WordWarren Help

Quick links

Dictionaries · Themes · Hidden Surprises · Multiplayer · Pro & purchases · Safety

Starting a game

Choose the board, Human/Computer players, pace, Theme, Dictionaries and Hidden Surprise level. The first word must cover the centre; later words must connect to the board. Arrange tiles provisionally, review the score preview, then press Play tiles to commit the turn.

Dictionaries: specialist words worth 2×

Standard English is the base vocabulary. You can enable multiple add-on Dictionaries in the same game. If an enabled add-on Dictionary is what makes a word valid, the word receives the 2× Dictionary bonus. If Standard English already accepts the word, it scores normally even if the same spelling also appears in an add-on pack.

The score preview identifies a specialist word and its Dictionary source before you commit the move, so Dictionaries can form part of your strategy. A word found in several add-on Dictionaries receives only one Dictionary bonus.

Examples include Geography, UK League Football, Dinosaurs, Named Stars, Yorkshire Places, Mythology, First Names and many more. Maintained factual packs can receive versioned updates.

Themes: change the strategy, not how words work

Themes add visible objectives, scoring patterns or persistent board effects. They should influence what you choose to do next without making you relearn basic word placement.

• Dirty Rabbits: adult/risqué vocabulary plus Dirty Streak continuation. Dirty plays can start or continue a streak, while revealed Dirty Spots can remain strategically relevant.
• Bounty Warren: visible challenges such as using a particular letter, making a long word or hitting a premium square.
• Lucky Warren: more Hidden Surprises, with revealed effects designed to remain useful/risky after activation.
• Wordsmith: rewards longer, rarer and structurally stronger word play.
• Blitz: faster timed turns using normal placement rules.
• Carrot Rush, Burrow Wars, Rogue Rabbits, Double Trouble, Long Game, Short & Sharp, Mirror Warren, Chaos Warren, Treasure Warren and Last Rabbit Standing add different strategic incentives while preserving the core turn.

Multilingual/Babel Warren is planned for a later version rather than being part of the launch game.

Hidden Surprises

Hidden Surprises are a game option independent of Theme unless a Theme deliberately adds its own behaviour. Their possible effects are explained before the game. A Hidden Surprise stays completely unrevealed while you are merely arranging tiles and activates only after a legal turn is submitted.

When activated, the square is highlighted, its effect is announced and the revealed type remains visible/available in the board key. Theme-specific surprises should normally create a persistent or follow-on choice rather than just flash and disappear.

Rack, preview and scoring

Your rack remains yours alone in remote multiplayer. You can reorder it freely. Provisional placement does not become authoritative until Play succeeds. The preview should show the score the server expects, including Dictionary ×2 and relevant Theme effects, before you commit.

Passing, exchanging and end of game

Passing scores zero. Tile exchange is available only when enough tiles remain in the bag and also scores zero. A normal game ends when the bag is empty and a player empties their rack, or when the configured scoreless-turn/stalemate condition is reached. Final rack adjustments and standings are calculated by the server.

Multiplayer

WordWarren supports several routes into multiplayer: invite someone you know, find a player, challenge them, accept an incoming challenge, or use Random Match. Matchmaking looks for compatible settings rather than simply pairing any two accounts.

Games can be live/fast or asynchronous. For normal online turns, the current default is 72 hours before a turn is due, with reminders before that point and a longer inactivity period before automatic resignation. Reconnect/resume should return you to the authoritative server state.

Use Block to stop further matching/contact with a player and Report for harassment, cheating/exploitation or other serious concerns. See Community & Safety.

AI players

Computer opponents use bounded server-side searches so a difficult AI turn cannot consume unlimited server resources. Recovery/fallback behaviour is provided so a game should not remain trapped on an AI turn.

Pro, Dictionaries, Themes and Lifetime

Pro is currently £12.99/year. A first-time eligible Pro signup includes 1 Theme and 3 Dictionaries to choose and keep. Standard Dictionaries are £2.99 each and standard Themes £3.99 each.

Lifetime Dictionaries is £99 and includes eligible current/future standard Dictionaries plus one year of Pro. Lifetime Complete is £149 and includes eligible current/future standard Dictionaries and Themes plus two years of Pro. Licensed/premium exceptions may be excluded where clearly stated.

Where available, 50% of eligible previous individual pack spend counts towards the relevant Lifetime upgrade, capped at 50% of the Lifetime product price.

Grow the Warren & Warren Keys

Grow the Warren is the referral programme. A Warren Key is a non-cash unlock reward. Where a player already owns every eligible Dictionary through Lifetime access, referral rewards can be used as gifts to mates instead of creating meaningless duplicate ownership.

Advertising

Free play may contain clearly separated advertising. Pro removes third-party advertising while the subscription is active. Advertising cannot alter scores or buy a competitive advantage. Non-essential advertising/measurement technologies are subject to cookie/privacy choices.

Account, privacy and adult content

Dirty Rabbits is adult-labelled because of its vocabulary. That does not permit unwanted explicit chat or harassment. Other players see your player identity, avatar, game score/result and messages in shared games; they should never receive your hidden rack during an active remote game.

For privacy, purchases and community rules see the Legal & Safety hub.