Word Winder
Word Winder Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
WORD WINDER™ Game Play Basics
A. Getting Started
- Shuffle and arrange the boards in the pattern for the game you want to play.
- Select a set of WORD WINDER™ chips: a different color for each player or team.
- 2-3 players play individually. 4 players or 6 players play in teams of 2 or 3 (see Team Play below).
- Roll a die to decide who goes first. Alternatively, flip a coin, arm-wrestle, or stage a breath-holding contest. After the first player's turn, play continues to the left.
B. Game Play
Each player or team's turn consists of spelling a single word on the board by placing their colored WORD WINDER™ chips on the printed letter squares. Each player should announce the word being spelled as the chips are placed.
Words may be spelled in any direction — from left to right, right to left, up or down, diagonally, or any combination of these — so long as the square of each letter in the word is touching the square of the word's very next letter.
You may not use the same letter square twice (or more) in the same word.
You may re-use letter squares which you covered with your colored chips in previous turns in order to spell a new word. In this event, do not lay another WORD WINDER™ chip on top of any chip that you already placed on the board; simply include the letter square(s) as part of your word.
You may not spell a word using any letter square that is already covered by any opponents' WORD WINDER™ chip.
C. Team Play
In team play, there are 2 players per team. Play passes back and forth between the teams with partners taking it in turns to make the next word. Partners on a team share the same set of colored WORD WINDER™ chips.
Before play starts, players may choose to play either Silent Rules or Noisy Rules.
In Silent Rules, when it is one partner's turn to play, the other partner is not allowed to point out words or direct play. The penalty for such direction is loss of a turn. After the turn is complete, however, each partner should feel free to point out the brilliance (or stupidity) of the other partner's play!
In Noisy Rules, partners are allowed to point out words, direct play, and generally discuss strategy.
That's it. Now you're ready to get at the games!
WORD WINDER™ – SideWinder Rules
Getting Started
Shuffle & arrange the boards in this pattern (4 x 4).
See Game Play Basics — Getting Started.
Object of the Game
The object is to create a continuous word-winding line of your colored WORD WINDER™ chips stretching from one edge of the game board to the other — either from side to side or top to bottom.
You may spell words anywhere on the game board. Any new word you spell does not need to touch your previous words — at least, not until the end of the game.
You need to think (and play!) offense and defense. Play offense by extending your own line, play defense by blocking your opponents' lines.
Game Play
See Game Play Basics — Game Play.
The Winner
The winner is the first player to create a continuous, unbroken word-winding line of WORD WINDER™ chips stretching from one edge of the game board to the other: either from side to side or from top to bottom. A line is continuous so long as your WORD WINDER™ chips are touching each other laterally, vertically, or diagonally.
SideWinder Example Game
[The printed SideWinder example game is shown only as a series of move-by-move board graphics, which are not reproduced in this transcription.]
WORD WINDER™ – RaceWinder Rules
Getting Started
Shuffle & arrange the boards in one of these patterns:
- 2 Players
- 3 Players
- 4 in Teams
- 6 in Teams
See Game Play Basics — Getting Started.
Object of the Game
The object is to create a continuous word-winding line of your colored WORD WINDER™ chips starting at the top and extending continuously from the board's top edge to its bottom edge.
Each player's first word must include at least one letter from the very top row of letters!
After this first word, each subsequent word must touch at least one letter from your earlier word(s).
Game Play
See Game Play Basics — Game Play.
Watch out that you don't get blocked in! Blocking your opponents so they cannot continue creating their line is perfectly legal — and part of the strategy!
The Winner
The winner is the first player to create a continuous, unbroken word-winding line of WORD WINDER™ chips starting at the very top row of letters and extending all the way to include a letter from the very bottom row of letters. A line is continuous so long as your WORD WINDER™ chips are touching each other laterally, vertically, or diagonally.
RaceWinder Example Game
[The printed RaceWinder example game is shown only as a series of move-by-move board graphics (the print file marks it "Insert series of graphics showing move by move game, as for SideWinder"), which are not reproduced in this transcription.]
