How to Play — WordShuttle

The Basics

The goal

Every guess is a real word. Every row reveals a different slice of the hidden word. Deduce it early — then make every remaining guess count.

1

Start a game & choose your mode

Pick from Score Trial, Score Challenge, or Daily Challenge. Each game is two rounds — Round 1 hides a 6-letter word, Round 2 hides a 7-letter word. You have 11 guesses per round.

2

Each guess must be a real word

The shifting window determines how many letters your guess must have for that row. Every guess must be a legitimate dictionary word of exactly that length — you can't just throw random letters together. The window grows or shifts with each row, so your words uncover a different part of the hidden word as the game progresses.

3

The window shifts across the hidden word

Each row's window reveals a different slice of the hidden word — never the full thing. The window moves left and right like a shuttle on a loom, exposing a few letters at a time. Only on guess 11, when the window finally spans the full word length, can you submit the hidden word itself.

4

Score points on every row — feedback varies by difficulty

In Easy mode, tiles light up after each guess to show which letters are in the right position vs. the right letter in the wrong position. In Hard mode, you only see a point total per row — no colors, just numbers.

A

B

C

■ Correct position ■ Wrong position ■ Not in the word

5

Deduce the word early — then maximise every guess

This is where WordShuttle gets strategic. Once you've figured out the hidden word, you still (hopefully!) have rows left to play — and each one is scored. Choose words that share as many letters with the hidden word as possible, targeting 1,000 pt tiles in every position, on every remaining row. The earlier you deduce it, the more high-scoring guesses you can squeeze in.

6

Guess 11 — submit the hidden word & claim the bonus

On your final guess the window is full-sized, giving you enough letters to spell the complete hidden word. Submit it correctly and earn a 3,000 point bonus on top of all accumulated row scores. Then it's on to Round 2.

Scoring

How points work

Every guess earns points — but the breakdown depends on which letters land where.

1,000 Correct letter, correct position The letter is in the hidden word and exactly where you placed it.

250 Correct letter, wrong position The letter is in the hidden word but not where you put it.

0 Letter not in the word This letter doesn't appear anywhere in the hidden word.

+3,000 Correct word bonus Awarded when you guess the hidden word exactly. Applies in both Easy and Hard modes.

Easy vs Hard scoring note

In Easy mode, tiles visually show which letters earned which points — you see the feedback. In Hard mode, you only see a total number of points for the row. You have to work out which letters earned what on your own. The point values are identical — only the feedback changes.

Key Mechanic

The Shifting Window

This is what makes WordShuttle unique. After each guess, you don't see the full hidden word — you see a different section of it each time.

Example — hidden word: PLANET

Guess 1 · PA

P

A

Guess 2 · PAN

P

A

N

Guess 3 · LAP · window slides right

L

A

P

Three rows in: P is confirmed at position 1, L at 2, A at 3, and both N and P are somewhere in the word. PLANET is already taking shape.

Game Modes

Pick your challenge

🎯

Score Trial

Free

Solo play. No time pressure — just you and the hidden word. Maximize your score across both rounds — 3 solo games a day, or watch a quick ad to play a 4th.

⚔️

Score Challenge

Free · Multiplayer

Head-to-head against a real opponent. Both players get the same hidden words. Real-time matchmaking — whoever scores more across both rounds wins. Unlimited for all players.

📅

Daily Challenge

Free · Daily

One fresh challenge every day, shared by everyone. Climb the global leaderboard, maintain your streak, and compare your score against other players. Free for all users — play it once per day.

Pro Tips

Play smarter

💡

Cross-reference windows

Windows continue to overlap each other as you progress. Compare feedback across rows to confirm which letters belong where — they'll corroborate each other.

🔤

Use guesses to probe letters

Your guess must be a real word, but you get to choose which one. Pick words rich in letters you haven't seen scored yet — use early rows to map out which letters are in that round's hidden word.

🎯

Once you know it, exploit it

The moment you've deduced the hidden word, shift strategy. Choose every remaining guess to maximise letter overlap with it — stacking 1,000 pt tiles row after row until guess 11.

🧠

Hard mode trains pattern thinking

Without tile colours, you have to work backwards from point totals alone. It sounds brutal — but it builds a sharper instinct for letter distribution that pays off everywhere.

Hard Mode Tools

Hard Mode

✏️

Annotate your tiles

Tap any submitted tile to cycle through three states — build a visual map of your deductions right on the board.

R ✕

Crossed out — not in the word

A

Underlined — in the word, position unknown

T

Circled — likely correct position

📝

Scratch Pad

A notepad row above your board. Tap any box to jot down letters and test theories — it never affects your score and saves automatically.

I

N

I

Your theory in progress

🔠

Weaver's Tally

Your A–Z positional deduction grid — a live snapshot of everything you've ruled in or out. Each row is a letter, each column a position in the hidden word. Your tile annotations and scratch-pad letters feed it automatically, so it updates the moment you commit a letter.

Locked — letter sits here

╱

Ruled out — not in the word

–

Not here — wrong position for this letter

Where to find it: on iPhone, tap the brass button at the top-right of the board to flip it — the Tally lives on the back. On iPad it's a permanent panel beside the board, always visible.

How to Play WordShuttle