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Play Big Bad Words with TalkBack

Lin, an avid word game player with low vision, uses VoiceOver and TalkBack to play Big Bad Words on his iPhone 15 Pro Max with 200% text scaling and high contrast. Every board cell, tile, and game action is fully announced — here's how to navigate the game with a screen reader.

Before You Start​

Enable TalkBack (Android) or VoiceOver (iOS) in your device's Accessibility settings. Big Bad Words also works with large text scaling — go to Settings → Accessibility → Text Size and set it to your preferred size. The app adapts its layout.

For best results with TalkBack, consider starting with an 11×11 board (set in Game Configuration). It keeps the grid manageable to navigate by swipe.

Starting a Game​

  1. Open the app — TalkBack announces: "Big Bad Words. Play tab. New Game button."
  2. Double-tap New Game.
  3. TalkBack reads each setting aloud as you navigate. Swipe right to move through options, double-tap to activate.
  4. Set board size to 11×11 for an accessible first game (fewer cells to navigate).
  5. Select Solo vs AI at Medium difficulty.
  6. Double-tap Start Game.

The board is announced as a grid: "Board, 11 rows, 11 columns."

  • Swipe right/left to move between cells row by row.
  • TalkBack announces each cell: "Row 6, Column 6, Center Star, empty" or "Row 4, Column 3, Double Word, Letter H."
  • To jump to a specific cell, use the explore-by-touch gesture (drag finger) — the cell under your finger is announced continuously.

Placing Tiles​

  1. Swipe to your tile rack at the bottom of the screen.
  2. TalkBack announces each tile: "Letter A, 1 point", "Letter Q, 10 points", etc.
  3. Double-tap a tile to select it — you'll hear: "Letter A selected."
  4. Navigate to your target board cell. When TalkBack announces the correct position, double-tap to place: "Placed A at Row 6, Column 6."
  5. Repeat for each tile in your word.
  6. When your word is placed, navigate to the Play button and double-tap.

Hearing the Result​

After you tap Play, TalkBack announces: "Valid word. CAT. 5 points. Your score: 5."

If the word is invalid: "Invalid word. Tiles returned to your rack."

AI Turns​

After your turn, TalkBack announces the AI's move: "AI thinking... AI played HELLO for 8 points. AI score: 8."

You can explore the board at any time to see the AI's placement — navigate to the cells it just played and TalkBack describes each letter.

Other Actions​

  • Exchange tiles: Navigate to the Exchange button. A bottom sheet opens listing your tiles. Double-tap tiles to select them for exchange, then double-tap Confirm. TalkBack announces: "4 tiles exchanged. Turn ended."
  • Pass turn: Navigate to the Pass button and double-tap. Costs your turn.
  • Check tile bag: Navigate to the tile bag counter — TalkBack reads remaining tiles: "42 tiles remaining."

Tips for Screen Reader Play​

  • Use an 11×11 board to reduce navigation distance across the grid.
  • Shuffle your rack (tap the shuffle button) to hear a different order — sometimes a new arrangement reveals words you missed.
  • After the game, use post-game analysis (Pro feature) to review missed words in a fully text-based format — no visual-only content.
  • High contrast mode is fully supported — bonus square colors still render distinctly.

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