How to Play Word Challenges
Word challenges are not only a fun, relaxing activity, they are also mentally stimulating. However, if you're new to word challenges, getting started can be tricky and choosing the right words can seem overwhelming. Playing word challenges requires a very specific set of skills that many find initially difficult. Luckily, these skills can be honed through simple tricks and tips designed to increase your "word power."
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Instructions
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Consult a manual or guide for specific rules of the word challenge you're playing. Most word challenges prohibit the use of proper nouns or acronyms, but crossword puzzles and a few other niche games allow such words.
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Agree upon a dictionary for word validation in advance if you're playing a multiplayer word challenge. If you don't agree on a reference source ahead of time, arguments can break out during game play.
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Use scratch paper if allowed under the word challenge's official rules. Jot down possible words so you don't forget them while searching for longer or higher scoring options.
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Calculate possible scores in your head before playing a word. In many word challenges, the longest words are not always the highest scoring words. In Scrabble, for example, short words using uncommon letters like "Z," "Q" and "X" are worth more points than longer words consisting of mostly common letters like "A," "R" or "E."
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Learn some common prefixes. A prefix is added to the beginning of a word to change the word's meaning, like adding "un" to "common" to form the word "uncommon, or "de" to "centralize" to form "decentralize." According to Jill Kerper Mora, an Associate Professor at San Diego State University, 20% of all words in English have prefixes, meaning it is possible to attach extra letters to 1 out of every 5 "moves" or "turns" in a word challenge.
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Use longer verb forms when creating words in a challenge. You can typically score more points by tacking on different verb endings. For example, rather than using an infinitive verb form like "walk," you can add extra letters to create the past tense "walked" or present tense "walks."
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