Word bonuses: worked scoring examples
See exactly how length, vowel, rare-letter and palindrome bonuses combine in Word Decks and Rush—and what changes in Dextreme.
Word Decks and Rush start a word’s score with the values printed on its cards. A length bonus is added next. Vowel, rare-letter and palindrome multipliers then apply to that amount. Several multipliers can apply to the same word.
Start with the small numbers
CAT is C(2) + A(1) + T(1) = 4. DOG is D(2) + O(1) + G(3) = 6. SUN is S(1) + U(2) + N(1) = 4. None of those words has a length bonus, three vowels, J/Q/X/Z or a palindrome multiplier.
Add the length bonus once
| Word length | Added before multipliers |
|---|---|
| 3–5 letters | 0 |
| 6 letters | 10 |
| 7 letters | 15 |
| 8 letters | 20 |
| 9 or more | 25 |
Use the single bonus for the word’s length. A seven-letter word gets +15, not +10 and +15.
QUOTAS stacks three benefits
- Cards: Q(5) + U(2) + O(1) + T(1) + A(1) + S(1) = 11.
- Six letters: 11 + 10 = 21.
- Three vowels—U, O and A: 21 × 2 = 42.
- Contains Q: 42 × 2 = 84.
QUOTAS scores 84 in Word Decks or Rush. It is not a palindrome, so the ×3 does not apply. These are teaching examples, not suggestions that today’s deck can make these words.
A/E/I/O/U count as vowels for this bonus; Y does not. Three or more vowels gives one ×2 multiplier, not a separate doubling for each vowel. Likewise, a word containing both Q and Z receives one rare-letter multiplier.
A shorter word can still earn a bonus
LEVEL is a palindrome. Its card values are L(2) + E(1) + V(4) + E(1) + L(2) = 10. It has only five letters and two vowels, so its score is 10 × 3 = 30.
To play LEVEL, you need two L cards and two E cards. A high theoretical score does not bypass tile quantities. Its cards must also leave enough to finish the other two distinct words.
The word total is not always the final game total
Word Decks adds round points and subtracts market spending. Rush adds completed word points to the starting points you kept. A paid upgrade can raise a word score while reducing the final result if the cost is larger than the gain.
What changes in Dextreme?
The standard length, vowel, rare-letter and palindrome rules remain, but Dextreme has different printed card values, challenge effects, permanent upgrades and a round multiplier. With no special cards or upgrades, QUOTAS has 23 in card values, then +10, ×2 for vowels and ×2 for Q: 132 before round-level effects.
Do not assume that every Dextreme word can be calculated from the original game’s numbers. Effects such as FIRST BLOOD, upgraded rare-letter multipliers or a special card can change the result. The displayed word score and round breakdown show what applied; the Dextreme guide explains when its round multiplier increases.