Upwords - The Quick Stacking Word Game

Getting Started

Install Upwords at the command prompt if you haven't yet:
```
$ gem install upwords
```
At the command prompt, start a new Upwords game:
```
$ upwords
```
Select the number of players:
```
How many players will play? (1-4)
3 
```

Name each player and select if they are humans or computers:

What is Player 1's name? (Press enter to submit...)
Bob 
Is Bob a computer? (y/n)
n   

What is Player 2's name? (Press enter to submit...)
Nina    
Is Nina a computer? (y/n)
n

What is Player 3's name? (Press enter to submit...)
Jack
Is Jack a computer? (y/n)
y

Rules

Rules taken from: http://www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/04312.pdf

For 2 to 4 Players 1 AGES 8+

You and your opponents score points by spelling words with stackable letter tiles on the special gameboard. You build words by blaying letters across or down on the board and by stacking letters on top of letters already on the board to form different words. It's this 3-dimensional gameplay that makes UPWORDS so unique.

You score points for each letter in your word and every letter tile under each letter of your word.Letters can be stacked five tiles high so your score can really add up fast. Build words, stack letters, score high and have fun!

Objective

Build words to score the most points.

Letter Distribution

Letters	Amount
J Qu V X Z	1 of each
K W Y	2 of each
B F G H P	3 of each
C	4 of each
D L M N R T U	5 of each
S	6 of each
A I O	7 of each
E	8 of each

Setup

Turn all of the tiles letter-side down and mix them up to create a draw pile.
Each player takes a rack.
Get a pencil and paper (not included) to keep score. Also keep a dictionary nearby to check the legality or spelling of any challenged word. See Rule 8 on page 5 for more information. Use the dictionary to settle challenges only.

Gameplay

1. Deciding Who Goes First

You and your opponents each draw one letter tile from the draw pile. Whoever draws the tile nearest to the letter "A" plays first. Play then passes to the left. Return the tiles, letter-side down, to the draw pile and mix them up again.

2. Setting Up Racks

You and your opponents draw seven letter tiles each. Stand your tiles in your rack, as shown in Figure 1. Don't let your opponents see 1 your letters.

[FIGURE 1]

3. First Turn

Whoever plays first must form a word of two letters or more that covers at least one of the four game squares in the center of the gameboard.

4. Basic Turn

On your turn, play one or more letter tiles, either to form a new word that connects to a word already on the board, or to change a word already on the board to a different word. All letters played on your turn must be in the same row of game squares either across or down. Tally and announce your point score, then draw letter tiles from the draw pile to replace the ones you played.

IMPORTANT: A word is legal and can be used in the game if it is in the dictionary and it does not fall into any of the categories of illegal words listed in Rule 7 on page 5.

5. How To Form Words

Figures 2 through 7 show a sequence of plays. Arrows point out the word or words formed on each play. Point scores are given for each example. See Rule 6 on page 5 for details on scoring.

You can play letters to form a word that reads across (from left to right only) or down the gameboard (never diagonally or up) and connects to a word already on the board. For example, build down from the letter "D" in MOOD to form the word DEAR as shown in Figure 2. Build across using the letter "E" in DEAR to form the word NET as shown in Figure 3. The word ON is also formed reading down.You score points for all of the words formed during your turn.

+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|    |    |    |    |    |    |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|    | M  | O  | O  |{D} |    |
+----+---1+---1+---1+---1+----+
|    |    |    |    |{E} |    |
+----+----+----+----+---1+----+
|    |    |    |    |{A} |    |
+----+----+----+----+---1+----+
|    |    |    |    |{R} |    |
+----+----+----+----+---1+----+
|    |    |    |    |    |    |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+

Figure 2 - Score: 8 Points

+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|    |    |    |    |    |    |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|    | M  | O  |{O} | D  |    |
+----+---1+---1+---1+---1+----+
|    |    |    |{N} |{E} |{T} |
+----+----+----+---1+---1+---1+
|    |    |    |    | A  |    |
+----+----+----+----+---1+----+
|    |    |    |    | R  |    |
+----+----+----+----+---1+----+
|    |    |    |    |    |    |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+

Figure 3 - Score: 10 Points

NOTE: Any letter in your word that is adjacent to another letter or letters on the board must form a word. For example, in Figure 3, the letter "N" in NET is adjacent to the letter "O" in MOOD, which forms the word ON.

Stacking Letters

You can stack letters on top of letters already on the board to change a word into a different word. For example, stack the letter "W" on top of the "M" in MOOD to change MOOD to WOOD as shown in Figure 4. You cannot play more than one letter on the same stack during one turn. You cannot stack a letter on the same letter - for example, and "A" on an "A."

