Confused by the points? You’re not alone — the scoring looks random until someone explains it. Here’s exactly how it works, plain and simple.
Points Per Word
4-letter words: 1 point each. That’s it. They’re the small change of the game.
5-letter words: 5 points each. Worth grabbing. 6 or more letters: 1 point per letter, so a 9-letter word scores 9. The pangram gets a 7-point bonus on top of its letter count.
The Ranks
Your total points land you in a rank. From bottom to top: Beginner, Good Start, Moving Up, Good, Solid, Nice, Great, Amazing, Genius, Queen Bee.
The exact cutoffs shift daily because every puzzle has a different max score. Genius usually sits around 70% of the total possible points.
On a 300-point puzzle, Genius might be 210. On a 150-point day, it could be 105. Don’t memorize numbers — just aim for roughly seven out of every ten points.
Write the Genius cutoff on a sticky note when you start. Having the target visible keeps you focused. Vague goals get vague effort.
Why Genius Matters
Genius is the goal for most daily players. It means you found the bulk of the words. It’s hard enough to feel like an achievement, easy enough to hit regularly.
Queen Bee means you found literally every word. Even great players rarely get it. Don’t feel bad about missing it — almost everyone does.
Score Smarter, Not Harder
Chase long words first. One 9-letter word beats nine 4-letter words. The math isn’t close.
Always hunt the pangram — that +7 bonus can jump you a full rank. And don’t waste your last ten minutes on 1-point words when a long word could do more.
End each session by reviewing what you missed. That five-minute review teaches more than an extra twenty minutes of guessing. Learn from the answers, don’t just close the tab.
Quick Answers
It’s a percentage of the puzzle’s total possible points — usually around 70%. Since each puzzle has a different max, the Genius cutoff changes every day.
They add up, and they often grow into longer words. But if you’re close to Genius, prioritize length. One long word beats a handful of short ones.