WildWords is the Combination Deluxe Pizza of word games. It offers the richest plate of possibilities, decisions, and consequences. No word game has ever been so friendly to all words and so open to your imagination. You can play WildWords well with the words you know when you learn to play it.

That much too common Scrabble play of one high point letter and a few other tiles for about 30 points is a bottom-feeder in WildWords. And memorizing lists of odd short words (Scrabble's curse on those who want to win) offers no significant advantage. Not enough points.

The focus in WildWords is on high-scoring plays that use all seven tiles to form words with seven or even seventeen letters. You'll play words never seen on a Scrabble board in over a billion games of Scrabble. New tiles, board squares, and rules have changed the dynamics for every turn and skill level.

I put WildWords together for family purposes. My goal was simple--level the playing field with relatives who nickel and dimed their way to a Scrabble victory with words like QAT or ZA or XI. That didn't feel right or seem fair. I speak English fluently and read newspapers and magazines. I shouldn't have to learn a new and utterly useless language to play a word game.

So I set out to change things. A new tile distribution with a dozen wild tiles and a new board layout with turn-to-wild squares came first. The game was much better but still very limiting. Then, I awoke one morning at 5 AM with a sense of urgency and the idea that "wild" should mean any sequence of one or more letters and not just a single letter. The concept was met with skepticism--"too radical," "too easy," "too complicated," etc. In retrospect, I can say that all criticisms were based on the notion that the new game would be played with the same thinking patterns as Scrabble.

But "no harm in trying," so we played and began learning the game. The more we played, the more WildWords took us in new, unexpected directions. Seven tile plays became more and more frequent as we learned to look for them in ways that were fresh and exciting. Finding that magic play became the top priority for every turn. Even with weak trays we looked for help from wild tiles already on the board and turn-to-wild squares. And the words got longer and more creatively crafted as we learned to search the depths of our vocabulary in pursuit of the most points. This was not Scrabble or anything like it.

Adding to that, the free "trade-all-tiles" rule, the well-disguised bluff, the challenge mechanism, and a crucial "end game" called for frequent gut-wrenching decisions. Our annual family Scrabble championship had always been a pleasure, but playing WildWords instead was more fun than a barrel of monkeys--laughs, thrills, brilliance, stupidity, agony, and ecstasy. My brother, who doesn't know an AI from a JO, won the tournament!

I felt this serendipity had to be shared, so I decided to publish WildWords and let others have a chance to play. I have done my best to produce a quality product--the tiles and trays are fabulous. And I have tried to keep the price as low as possible. Hopefully, my losses on this first run will be small enough that I will try a second. For an independent game without distribution, that's a major success.

You can easily join this movement of some 4,500 families. The adventure begins on the order page. I should warn you that a few players will never try to learn the game and will play a sort of "easy Scrabble," most will find a game far more interesting than Scrabble that makes use of their full vocabulary, and about one third will be enthralled with WildWords forever after. Luckily, people seem to know which category they will be in before they buy.

Thanks for your time.

Peter Roizen
Inventor, Publisher, Web Master, and Shipping Clerk

P.S. About 900 games left.

The Scrabble Environment

• 2 to 4 letter words account for 75% of the words formed.
• The average Scrabble play adds 3.3 letters to the board.
• "Watch them jump" is 4.3 letters per word (i.e., the connecting letter included).
• For every seven tile play in Scrabble, 12.5 short words are played.
• Seven tile plays in Scrabble aren't even long words: LOANERS, SANDIEST.
• The game has very limited overlap with a normal or useful vocabulary.
• There is too much word déjà vu for regular players--especially with a J, Q, X, and Z.
• Strategy, in general, is formulaic with many turns leading to your "first impression" play.
• A typical game is 30 total turns which can become tedious when the board gets blocked up.
• To be competitive, you need to memorize "official dictionary" words from AAL to ZUZ.
• For most of us, it's baseball with a broomstick--a set of circumstances that promotes bunts and dribblers on a small field of play.

Enjoying
The Wilder-ness
Of WildWords.

• Seven tile plays are frequent (75% for good players) and often involve words 10 to 14 letters long.
• Even shorter plays can be more interesting words: EQ*X for EQUINOX, P*Z for PIZZAZZ.
• There is always something to think about. Imaginations run wild.
• The well-disguised bluff adds a twist of poker to some plays.
• JUX*ION for JUXTAPOSITION, T*Q*ZER for TRANQUILIZER--even high point letters lead to a wide variety of words.
• Strategy is a much bigger part of the game and can trump a better vocabulary.
• A typical game is 18 total turns so every play merits attention. It's impossible to deaden the board.
• Many games are memorable--amazing plays, comebacks, stupid losses too.
• Every game is fresh with new circumstances, new words, and something learned.
• Balls get hit all over the place with home run blasts by casual players as well.

Foreign Languages: Because of the 12 wild tiles, turn-to-wild squares, six spare tiles and the emphasis on seven tile plays, WildWords can be played in French, German, Spanish, and other Roman languages quite reasonably.

Using a Scrabble Deluxe Set: It is possible to take advantage of your Scrabble Deluxe plastic grid and rotating base when playing WildWords. Color printer, scissors, and scotch tape required. WildWords tiles will fit the grid, and a printable paper board can be taped to the back of the Scrabble insert board for convenient flipping. This option is free to WildWords owners. Contact me for info on how to print such a board.

They are always welcomed and answered. Please remember your spam blocker could block a response. Responses will come from roizen@ix.netcom.com You may also use that address to send email.

peter@wildwords.us