How to Play Griddle

Getting Started

When you first visit Griddle, you'll see the start screen with today's date and a Start Game button. Tap it, and after a brief 3-2-1 countdown the board appears: a 6×6 grid of letter tiles, a three-minute timer, and your controls. The same board is shared by every player around the world each day, so you can compare your score with friends playing the exact same puzzle.

No account is needed. Your progress, stats, and streaks are stored locally in your browser — nothing leaves your device.

Selecting Tiles

Words are formed by selecting a connected path of adjacent tiles on the grid. Two tiles are considered adjacent if they are next to each other horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — just like in Boggle. Each tile can only be used once per word.

Tap Selection

Tap or click tiles one at a time to build your word. Each new tile must be adjacent to the last tile you selected. Selected tiles light up to show your current path, and the word you're forming appears above the board in real time.

To undo your last letter, tap the most recently selected tile. If you tap any tile that isn't the last one in your path, or tap a tile that isn't adjacent to your current path, the entire selection clears — this is the smart deselect feature, designed to let you quickly start over without pressing a separate button.

Drag Selection (Beta)

In bonus games, you can enable drag selection through the Beta Features menu. With drag mode active, press and hold a tile, then drag your finger or mouse across adjacent tiles to form a word in one fluid motion. Releasing your finger locks in the selection. If you drag back over a previously selected tile, the path truncates to that point — handy for correcting mistakes mid-drag.

Scoring System

Every letter tile has a point value based on its rarity, similar to Scrabble. Common letters like E, A, and T are worth 1 point, while uncommon letters like Q, Z, and X are worth 8–10 points. Here's the full breakdown:

Your word's base score is the sum of all its letter values. This base is then modified by any bonus squares your word passes through — and that's where the real strategy comes in.

Bonus Squares

Four fixed positions on the board carry special multipliers that boost your score. These squares are marked with colored badges so you can spot them at a glance:

Multipliers are applied in a specific order: letter multipliers first, then word multipliers. If a word passes through both a Double Letter square and a Double Word square, the letter bonus is applied first to calculate the adjusted base, and then that total is doubled.

The Timer

Each game lasts exactly three minutes. The countdown is displayed at the top of the screen in M:SS format. When you drop below 60 seconds, the timer changes color as a visual warning that time is running low.

You can pause the game at any time by tapping the Pause button. While paused, the board is hidden behind an overlay so you can't study the tiles while the clock is stopped — keeping things fair. Tap Resume to pick up exactly where you left off.

Shuffling

After every valid word submission, the board automatically shuffles. The same 36 letter tiles stay in play, but they rearrange into new positions, opening up fresh word possibilities you might not have noticed before.

You can also shuffle manually at any time by tapping the Shuffle button. There's no penalty or limit — shuffle as often as you like. The four bonus square positions remain fixed on the board; only the letter tiles move.

Daily Game vs. Bonus Rounds

The daily game is Griddle's core experience. Everyone gets the same board, and your score, word count, and streak are all tracked in your personal stats. Playing the daily game each day builds your streak counter, and your aggregate statistics update automatically — highest score, total words found, average performance, and more.

Once you complete the daily game, you can play unlimited bonus rounds by tapping "Play New Board." Each bonus round generates a unique board that only you will see. Bonus games are great for practice and fun, but they do not count toward your daily stats or streak. A "Just for fun" message appears so you always know when you're in a bonus round.

Tips for New Players

1. Start with what you see. Don't overthink it — grab the first valid word you spot, submit it, and let the shuffle reveal new possibilities. Speed matters more than finding the perfect word.
2. Aim for bonus squares. A short word through a Triple Word square can outscore a long word on plain tiles. Always scan the four bonus positions for high-value opportunities.
3. Go long when you can. Longer words use more tiles and naturally accumulate more points. A seven-letter word is rare and earns you a badge — keep an eye out.
4. Shuffle early, shuffle often. There's no cost to shuffling. If nothing jumps out within a few seconds, hit Shuffle and get a fresh view of the same letters.
5. Watch the clock. It's easy to spend too long chasing one long word. If a word isn't coming together, move on. Several quick three- and four-letter words often outscore a single elusive six-letter find.

Badges & Achievements

Griddle tracks your accomplishments through a badge system across five categories: Streak (consecutive daily plays), High Score (reaching score thresholds), Long Word (finding words of five, six, seven, or eight letters), Word Count (submitting many words in a single game), and Contributor (trying out beta features).

Badges are earned through daily games only. Each badge records the date you first earned it, and top-tier badges track repeat achievements with a count indicator — so even after you've unlocked every badge, there's always a reason to keep pushing for higher scores and longer words.

View all your badges and progress from the Stats screen, accessible at any time from the start screen or after completing a game.