How to Play Against the Hard AI (Wordsmith)
Derek, a competitive player with 47 games and a personal-best word "QUIZZIFY" at 72 points, uses the Wordsmith AI to sharpen his play. The Wordsmith finds bonus squares about 90% of the time, manages its tile rack strategically, and provides the closest digital equivalent to a strong human opponent.
Requires: Pro subscription
Setting Up a Wordsmith Game
- Tap New Game on the Play tab.
- In the game setup screen, find the AI Opponent section and select Wordsmith (Hard).
- If Wordsmith is greyed out, you need to upgrade to Pro — tap the tier badge to see the paywall.
- Choose your other settings (board size, word list, mechanics). Wordsmith plays well on any configuration.
- Tap Start Game.
What Makes Wordsmith Different
| AI Level | Vocab Used | Bonus Square Usage | Avg Score/Turn | Requires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie (Easy) | Limited (3–6 letter words) | Rarely | 5–15 pts | Free |
| Scholar (Medium) | Full dictionary | ~60% of time | 15–25 pts | Plus |
| Wordsmith (Hard) | Full dictionary | ~90% of time | 25–40 pts | Pro |
Wordsmith does not cheat — it uses the same tile bag, same word list, and same board as you. It has no information you don't have (it cannot see your tiles). What it does better is rack management: it avoids giving away easy bonus squares and holds back tiles to set up high-scoring plays.
The Wordsmith is designed to feel human. It occasionally misses the mathematically optimal play to keep games competitive and interesting — it won't find a 7-letter bingo every turn.
Tips for Competitive Play
- Watch the bonus squares. Wordsmith plays toward triple-word and triple-letter squares aggressively. If you leave a triple-word square open, expect the AI to take it within 2 turns.
- Block strategically. Play words that close off lucrative paths before Wordsmith can access them.
- Rack management matters. Try to keep a vowel balance (2–3 vowels in your rack). Wordsmith does this naturally; you should too.
- Use post-game analysis. After a close game, tap "Analyze Game" to see the plays you missed. This is the fastest way to improve against Wordsmith.
AI Think Time
Wordsmith "thinks" for 3–5 seconds per turn with an animated indicator. This is the AI computing its best play within its time budget. You can adjust the AI think-time limit in Settings if you want faster turns (a shorter budget means the AI may miss some plays, effectively lowering difficulty slightly).
After the Game
If you lose — or win by less than 20 points — tap Analyze Game on the game-over screen to review the analysis. It shows every turn where you left points on the table and the words you could have played instead.
Related
- How to Upgrade to Pro — unlock Wordsmith and post-game analysis
- How to Review Game History & Stats — track your improvement over time
- How to Configure a Game — set board size, presets, and mechanics
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