HOW TO PLAY LEXIHEIST

Choosing who goes first

• • Before the game begins, every participant draws one random letter.
• • The letter with the highest point value goes first.
• • When more than two participants are playing, the remaining participants play from the next-highest value to the lowest value.
• • Participants tied at the same value draw again to decide their order.
• • A wildcard is worth zero and can never win the challenge.
• • All challenge letters return to the tile bag before the game begins.

First-player bonus

The participant who goes first receives double points on their first valid scoring turn only. If that participant passes, exchanges tiles, submits an invalid move, or times out, the bonus remains available until they complete their first valid scoring move. Replacement deductions applied to other players are never doubled.

Rebuilding board words

• • A player may replace one or more existing letters while making a new valid word.
• • The player may also add new letters during the same move.
• • When Submit is pressed, every horizontal and vertical word affected by the move is checked.
• • If one or more affected words are not valid, the complete move is rejected and the invalid words are listed.
• • Removed board letters return to the tile bag as their original letters.

Bonus squares

• 3W
  3W · Triple Word

  Triples the value of the entire word played through it. Circles 1, 33, 256, 289.
• 2W
  2W · Double Word

  Doubles the value of the entire word played through it. Circles 45, 121, 170, 245.
• 6L
  6L · Six-Times Letter

  Multiplies the newly placed letter by six.
• 4L
  4L · Four-Times Letter

  Multiplies the newly placed letter by four.
• 2L
  2L · Double Letter

  Doubles the newly placed letter.
• ✓
  ✓ · Starting Circle

  Circle 145, the centre. The first word must cover it.

Replacing letters while making a word

During your turn you may replace one or more letters already on the board while also adding new letters. Select a tile from your rack and tap the circle you want to change — the selected letter appears immediately as part of your unsubmitted word.

• • Keep placing or replacing letters until you are finished, then press Submit.
• • Everything you change in one turn must line up in a single row or column with no gaps.
• • Every horizontal and vertical word affected by the move must be a valid dictionary word. If any word is invalid the whole move is rejected and the invalid words are listed.
• • Tap a pending tile to send it back to your rack and restore the original board letter; Undo Last Change and Recall Tiles do the same.
• • When the move is accepted, removed letters are shuffled back into the shared bag and the players who placed them lose those letters' stored points (a score never drops below zero).
• • You score every valid word created, but bonus circles already used never activate again — a replacement never re-triggers a bonus.
• • If the 90-second regular-game timer expires before you submit, the move is canceled, the board is restored and the turn passes to the next player. Tournament games use a 60-second timer.

Earning credits

You must have a LEXIHEIST account for your credits to be saved.

• • 5 letters = 10 Credits
• • 6 letters = 25 Credits
• • 7 letters = 50 Credits
• • 8 letters = 75 Credits
• • 9 letters = 150 Credits
• • 10 or more letters = 200 Credits
• • Use all 8 rack tiles in one accepted move and receive an additional 125 Credits.
• • Human game winners receive 200 Credits.
• • In games with 4 or more players, the human player who finishes second receives 100 Credits.
• • Computer players do not earn credits.
• • Credits are saved to your LEXIHEIST account.

Tournament entry

2,000 Credits are required to enter a LEXIHEIST tournament. Earn credits by playing LEXIHEIST. Additional credit purchasing options are available in My Credits and the LEXIHEIST Store, subject to tournament eligibility requirements.

Ending the game

The game ends when the tile bag is empty and a player uses the last of their rack. The highest score wins.