How Word Scoring Works
A clear account of the rules the optimizer follows, from base tile values to the order in which multipliers apply.
Base letter values
Every tile is worth a fixed number of points. Common letters are worth the least and rare letters the most, which is what makes tiles like Q and Z so valuable when you can place them well. These are the values the optimizer uses:
| Points | Letters |
|---|---|
| 1 point | A E I L N O R S T U |
| 2 points | D G |
| 3 points | B C M P |
| 4 points | F H V W Y |
| 5 points | K |
| 8 points | J X |
| 10 points | Q Z |
Double- and triple-letter squares
A letter multiplier square affects only the single tile placed on it. A double-letter square doubles that tile's value; a triple-letter square triples it. The multiplier is applied before the letters are summed, so it is most powerful under a high-value tile. Placing a Z on a triple-letter square, for instance, contributes 30 points from that one tile before any word multiplier is considered.
Double- and triple-word squares
A word multiplier square affects the entire word. After all letter multipliers are applied and the tiles are summed, a double-word square multiplies the total by two and a triple-word square multiplies it by three. Because it acts on the whole word, a word multiplier tends to reward longer words more than a single premium tile does.
Multiple word multipliers
If a single play covers more than one word multiplier square, the multipliers are applied one after another. Covering two double-word squares in the same turn multiplies the word total by four; a double-word and a triple-word together multiply it by six. This stacking is where the biggest scores come from, and it is why long words that reach two premium squares are so prized.
Existing board tiles
When your word extends or crosses tiles already on the board, those tiles count toward the word's value at their normal face value. They do not, however, re-trigger any premium square they happen to sit on. A premium square only rewards the turn in which a tile is first placed on it, so a double-word square used on a previous turn scores as an ordinary square this turn.
Blank tiles
A blank tile can represent any letter, but it is worth zero points and stays worth zero even if it sits on a letter multiplier square. A word multiplier still multiplies the whole word, so a blank does not remove the benefit of a double- or triple-word square; it simply adds no points of its own. The Blank Tile Guide explores this in depth.
The order of score calculation
Putting it together, the optimizer scores every candidate word in this order:
- Take each tile's base value (blanks count as zero).
- Apply letter multipliers to the individual tiles that sit on them.
- Add the resulting tile values together.
- Apply every word multiplier the word covers, one after another.
- Add 50 points if all seven rack tiles were used in the turn.
Three worked examples
Example 1 — a letter multiplier
Play QUIZ with the Q on a triple-letter square and no word multiplier.
Q = 10, tripled → 30. U = 1. I = 1. Z = 10.
Total: 30 + 1 + 1 + 10 = 42 points.
Example 2 — a word multiplier over a premium tile
Play HAZE with the H on a double-letter square and the word covering a double-word square.
H = 4, doubled → 8. A = 1. Z = 10. E = 1. Subtotal = 20.
Double-word: 20 × 2 = 40 points.
Example 3 — a seven-tile bingo with stacked multipliers
Play FRIENDS using all seven tiles, with the word reaching two double-word squares.
F = 4, R = 1, I = 1, E = 1, N = 1, D = 2, S = 1. Subtotal = 11.
Two double-word squares: 11 × 2 × 2 = 44.
Seven-tile bonus: 44 + 50 = 94 points.
Want to see this on your own tiles? Open the optimizer and expand any result to view its breakdown. For premium-square details, read the Board Multipliers Guide.