Word Tiles: Frequently Asked Questions

What dictionary does the game use?

When you play a word it is checked against a dictionary of more than 175,000 words. These include all of the words from several public word game dictionaries combined. If a word is not allowed in the game, then it is not allowed in word game competitions. Keep in mind that names and proper nouns are not used in games like this. You can always try using one of the online game dictionaries (Official Scrabble, Collins, WordFinder, etc.) to check a word. If it is not found in these dictionaries, it will most likely not be allowed in Word Tiles.

Why does the computer use words I have never seen before?

The first two levels of computer intelligence use a small 2,500-word dictionary. But the next two levels use a 10,000-word dictionary that includes many words that should be familiar to word game players. These are valid words like aa (a type of lava), ae (one), io (a moth), qat (a an African shrub), xu (Vietnamese currency), jo (sweetheart). There are many more. You can read lots of articles online (like this one, or this one, or here, and this one, etc.) that teach you how to use these words in Word Tiles and other word games. The top level computer player uses the complete Word Tiles dictionary of 175,000+ words. If you feel that a word used by the computer is really invalid, please be sure to include that word in a message using the form below.

I tried to play a word and the game did not accept it. But the word is in my dictionary!

Dictionaries include many types of words that are not allowed in Word Tiles (or Scrabble or Words With Friends). For instance, name, proper nouns, hyphenated words, apostrophized words, and acronyms. It can get tricky to keep them straight. For instance, Gary is a name so is not allowed. Joe is also a name, but joe is also another word for a cup of coffee so it is allowed. It also means ordinary guy. You can always try using one of the online game dictionaries (Collins, WordFinder, Official Scrabble, etc.) to check a word. If you feel that you have found a word that should be included in the game's dictionary, be sure to include that word in a message using the form below.

How does the Add UK Spellings game option work?

Version 1.6 of the game includes an "Add UK Spellings" option. You can find it by tapping the Themes & Settings button on the main screen. Here is what turning on this option changes:

In the 2,500-word dictionary used by the computer on the Normal and Clever levels, about 70 American words are replaced with UK equivalents. Examples: honor/honour, airplane/aeroplane and spelled/spelt. This only affects which words the computer chooses to use. Likewise, in the 10,000-word dictionary the computer uses for the Showy and Snooty levels, about 160 such replacements are made.
The main game dictionary of 175,000 words is given an additional 600 words that appear in UK dictionaries but not American ones. No words are removed. So you can use all American and UK words as you wish. In addition, the computer on Pompous level will use this new expanded dictionary with both American and UK words.
Note that many of the most common UK words, such as colour and theatre are already present in the standard American dictionary the game uses, as they are acceptable alternative spellings.

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