Word Spill Strategy

The best move depends on what it leaves behind. Look for a word now—and a way through the letters that remain.

1. 1
   Picture the fall before you spell

   Read the columns above your word. Which letters will drop into the gaps? Will an empty column slide left and bring two useful letters together?

   You only need one promising follow-up to compare two openings. The longest word on screen isn’t always the most helpful one.

1. 1
   Plan a Surge you can use

   A 5-letter word gives you both a length bonus and charged neighbours. Look at those neighbours before you submit, then find them again after the fall.

   The charge lasts for one submitted word. A purple high-value letter can make a modest word worthwhile; a longer follow-up can combine both bonuses.

2. 2
   Keep a way to use awkward letters

   Before removing a vowel, check the consonants around it. Is that vowel their easiest way into a word? Use a difficult letter while it still has helpful neighbours.

3. 3
   Look diagonally again

   A fall can create a path that wasn’t there before. Recheck the whole board instead of looking only at the gap you just made.

Find the word you want, then check whether trading two edge-sharing tiles will connect its full path. Word paths can use diagonals; swaps can’t.

An unused swap is worth 5 points at the end. Spending one can still pay off if it makes a useful word or lets you clear the board. Think about what the swap unlocks, not just the letter it moves.

Surge survives a swap, so you can reposition a charged tile before using it. Undo also lets you take back a swap while the round is in play.

Every word needs at least three letters. A move that leaves one or two tiles can’t lead to a clear, no matter how many swaps you have.

With six tiles left, look for 3 + 3, or one connected six-letter word. A five-letter word would strand the last tile. Counts are a useful check; the actual letters still have to connect.

Here, CAT leaves a connected DOG. On another board, removing three tiles might separate the letters you hoped to keep. Check the fall as well as the count.

While you’re playing, use free Undo to compare a choice. If an attempt ends, restarting lets you explore the same opening with what you learned.

Start by finding a satisfying clear. Then try improving your score: use more charged letters, set up longer follow-ups, or finish with a swap to spare.

Review the rules and scoring →