Wordfeud rules: how to play and score

Wordfeud is a two-player word game. Build connecting words, use bonus squares and finish with more points than your opponent. This guide explains the English game, including tile values, letter distribution and the endgame.

How to play Wordfeud

1. Choose a language and dictionary, then a standard or random board. A standard board keeps the same bonus layout; a random board changes it.
2. Each player starts with seven tiles. The inviting player makes the first move, covering the centre star with part of the word.
3. Place words from left to right or from top to bottom. Later moves must connect to existing tiles. Every word formed, including crossing words, must be accepted.
4. Draw replacement tiles after playing, until your rack is full or the bag is empty.

How scoring and bonus squares work

Start with the points on the tiles. DL doubles a newly placed letter; TL triples it. DW doubles a word and TW triples it. Apply letter bonuses before word bonuses. Two TW squares covered in one move multiply that word by nine.

A bonus square only applies when a new tile is placed on it. When a move makes several words, score each word formed. A blank can represent a letter but is worth zero points. Using all seven rack tiles in one move adds a 40-point bingo bonus.

Example: CAT has 6 letter points in English Wordfeud: C = 4, A = 1 and T = 1. A new C on a TL square makes 14 before any word bonus. A blank used as C would contribute zero instead.

English letter distribution and tile scores

The English set has 104 tiles, including two blanks. There are five S tiles, four U tiles and twelve E tiles. The table below lists the full distribution; other languages have different tile sets.

Letter	Points	Number of tiles
A	1	10
B	4	2
C	4	2
D	2	5
E	1	12
F	4	2
G	3	3
H	4	3
I	1	9
J	10	1
K	5	1
L	1	4
M	3	2
N	1	6
O	1	7
P	4	2
Q	10	1
R	1	6
S	1	5
T	1	7
U	2	4
V	4	2
W	4	2
X	8	1
Y	4	2
Z	10	1
Blank	0	2

Passing, swapping and the time limit

You may pass instead of playing. Three consecutive passes end the game. You can exchange tiles instead of making a word when at least seven tiles remain in the bag. Complete your turn within 72 hours to avoid losing by automatic resignation.

When does Wordfeud end?

The game ends when a player empties their rack and the bag is empty, or after three consecutive passes. Each player loses the value of the tiles left on their rack. If one player has used all their tiles, the opponent’s remaining tile value is also added to that player’s score. The higher final score wins.

Why does Wordfeud reject a word?

Check the dictionary selected in your game and every word created by the move. US English and international English can accept different words. Our word finder uses ENABLE 2K, which is not identical to either game dictionary. A suggestion is therefore something to check in the app.

Put the rules into practice

Explore Wordfeud strategy and tips, practise with the English word finder, or learn how to include blanks and board letters in the search guide.

Reference: official Wordfeud help. This is an independent guide, not an official Wordfeud website.