LexiSmash rules and strategies

LexiSmash is a turn-based word game for groups: letters are drawn one at a time, they are the same for everyone, and each player has a limited time to build the highest-scoring word with them. The first player to reach the target score set at the start of the match wins.

Roles: the Master and the players

Every match has a Master, the person who creates the room from a computer, a tablet or a smart TV. The Master’s screen shows the board with the letters, the countdown and the leaderboard: it is designed to be seen by everyone, even projected on a wall. The Master chooses the rules, starts each round and, at the end of the round, checks the words that were submitted.

Players join from their own phone: they simply scan the QR code shown by the Master or type in the room code. Nothing needs to be installed and no account is required. The Master can also play in person thanks to Integrated Mode, which brings the board, actions and chat together on a single page.

How a round works

1. Drawing the letters. In turn, players choose whether to draw a vowel or a consonant. The game never lets you pick a specific letter: you only choose the type, then the letter comes out at random. The drawn letters go on the board and are shared by everyone. The number of free letters is set by the Master (9 in the classic mode).
2. Writing the word. Once the board is complete, the timer starts. Each player writes, from their phone, the best word they can make with the available letters. Each letter on the board can be used only once per word.
3. Correction. When time runs out, or when everyone has submitted, the game checks each word against the dictionary of the chosen language and calculates the points. The Master sees everything and can step in: approve a valid word the dictionary doesn’t know, or cancel one.
4. Leaderboard. Points are added up and the next round starts again with the draw.

How points are calculated

Each letter has a value, and a word is worth the sum of the values of its letters. The Master can choose between four scoring systems:

• Standard Scarabeo, available for Italian: LexiSmash’s classic system, designed to reflect how common each letter is in the Italian language;
• Official Scrabble, with different values for each of the game’s six languages, because every language uses letters with different frequencies;
• Random, where each drawn letter is worth from 1 to 9 points, decided on the spot.
• Custom, where the Master decides what every letter is worth, from 1 to 10 points; letters without a value are never drawn.

In general, the most common letters are worth little and the rare ones are worth a lot. A full table of values is available on the game’s “Letter Scores” page.

Optional rules

The Master can make the match richer by turning on optional rules:

• En Plein: whoever uses all the letters available to them doubles the word’s points.
• Joker: a special tile that replaces any letter; it can be worth as much as the letter it replaces or a fixed value.
• Extra private letters: by spending points, a player can buy letters only they can see, to widen their options.
• Speed bonus: extra points for submitting ahead of time.
• Multi-Word Mode: several words in the same round instead of just one.
• Special words: words chosen by the Master that earn a bonus (or a penalty).
• Leaderboard modifiers: different rules for whoever is leading or trailing, to keep the match balanced.
• Simplified Mode: if a player gets stuck, a hint appears after a few seconds. It is designed for younger players and for anyone learning a language.

Strategies to score more

Choose vowels and consonants wisely

A board with too many consonants is hard to use, and one with too many vowels produces short words. Look at what has already been drawn before choosing: if vowels are missing, it’s time to ask for one.

Longer isn’t always better

A long word made of common letters can be worth less than a short word containing a rare letter. Before submitting, compare two or three alternatives and add up the values in your head. Knowing the score table gives a clear advantage.

Find the root, then extend it

An effective method is to find a short, safe word first, then try to lengthen it: plurals, verb forms, prefixes and suffixes. From “PLAY” you might reach “PLAYER” or “REPLAY” if the letters allow it.

Keep an eye on the clock

A decent word submitted is always better than a perfect word never submitted. If the speed bonus is on, a quick submission can be worth more than a couple of extra letters.

Buy letters only when it pays off

Private letters cost points: they make sense when they complete a high-value word or allow an En Plein, not as a blind attempt.

How to win

The first player to reach the score set by the Master at the start wins (500 points in the classic mode). The Master can end the match at any time: in that case, whoever is leading the leaderboard wins.