What is Crossword Duel?
Crossword Duel is a free word tile board game. You get 7 letter tiles. You build words on a 15×15 board, like a crossword, and every word must connect to the words already there. Rare letters and bonus squares give more points. Play against the computer on three levels, or against a friend on one phone.
Rules in one minute
- Each player has 7 tiles. Every tile shows a letter and its points.
- The first word must cover the ★ in the middle of the board.
- On each turn, place tiles in one row or one column. They must touch tiles already on the board.
- Every new word you make, across and down, must be a real English word.
- You score the points of every word you make or extend. Use all 7 tiles in one turn for a 40-point bonus.
- After your turn, you take new tiles from the bag until you have 7 again.
- Instead of playing, you can swap tiles (if the bag has at least 7) or pass.
- The game ends when the bag is empty and one player uses all their tiles, or after 6 turns in a row with no points. Tiles left on your rack are taken off your score.
Bonus squares and buttons
- 2L / 3L doubles or triples the letter on that square.
- 2W / 3W doubles or triples the whole word. The ★ square is a 2W.
- Bonus squares only count on the turn you cover them.
- Tap a tile, then tap a square to place it. Tap a placed tile again to take it back.
- Play shows your score before you play. Back returns all tiles. Mix shuffles your rack to help you see new words.
- Hint shows a good word idea. You get 3 hints per game.
What Crossword Duel does for your mind
- Vocabulary and spelling. You search your memory for words and check how they are spelled. You often learn new words from the computer's moves.
- Pattern spotting. You learn to see words hidden in a jumble of letters, like "-ING" or "RE-".
- Planning. A good player thinks about the next turn too: which tiles to keep, and which bonus squares to leave open or block.
- Mental maths. You add letter points and multiply for bonus squares in your head.
- Patience and calm. One turn has no timer. You can think, try, take tiles back and try again.
- Time together. The 2-player mode is a nice way to play with family, from children who are learning to spell to grandparents who love words.
What science says, honestly: Researchers at the University of Calgary compared 20 expert players of competitive crossword tile games with 20 people who did not play. The experts were much faster and more accurate at deciding if a string of letters was a real word, and they used different parts of the brain for it. This shows what years of practice can do in experts. It does not prove that playing a few games will change your brain, and it is not a treatment for any illness.
Who is it for?
- Beginners and children: choose the Easy computer and use hints.
- Language learners: a fun way to practise English words and spelling.
- Regular players: Normal is a fair match for most people.
- Word experts: the Hard computer always plays its best move.
- Older adults: no time pressure, large tiles and your game is saved.
Tips to score more
- Hunt the bonus squares. Putting a high-value letter like Q, Z, X or J on a 3L square can win a game.
- Learn short words. Short words with rare letters score well and fit into small gaps. Try OX, AX, JAB, ZIP or FIX.
- Play parallel words. A word placed right next to another word makes several small words at once, and each one scores.
- Keep a good mix. Try to keep vowels and consonants balanced on your rack. Swap if you have only vowels.
- Hooks. Adding S, D or ER to an existing word lets you score that word again.
- Aim for all 7. Keep useful letters like S, E, R, T, N and try for the 40-point bonus.
- Block 3W squares. Don't open a triple-word square for your opponent unless you score big yourself.
A short history
Crossword tile games have a long story. In 1931 an American architect, Alfred Mosher Butts, created a word game with letter tiles. His later version, played on a board like a crossword, became one of the best-known board games in the world. Today many families play their own versions at home, on paper, on boards and on phones.
Fun fact: the classic boxed game of this type uses a 15×15 board with 225 squares and 100 tiles, and Crossword Duel uses the same board size and number of tiles.
Questions people ask
Is Crossword Duel free?
Yes. It is free, with no download and no sign-up. It works in the browser on phones, tablets and computers.
Which words are allowed?
Common English words from our built-in word list of about 63,000 words. Names, places, abbreviations and words with hyphens or apostrophes are not allowed. A few rude words are left out on purpose.
How many points do I get for using all 7 tiles?
You get a bonus of 40 points on top of the normal score for your words.
What does the blank tile do?
A blank tile can be any letter you choose. It is worth 0 points, but it can help you make a long word.
Can I play against a friend?
Yes. Press New game and choose 2 players, one phone. You pass the phone after each turn, and each player only sees their own tiles.
Is it the same as Scrabble?
No. Crossword Duel is our own free crossword tile game. It has its own board layout, tile values and bonus. Scrabble is a trademark of its owners, and SepoGames is not connected to them.
Is a word game good for my brain?
Word games make you search your memory for words, plan ahead and add up points. A small study from the University of Calgary found that expert players recognised real words faster than non-players. That shows what years of practice can do, not that one game changes your brain. Play because it is fun.
Does the game save my progress?
Yes. Your game is saved in your browser. Close the page and come back later to carry on.
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Sources
Scrabble® is a registered trademark of its owners. SepoGames and Crossword Duel are not connected to it. This page is for fun and general information, not medical advice.
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