Frequently Asked Questions

What is Big Bad Words?

Big Bad Words is a radically configurable word board game for Android. Players define the rules — board size (7×7 to 21×21), tile counts, bonus square layouts, word lists, and what counts as a "bad" word. It covers party games, classroom vocabulary practice, and competitive solo play against AI opponents in one engine. Unlike fixed word games like Scrabble, every aspect of the game adapts to your group.

Do I need an account to play?

No. An anonymous session is created automatically on first launch. All your local game data — history, word lists, presets, and settings — is saved to your device without any sign-in. An account is only needed if you want to upgrade to Plus for online multiplayer and cloud sync. Account creation happens at that moment via Google Sign-In or magic link.

What word lists are built into the game?

Six built-in lists ship with the app: Standard English (the default game dictionary for word validation), Clean (a family-safe subset), Grade 6–8 Vocabulary, Grade 9–12 Vocabulary, Biology Terms, and Math & Geometry Terms. All built-in lists are read-only. You can also create your own lists or import from a text file (one word per line).

What is the "bad word" mechanic?

Any custom word list can be tagged as "Bad Words." When you select a bad words list in game setup, words from that list appear with a special visual indicator when played. You can also enable "Bad Word Requirement" in Advanced Rules — when this is on, at least one player must play a word from the bad words list for anyone to win. This is the mechanic that makes party game nights competitive: the host creates a party-themed word list, enables the requirement, and the game revolves around playing those words.

How do I create a custom word list?

Go to the Word Lists tab and tap "+". Give your list a name and description, set its type (Game Dictionary or Bad Words), and add words manually by typing each word and tapping add. The word count updates in real-time. You can also import from a plain text file (one word per line) — the app parses the file and shows a preview with the word count before importing. Lists are stored locally and appear in game setup under the word list dropdown.

What are the AI difficulty levels?

There are three AI opponents:

• Rookie (Easy): Uses a limited vocabulary of common 3–6 letter words. Scores 5–15 points per turn on average. Good for new players learning the game.
• Scholar (Medium): Uses the full vocabulary and finds bonus squares about 60% of the time. Scores 15–25 points per turn. Requires Plus subscription.
• Wordsmith (Hard): Uses the full vocabulary, maximizes bonus squares about 90% of the time, and manages tile rack strategically. Scores 25–40 points per turn. Requires Pro subscription.

All AI opponents take 2–5 seconds to "think" with an animated indicator before playing. They use the same tile bag and rules as human players — no information advantage.

What is post-game analysis?

Post-game analysis (Pro tier) shows you a turn-by-turn breakdown of every move in a completed game. For each turn, it shows what you played, what you could have played instead, and the point difference. It also gives you an overall efficiency score — for example, "scored 215 of 280 possible points (77% efficiency)." After finishing a game, tap "Analyze Game" on the game-over screen to run the analysis.

What are presets and how do I use them?

A preset saves your entire game configuration — board size, tiles per player, bonus squares, timer, word list, and mechanics — under a name you choose. After setting up a game the way you like, tap "Save Preset." Next time, tap "Load Preset" on the game setup screen to restore all those settings instantly. A "Classic" preset (15×15, 7 tiles, standard bonus, no timer) ships with the app as a starting point.

Can I play with 3 or 4 players on one device?

Yes. In pass-and-play mode, you can set up 2–4 players (human or AI). Add each player's name and color in game setup. Between turns, a hand-off screen with that player's color shows "Pass to [Name]" with a "Ready" button. The previous player's tiles are completely hidden until the next player taps Ready. The scoreboard shows all players' running scores throughout the game.

Can I resume a game I was in the middle of?

Yes. The game auto-saves continuously. If you close the app mid-game, open the Play tab and you'll see an "In Progress" game card. Tap "Resume" to restore the board exactly as you left it — your hand, scores, tile bag, and turn order are all preserved.

What is the difference between Free, Plus, and Pro?

• Free: Full local gameplay including solo vs Easy AI and pass-and-play with up to 4 players. All built-in and custom word lists. Game history and basic statistics. Banner and interstitial ads between games.
• Plus: Everything in Free plus no ads, online multiplayer with shareable invite links, Medium AI ("Scholar"), and cloud sync across devices. Monthly or annual subscription.
• Pro: Everything in Plus plus Hard AI ("Wordsmith") and post-game analysis. Monthly or annual subscription.

Can I play offline?

Yes. The core game engine, word validation, and AI all run locally on your device. You can play solo and pass-and-play games without any network connection. Your game history is saved locally. If you are on Plus or Pro and regain network later, completed games sync to the cloud.

How do I see which letters are still in the tile bag?

Tap the tile bag icon (or the letters-remaining counter in the game header) during your turn to open the Tile Bag Viewer. It shows every letter in the alphabet plus blank tiles, with the exact count of how many remain in the bag and each letter's point value. Letters that are fully depleted appear greyed out with a count of 0. This is useful for tracking high-value tiles like Q, Z, J, and X as the game progresses.

What happens if I get an empty custom word list in game setup?

If you select a word list that has no words, the app shows a warning: "This list is empty. Add words or choose another list." You can tap "Add Words Now" to go directly to the list editor, or select a different list. The game will not start with an empty word list.