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How to play Wordarling

Wordarling brings together seven ways to play with words. Each guide below explains the rules calmly, walks through a worked example and shares strategy to help you play better — from your first tap to Expert.

Game modes

Five modes with levels built on the spot, four difficulties and a journey that moves one level at a time. No level ever repeats.

• CrosswordThe classic: straight clues and words that cross and help each other.
• Cryptic CrosswordEvery clue is a riddle: anagrams, hidden words, reversals and odd letters.
• CodewordA grid with no clues, just numbers. Every number is a letter: crack the code.
• TwistDrag across the letter wheel to build the words hidden in the grid.
• Word SearchFind the listed words in the letter grid, in straight lines and several directions.

Daily challenges

One game a day, the same for everyone, with its own leaderboard. The day turns over at midnight Brasília time (UTC−3).

• Word of the DayFind the five-letter word in up to six tries, guided by colours.
• ContextoFind the secret word by meaning: every guess shows how close you are.

On top of those two, there is a daily challenge every day: one medium level, identical for everyone, ranked by time. The mode changes with the day of the week — Codeword on Sunday and Thursday, Twist on Monday and Saturday, Cryptic Crossword on Tuesday, Word Search on Wednesday and Crossword on Friday.

What applies to every mode

• Plain letters. Answers are written in capital letters, with no spaces or punctuation.
• Helps. Signed in with Google, levels come with free uses of Check and Reveal (what each does depends on the mode — see its guide). After that, a few extras can be bought with coins.
• The answer stays on the server. The server checks your win and your helps, which is why the game needs internet and why the leaderboard is fair.
• Alone or together. All five modes work in team play (up to four people on the same level, with optional voice) and in Versus (two to four players, in 20-second turns).
• Blitz. Three minutes on one crossword grid, no helps, points for every correct word and a weekly leaderboard.

Curious about the project? Read who makes Wordarling and how the levels are built.