Wordfeud Rules: How to Play, Tile Scores & Letter Distribution

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

Choose a language and dictionary, then a standard or random board. A standard board keeps the same bonus layout; a random board changes it.
Each player starts with seven tiles. The inviting player makes the first move, covering the centre star with part of the word.
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.
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.

A complete game: the rules worth remembering

It is easy to know the basics and still overlook a rule that changes the best move. Use this checklist alongside the English tile table above. Different languages have different values and distributions, so the Norwegian tile values do not apply to an English game.

The player sending the invitation starts. The first word must cover the centre star with one of its tiles; it does not have to start on the star.
Choose a standard or random board. A standard board always puts DL, TL, DW and TW in the same positions, making familiar patterns useful. A random board rearranges the bonuses, so a single move can sometimes combine several and bring a player back from a large deficit. Follow the chosen board rules when playing a tournament.
Words run left to right or top to bottom. You cannot play backwards, upwards or diagonally.
After the opening move, new tiles must connect to existing ones. A move can form several words, including parallel crossings. All of them must be valid, and each contributes to the score.
Each player starts with seven tiles. Draw replacements after a move until you have seven again or the bag runs out. English Wordfeud uses 104 tiles, including two blanks, as shown in the table above.
Add the letter values for each word formed. A blank may represent a letter but remains worth zero points.
DL doubles a newly placed letter and TL triples it. DW doubles the word and TW triples it. Calculate letter bonuses first, then word bonuses.
Word multipliers combine: covering two TW squares with the same word multiplies that word's score by nine. Bonus squares apply only when first covered by a new tile, not whenever the existing tile is reused.
Using all seven of your own rack tiles in a single turn adds a 40-point bingo. Merely making a seven-letter word with some existing board tiles does not qualify.
You may pass instead of playing. Three consecutive passes in total end the game and trigger the final score calculation.
A turn has a 72-hour limit. If you do not play in time, you lose regardless of your current score. A player may also resign.
The game also ends when the bag is empty and one player uses their last tile. Remaining tile values are deducted from each player's score. If the opponent emptied their rack, those deducted points are added to that opponent's score. The higher final score wins.
You may swap one or more tiles rather than play, provided at least seven remain in the bag. Swapping uses your turn but can replace an unhelpful rack with better possibilities.
Invite friends and family or use the player-finding feature for a random opponent. The in-game chat lets you exchange messages during a match without a separate messaging charge.

Wordfeud's selected US or international English dictionary decides whether your move is accepted; our ENABLE 2K search can differ from both. See the official rules and the strategy guide for the next step.

Wordfeud rules: how to play and score