What dictionary does Wordtwist use for valid words?
Wordtwist by Puzzle Baron does not name its dictionary in the page text available here — the section that introduces the dictionary is cut off mid-sentence. So the honest answer is: the site states that a specific dictionary governs valid words, but the name of that dictionary is not confirmed in the material we have. If you need certainty before submitting a word, check the Wordtwist F.A.Q. page or the in-game instructions, which the site links to directly.
What is confirmed about valid words
The dictionary is only one of two filters. A word must also be traceable on the board:
- Contiguity: each letter must touch the next one — side-by-side, above or below, or diagonally.
- No reuse: a single letter tile cannot be used more than once in the same word.
The site's own example: on the sample board you can spell SUPER by starting at S, moving diagonally to U, up to P, diagonally to E, then diagonally to R. You can also make SPURT from the same starting tile, but not SPURTS, because the only contiguous S has already been used at the start of that word.
So even a word that exists in the dictionary will be rejected if it can't be traced under these rules.
Why the dictionary choice matters for scoring
Scoring has three components, and one of them depends directly on how common a word is:
| Factor | Effect on score |
|---|---|
| Word length | Base score: 3–4 letters = 3 points; 5 letters = 4; 6 letters = 5; +1 point per additional letter |
| Word commonness | Bonuses for rare and unusual words |
| Difficult letters | Smaller bonuses for words containing Q, Z, X, J, K |
Because rarity earns a bonus, the dictionary's scope changes your results in two ways: it decides whether an unusual word is accepted at all, and it feeds into how rare that word is judged to be. A word that is valid in a broader dictionary but flagged as obscure may score differently than the same word treated as common.
Practical approach
- Play the word if it is traceable on the board and you believe it is a standard English word.
- If a word you expect to be valid is rejected, treat it as a dictionary-scope question rather than a board-tracing error — re-check the tracing first, then the word itself.
- For the authoritative list, use the site's F.A.Q. or in-game help rather than assuming a particular dictionary.
Registration is free and tracked games are scored in ongoing competitions, with top players listed in the Wordtwist hall of fame. The site also offers a Premium ad-free option; the page shows "as low as $3.33/month," and pricing details beyond that are not confirmed here.