Long before being a nerd was a cool thing, I was that kid who loved puzzles and spent time playing Scrabble by myself. I was so good at the games that I would beat adults at them. So, imagine my joy when puzzle games became available online, which allowed me to play against a computer. I was thrilled, especially when I came across Text Twist 2. Here’s why:
This classic game has been around since the mid-2000s and was developed at a time when people were looking for something other than the usual crossword puzzles. So, instead of asking people to come up with words to describe situations or objects, as was the case in the previous puzzles, this game had the following approaches:
The game is quite simple. You get about six to eight letters at a time, which have been randomly placed. The goal is to use the same letters to form valid words before the time runs out. For example, you can get the letters pamelyga. From these, you can make words like map, gap, lame, game, play, etc. The letters are always different, and it’s usually fun to see just how fast your brain works. When I first started playing the games, I realized that I was pretty great when it came to the long words but I struggled with shorter words. Over time, I expanded my vocabulary to include other words.
In every set of letters that you get, you must create at least one word that uses all the letters. If you can’t, then you cannot move on to the next round. For context, I will use the letters I had used before: pamelyga. Using these same letters, I can form the word gameplay. The word you form must be a valid one. And if you can form more than one of these bingo words, best believe you will get a very high score.
Here is a tip I often use. When I cannot make sense of the letters, I often reshuffle them. Sometimes, seeing the letters arranged differently helps my brain process words out of them.
As a former Spelling Bee contestant, I know just how competitive these contests can be. In fact, I came quite close to being a champion at one point. But is this game the kind of contest which will have you staying up at night as you rack your brain for answers? Well, it all depends on the mode you choose, as follows:
If you love challenges, I would definitely recommend this mode. You get up to two minutes per round and must form as many words as you can within this time. I have sweated through some of these - the nerves just get me, and I love it!
If you are still trying to get the hang of things or want to enjoy a casual session, this will work great. You get to form the words at your own pace, which helps you think better. The funny thing is that when I slow down and my eyes are no longer on the timer, I suddenly come up with words I never even thought I knew.
My, my - if you are a glutton for punishment like I am at times, this mode will suit you. In this case, you must come up with 5 BINGO words before your time runs out. Yes, you read that right - 5!
Many people like knowing that they can keep using the same letters to form words. For example, with pamelyga, you know that you can form words like gap, map, lap, etc, as you can reuse a and p. But in this mode, that simplicity goes out the door. Each time you use a letter, it gets replaced. And this forces you to keep rethinking your strategy if you want to come out on top. Sometimes, I go for this mode because its unpredictability thrills me.
And there is also the word of the day challenge. Every day, you get to try a different letter set and see just how well you can unscramble the letters and make unique and valid words out of them.
As a nerd, my joy comes from completing the timed sessions on time or completing a word which gets marked as unique. But for players who enjoy more than just nerd points, there are trophies available in the game. These tie to your achievements. You can also track your stats and see your high scores, so you can know whether you are making progress.
With over 25,000 words to discover, I would definitely say that this game is perfect for anyone who wants to build their vocabulary and have loads of fun while at it. And since word building can feel repetitive, I would recommend using different modes to avoid getting bored.