WORD WINDER™ Tactics, Strategy, Hints (and other Cunning Plans)
Spotting Words
Don't simply try to spot words by spelling left to right. Remember, you can spell words in any direction, and switch directions in the middle of a word — so long as the square of each letter in the word is touching the square of the very next letter in the word.
The WORD WINDER™ boards contain the same frequency of letters as most words in English. However, the boards have been constructed with an increased frequency of –ING, –ED and –ER etc. endings. Look for these suffixes to help make longer words.
Offense or Defense?
A game of WORD WINDER™ can change in a heartbeat! One minute you're on the offensive; a split second later, you realize that you must block your opponent (or lose!). The secret is recognizing when to switch tactics.
Stay Alert
Don't simply focus on creating your own line. Stay alert and analyze each of your opponents' plays so that you will recognize when it is time to block.
Stay Flexible
Remember, although a good offense is a good defense, a flexible defense can be a flexible offense. A really successful block doesn't just thwart an opponent's move: it often keeps you moving forward by opening up new avenues and angles of attack.
Mind the gap!
Don't forget, diagonally blocking letters don't "totally" block. You can slip between an opponent's letters with some diagonal letters in your own word! Look at the play labeled #14 in the RaceWinder example. The word CROON did exactly this.
Don't Forget to Think from the Bottom Up
Spelling words from the bottom up can be a real winner! This is especially true in RaceWinder where, instead of spelling a word downwards starting from a letter in your last word, you might look to spell a word upwards so that its last letter meets a letter from your last word.
Co-operation and Temporary Alliances
In a 3 player or 6 player in teams game, there will be times when it pays to form temporary, cooperative alliances with one of your opponents in order to block a 3rd player. Alliances can be fun! They add a whole different dimension to game play.
Bear in mind, however, that even when 2 of you are working together to defend, all of you are still trying to win! Watch for opportunities to switch back to offense!
Playing With Younger Players
Although all ages can successfully play WORD WINDER™, when adults play with young children a useful "handicap" system is to allow the younger player 2 turns for the adult's 1.
Alternatively, adults can set themselves a word length limit of 4-6 letter words as appropriate to the younger player's age and spelling ability.
Tie Break
In the unlikely event of a tie, the tie break rule is that the winner is whoever has the most WORD WINDER™ chips on the board at the end of the game.
WORD WINDER™ FAQs
Q. How do I check that a word is spelled correctly or is part of the English language?
A. The Merriam Webster Dictionary is the official WORD WINDER™ dictionary. It's available in bookstores and online at www.m-w.com.
Q. May I use proper nouns such as George or America?
A. No.
Q. May I use foreign words?
A. No. Not unless they are also used in English.
Q. May I use the same letter square twice in the same word?
A. No. Letter squares can only be used once in the same word.
Q. May I use more than 1 letter from a word that I have spelled before?
A. Yes. You may use any number of letter squares that you have already covered with your own colored WORD WINDER™ chips.
Q. When 4 players play in teams, can my partner take his/her turn immediately after mine?
A. No. When playing in teams, player A from Team 1 plays first, followed by Player A from Team 2. Then Player B from Team 1 plays, followed by Player B from Team 2, and so on.
Q. What do I do if other players are taking forever to make a move?
A. Put the clock on them. We're all busy people and haven't got time to sit around while another player tries to spell "chrysanthemum" on every turn.
Q. How many possible WORD WINDER™ board layouts are there?
A. 263,130,836,933,693,530,167,218,012,160,000,000. In words, that's more than two hundred and sixty-three decillion!
Q. Will you be bringing out more versions of WORD WINDER™?
A. Yes. There are lots more WORD WINDER™ games on the way! Plus apps and books.
Q. What do I do if my question isn't covered in this FAQs?
A. Just ask us! Talk to us on FaceBook. Tweet us on Twitter. Or email us through www.Wordwinder.com or at www.HLGAMES.com. And, yes, we do check our mail!
Q. Is WORD WINDER™ the best word game in the world?
A. Quite probably!