IMPORTANT: Letters cannot be stacked more than five tiles high.

Figure 4 Score: 5 Points

[FIGURE 4]

More on Stacking

You can stack the letter "L" on top of the letter "D" and stack the letter "P" on top of the letter "R" in the words WOOD and DEAR to change them into the words WOOL and LEAP as shown in Figure 5.

[FIGURE 5: Figure 5 Score: 12 Points]

IMPORTANT: When you change a word already on the board into a different word, at least one letter from the old word must remain uncovered and be used in the new word. You cannot stack letters to cover up an entire word. You can build a new word and change a word already on the board into a different word on the same turn. For example, build across stacking the letter "N" on top of the letter "P" in LEAP to form the word SNACK and change the word LEAP to LEAN as shown in Figure 6.

[FIGURE 6 | Score: 14 Points]

Plurals

You cannot simply add an "S"to a word already on the board to form a plural. You can, however, play letters to form a word that connects to a word already on the board to make it a plural. For example, build down to form the word PLUS which connects with the word NET and makes it plural as shown in Figure 7. You score points for both words.

[FIGURE 7 | Score: 16 Points]

6. How To Score Words

You score 2 points per letter tile for any word formed with all letters only one tile high (no letter in the word is stacked on top of another letter). For example, the word DEAR in Figure 2 (page 3) contains four letters, and each is only one tile high. To score this word, just multiply 4 times 2 for a total of 8 points.
You score 1 point per letter tile for any word formed that contains any letters stacked two or more tiles high. Count each letter in your word and every letter tile under each letter of your word to get your score. For example, the word WOOD in Figure 4 (page 3) contains four letters plus one letter tile under then "W" for a total score of 5 points.
You score 2 extra bonus points if you use the "Qu" letter tile in any word formed with all letters only one tile high. You do not receive any bonus points if you use the "Qu" tile in a word formed with any of its letters more than one tile high.
You score 20 extra bonus points if you use all seven of your letter tiles in one turn.
If you form two or more words on the same turn, each word is scored. Any letter or stack of letters common to these two words is scored for each word. For example, in Figure 3 (page 3), the lettern "N" is common to the words ON and NET. The word ON scores 4 points and the word NET scores 6 points for a total of 10 points for the turn.
At the end of the game, 5 points are subtracted from your score for each letter tile you cannot play.

7. Illegal Words

Any word that falls into any category listed below, is an illegal word and cannot be used in the game:

Words that are always capitalized are illegal.
Words requiring a hyphen are illegal.
Words requiring an apostrophe are illegal.
Abbreviations and symbols are illegal.
Prefixes and suffixes, that cannot stand alone, are illegal.
Foreign words are illegal unless they appear in the dictionary.
Words that are only one letter long are illegal. (Note: Not Standard)

8. Challenging A Word

You can challenge an opponent's word if you think it's misspelled or an illegal word. The word must be challenged before another word is played. Use a dictionary to decide if the challenged word is legal or illegal. lf the challenged word is illegal, the player who played it removes the letter tiles from the board and either plays another word or passes.

9. Passing

You may pass your turn at any time during the game. Sometimes it is to your advantage to pass, especially toward the end of the game, to allow a better scoring opportunity to open up for you.

10. Exchanging Your Letters

On your turn, you may exchange one of your letter tiles for a new one. Just turn the tile you want to exchange letter-side down and draw a replacement tile from the draw pile. Return the tile you turned down to the draw pile and mix it up. As a penalty, you lose your turn. Sometimes it is a good strategy to give up a turn in order to exchange a letter. For example, you may want to exchange a "J" or a "Z" if you draw them late in the game.

11. How To End The Game

The game is over as soon as any of the following situations occur:

When one player uses all of his or her letter tiles, and no tiles remain in the draw pile
When none of the players can make a word on the board with the tiles they have left on their racks, and there are no more tiles in the draw pile (from which to exchange a letter tile)
When all of the players pass their turn in consecutive order

When the game is over, total each player's final score. Subtract 5 points from a player's score for each letter tile he/she has not played.

How To Win

The player who scores the most points wins.

Solo Play Rules

Follow setup and gameplay rules as explained above. Make words, one at a time, and score points for every word you make. NOTE: During the game, you are allowed to exchange five letters (see Rule 10 above) without a penalty.The game ends either (1) when all of the letter tiles have been used, or (2) when you cannot make a word or exchange a letter tile. Total up your score. Keep track of your solo game scores and try to improve each time you play.

Legal Disclaimers

SCRABBLE,the associated logo, the design of the distinctive SCRABBLE brand gameboard,

and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States and