Written by @SailorJ
Getting destroyed by your friend at Words With Friends? Not anymore! These pro-level strategies will turn you into an unstoppable force.
How to Win at Words With Friends
This game is 25% luck (your letter draw) and 75% strategy (how you play). Even with bad letters, smart moves and power-ups can bring victory.
Top 11 Tips to Dominate the Board
1. Master Two-Letter Words
Two-letter words are game changers. They let you score off existing words, create combos, and squeeze points out of tight spaces.
⭐️… Must-know two-letter words:
QI, ZA, JO, XI, XU, EX, AX, OX, SH, YE, BY, WE, AT, IT, IF, IN, ON, UP, US, UN, UM
Check out the full list here: Updated WWF Two-Letter Words
2. Use the Power Squares First
Double Letter (DL), Triple Letter (TL), Double Word (DW), and Triple Word (TW) are where the big points happen.
⭐️ Pro Tip: Place a high-value letter (like Q, X, or Z) on a DL or TL, while making sure the word extends onto a DW or TW for maximum damage.
3. Play Smart with Long Words
Yes, playing all 7 letters earns a 35-point bingo bonus, but be careful—it also opens the board for your opponent.
Use long words strategically! If your opponent plays one first, look for ways to build off it instead of opening up more space.
4. Use Blocking Letters
When playing near a power square, try using letters like C and V, which don’t create two-letter words. This prevents your opponent from scoring off your move.
5. Guess Boldly
There’s no penalty for trying words, so experiment! When in doubt, throw a word down. You might score unexpectedly.
6. Don’t Cheat
Using cheat apps ruins the fun. Get better legitimately, these strategies will make you unstoppable.
7. Maximize Power Letters (Q, J, X, Z)
These letters J, Q, X, and Z are worth 8-10 points each.
⭐️Best power moves:
⭐️Play them on DL or TL squares.
⭐️Use small but powerful words like QI, ZA, JO, XI, XU, AX, EX, OX to hit multiple bonuses at once.
8. Swap Crappy Letters
If you’re stuck with garbage letters, don’t hesitate to swap. Your opponent is probably stacking points get yourself back in the game!
9. Save S and Blank Tiles
⭐️The S lets you pluralize words for free points.
⭐️The blank tile is a wildcard, save it for high-impact moves.
10. Don’t Give Away Power Squares
Avoid placing vowels next to bonus squares. This makes it too easy for your opponent to score big. Instead, use consonants to block access.
11. Use Power-Ups to Your Advantage
Words With Friends includes several power-ups that can turn the tide of a game. These can be obtained by collecting coins through daily logins, achievements, or purchasing them.
Here’s a breakdown of every power-up, ranked by importance:
⭐️ Most Important Power-Ups to Use ⭐️
1. Swap+ (Swapping Tiles Without Losing a Turn)
⭐️ Best power-up in the game.
⭐️ Normally, swapping letters costs your turn, but with Swap+, you can refresh your rack and still play.
⭐️ Always keep coins available to use this strategically.
2. Radar (Find Playable Words on the Board)
⭐️ Highlights all possible word placements.
⭐️ Great for tight boards where it‘s hard to see where words can fit.
⭐️ Helps prevent missed opportunities.
Other Useful Power-Ups
3. Hindsight (See the Best Move After Playing)
⭐️ After making a move, you can see what the best possible word was.
⭐️ Good for learning but not as useful during live play.
4. Word Hint (Find a Playable Word)
When you’re stuck, this power-up suggests a word you can play.
Helps when you’re out of ideas but not as powerful as Radar.
5. Tile Boost (+2 Points on 5 Tiles in Solo Challenge)
Only applies in Solo Challenge Mode.
Gives bonus points to five tiles, but not useful in standard matches.
Final Words
With these strategies and power-ups, you’re now a dangerous player in Words With Friends. Manage your coins wisely, play the board smartly, and outthink your opponents.
⭐️ Now go crush your friends and watch them wonder how you got so good!
As of January 2025, the official Words With Friends dictionary includes the following two-letter words:
A: AA, AB, AD, AE, AG, AH, AI, AL, AM, AN, AR, AS, AT, AW, AX, AY
B: BA, BE, BI, BO, BU, BY
C: (No two-letter words starting with C)
D: DA, DE, DI, DO
E: ED, EE, EF, EH, EL, EM, EN, EO, ER, ES, ET, EW, EX
F: FA, FE, FI, FU
G: GI, GO
H: HA, HE, HI, HM, HO
I: ID, IF, IN, IO, IS, IT
J: JA, JE, JO
K: KA, KI
L: LA, LI, LO
M: MA, ME, MI, MM, MO, MU, MY
N: NA, NE, NO, NU
O: OD, OE, OF, OH, OI, OM, ON, OO, OP, OR, OS, OU, OW, OX, OY
P: PA, PE, PI, PO
Q: QI
R: RE
S: SH, SI, SO
T: TA, TE, TI, TO
U: UH, UM, UN, UP, US, UT
V: VU
W: WE, WO
X: XI, XU
Y: YA, YE, YI, YO
Z: ZA
Notably, the inclusion of words like “JA,” “JE,” “FU,” “PO,” and “VU” reflects updates from the US/UK dictionary merge. Additionally, “OK” is now accepted in Words With Friends.
Mastering these two-letter words can significantly enhance your gameplay by allowing you to make strategic plays and maximize your score.
