Getting Started With Wordscapes Basics
If this is your first time playing Wordscapes, do yourself a favor and read our basic guide to Wordscapes instructions. It covers everything you need to know about where you can play the game, the basic gameplay mechanics and what each of the Wordscapes power-ups do.
Tip #1: Be Extra
Need Wordscapes help? In search of tips, hints and tricks? Let’s start with a general strategy for how you can approach bigger puzzles and levels.
Lots of Wordscapes levels come with an extra word that has a Coin in every space. Devote your every exertion to spelling that word first. In free-to-play apps, as in life, you gotta get that paper. As a handy side effect, your quest to solve the extra word will likely yield some words in the main puzzle, as well as some bonus words for more Coins.
Tip #2: Go Long
In the absence of an extra word, however, your priority should be to spell the longest word that fits the puzzle. There’s usually one that uses all six letters on the wheel, and that’s what buys the most help with the other clues. Plus, it just feels good to swipe in that six-letter monster word on the first go.
Tip #3: Get Wordy
Not that you could tell from our florid prose, but the written word prioritizes concision. Not so in Wordscapes. Puzzles are untimed and every bonus word you spell is worth another Coin. Swipe in every last word you can think of (and even words that may not look like words to you). Sometimes, systematic brute force iterations are just the way to go.
Tip #4: Pluralize It
You would not believe how many puzzles rely on adding an S to an already played word, or even, in a double-devious move, a bonus word that doesn’t occur in the singular. If the letter S appears on your wheel, expect to pluralize approximately all of the things. Even if it’s not in the puzzle, you’ll score a bonus word.
Tip #5: Abbreviate It
In some ways, the Wordscapes dictionary is less generous than the Words With Friends or Scrabble dictionary. The slang word “hon” doesn’t fly here, and there's certainly no "BFF" to be seen. However, the game does accept some abbreviations: “Sub,” "alt," "demo," and "pro" are all good to go.
Generally, you’re only getting away with formal dictionary words (the stuff that gets past your toughest aunt on family Scrabble night). But if you're stuck for a short word, try an abbreviation. It might just do the trick.
Tip #6: Do the Shuffle
If you’re struggling to make letter connections, keep hitting the shuffle button until you see a pattern that makes sense. Sometimes, the shuffle button just turns the wheel clockwise, which isn't much help, but eventually you’ll see something different. It might not lead you to a real word, but a new perspective might give your brain the boost it needs.
And if shuffling doesn't reveal any of those hidden words, you can always punch your letters into the word finder solver tool to find some useful suggestions for words.
What Does Wordscapes Brilliance Mean?
Wordscapes Brilliance is a way to track your progress in the game. As you unscramble words and beat more levels in the game, you'll earn more Wordscapes Brilliance. That puts a big shiny sun on your starting screen, and every completed level increases the number displayed thereupon. The Wordscapes Brilliance number doesn’t otherwise affect your play in any other way, but it’s a nice affirmation.
All About Wordscapes Coins
Like any self-respecting free-to-play game, Wordscapes has in-game currency. You can earn Wordscapes Coins the hard way by:
Playing bonus words (1 Coin per word)
Filling in the extra word on some puzzles (1 Coin per letter)
Leveling up in the game (25 Coins)
Collecting stars on Wordscapes daily puzzles (up to 100 if you get enough)
You can also buy Wordscapes Coins straight up with real cash money. Coins buy power-ups, including the Lightbulb to reveal one random letter and the Rocket Pop to reveal multiple letters at random.
How Many Levels Are in Wordscapes?
Wordscapes organizes its levels into packs, which are then organized into groups. The normal groups, starting with Sunrise and ending with Sublime, contain the first 6,000 puzzles. The Wordscapes main game has 6,000 levels, but there are more Wordscapes levels after that.
Once you clear Sublime, you will unlock the Master levels. The Wordscapes team has continually added more of these puzzles over the years. Wordscapes Master levels start at level 6,001 and, as of this writing, continue past level 25,000.
Relax and Have the Last Word
Wordscapes, Word Cookies and Word Crossy all operate on the same mechanic of “here are the letters, there are the blanks, now spell.” All three have advantages and drawbacks, but Wordscapes has enough content to make it everyone’s go-to word swiper. If you have trouble with any especially perplexing levels, turn to our Wordscapes Cheat and Answers site for help. It’s got all the answers you need organized by Wordscapes level, conveniently displayed in board and list views, plus all the bonus words.
Matt Salter has been a professional writer for over 10 years. He is a gaming and technology expert, and world-class word nerd.
