WordSalvo, answered

What WordSalvo is

WordSalvo is a word game for two to four players on a 15×15 board. You draw seven tiles, place them to form words, and score from letter values plus premium squares until the tile bag is empty. Playing all seven tiles in one turn earns a 45-point bingo bonus.

It is legally distinct from Scrabble and Wordfeud — the board layout is custom, the tile count differs, and the bingo bonus is 45 rather than 50. The app is built with Flutter and runs from a single codebase across iOS and Android. The domain is wordsalvo.com.

How to get started

Sign in, pick a dictionary language, then start with a daily puzzle, practise against a labelled AI opponent, or queue for a real match. Matchmaking uses rating context so your first real opponent can be a closer fit.

Friends use 6-character codes you can share over WhatsApp, Messenger, SMS, or a QR code, and games include in-game chat with a toxicity filter and preset quick replies. See how it works for a full walkthrough.

Frequently asked questions

Is WordSalvo free?

Yes. Core play is free. Optional premium upgrades can add quality-of-life, cosmetic, or deeper analysis features, but nothing that affects whether you win or lose is behind a paywall.

How do I play?

Draw seven tiles, place them on the 15×15 board to form connected words, and score from letter values and premium squares. Word multipliers stack, so two double-word squares on one play become 4×. The game ends when the tile bag is empty and one player runs out of tiles.

What languages does WordSalvo support?

WordSalvo goes live with English and Dutch. Each has its own letter distribution, tile values, and dictionary.

Do I play against real people or bots?

Real people by default. Online multiplayer is matched through a Firestore-backed queue with a ±200 rating-point window. AI opponents exist and are always labelled as AI — we do not pad lobbies with bots wearing human names. The AI runs in a Cloud Function, so it needs a network connection.

Are there ads?

In the free tier, yes: a banner on the lobby and an interstitial between games, capped at roughly one per two-to-three games. Never mid-game, and never before your first completed game. Premium removes them all.

What does Premium cost and what do I get?

A one-time Ad-Free purchase is planned to remove ads. The Word Master subscription is planned to add post-game engine analysis, unlimited daily-puzzle retries, the full Word Book, priority matchmaking, and cosmetic themes. Final prices will be confirmed on the pricing page at launch.

Does paying give me a gameplay advantage?

No. WordSalvo is not pay-to-win. Premium adds analysis, cosmetics, and convenience; it never changes tile draws, word validity, or scoring. Matchmaking, ratings, and leaderboards work identically for free and paying players.

How do you prevent cheating?

Online PvP moves are scored server-side, and completed PvP games can be checked for suspicious patterns against per-player baselines. Players can report, block, or mute opponents. See [our fair-play approach](/features/fair-play) for more.

What is the post-game analysis?

Finished online and AI games can run through an engine replay that recomputes the best possible play each turn. You get a Brilliancy Score — the share of optimal points you actually captured — and a move-by-move replay against the engine. Instant stats (decisive moment, rack penalty, personal records) are free; the full engine analysis is part of the Word Master plan. Details on [post-game analysis](/features/post-game-analysis).

How does the rating system work?

Glicko-2 — the same rating system chess federations use. Everyone starts at 1500. Ten named tiers: Novice (0–1149), Apprentice, Scholar, Adept, Virtuoso, Savant, Maestro, Sage, Grandmaster, and Laureate (2300+). Leaderboards are per language and board layout.

What is the Daily Puzzle?

A daily board-and-rack challenge where you try to find a strong move and see your score. It is meant as a quick way into WordSalvo before or between full matches.

Can I play offline or solo?

Solo practice is available through labelled AI opponents. Offline play is not the main launch promise; check the current app build for which practice and dictionary features are available without a connection.

Which platforms does WordSalvo run on?

WordSalvo runs on iOS and Android. Flutter means both platforms share one codebase, so the same core game, analysis, daily puzzle, and accessibility work can ship together.

Can I see a word’s definition during a game?

Yes, where definitions are available in the current build. English and Dutch dictionary behavior should be described in the app and language pages exactly as shipped.

Is there a one-time purchase instead of a subscription?

Yes — the planned Ad-Free purchase is a one-time purchase that removes ads, for players who do not want a recurring subscription. Engine analysis, cosmetics, and convenience features stay on the Word Master subscription plan.

How do I add friends and chat in-game?

Each account gets a 6-character friend code — shareable over WhatsApp, Messenger, SMS, or QR. Accept an incoming request and you can start a game directly. In-game chat supports free text plus preset quick replies, runs a toxicity filter, and has a nudge button with a cooldown so nobody can spam it.

Why are nationality and place words like “ier” or “griek” allowed?

WordSalvo is permissive about common demonyms — the everyday words for someone’s nationality, region, or home town (in Dutch, words such as ier, griek, or amsterdammer). Strict tournament rules treat these as proper nouns and reject them, but most players expect them to be playable, so WordSalvo accepts them. Personal names, brand names, and pure place names are still not valid.