against the board, and consider what each move opens up for your opponent.

A rack of all consonants, or several copies of an awkward letter, can cost you more over the next few turns than one swap does. A good rule of thumb: if the best play the helper finds scores very little and leaves you with the same bad letters, swap. When you swap, keep the tiles that combine well, such as E, A, R, S and T, and send back duplicates and clunky letters. Note that you can only swap while there are enough tiles left in the bag, so don't leave it too late in the game.

The Word checker tab tells you whether a word is in the US and international lists, what it scores in Wordfeud and other games, and what it means. Because Wordfeud rejects invalid words outright, checking first saves time when you are deciding between two risky plays. For whole lists of words, use the standalone word checker.