I was more than pleased when I first stumbled upon Word Whomp, a very educative yet entertaining word game. Word Whomp needs only one player and it can be played online, or downloaded to the computer. In this game, you are given a particular set of letters from which you are required to spell as many words as possible within a specified time frame. Thus, as you find the words, you have to keep an eye on the clock because speed is of the essence. While you unscramble the words, the gophers in the game dig up for vegetables and bonuses which help you
advance to other levels.
Getting Through Different Levels
For each level in Word Whomp, you need to create 3 to 6-letter words from the six letters given on your screen. It’s worth noting however that the more letters you incorporate in developing your words, the higher the
scores you get. There are enough spaces provided so it’s up to you to come up with the correct words without wasting time. In playing the game, I have often run out of words and this is something any other player is bound to experience. This is where the ‘mix up’ tool in the game is particularly helpful. By pressing this button, the letters switch places, and you get a change of perspective which can help you come up with new ideas, hence new words. It’s good to use this tool as soon as your ideas run out.
Word Whomp Tips and Tricks
One trick that I always use when playing Word Whomp is to begin guessing as soon as the clock starts. This way, I don’t have to wait too long in between creating different words, and it gives me extra time to think of bigger words and therefore get better scores. To go about this, I start with the shorter three or four-letter words and as I find these, it becomes easier to create five and six-lettered words. Also, to generate longer words, a player can make the short ones plural (where an’s’ is available) and vice versa. Writing the words in different tenses is also a viable way to generate larger words.
Besides, reading the words you’ve come up with backwards can give you some additional hints. If you have a word like ‘tar’, for instance, you could have it as rat, and then add an ‘s’ to make it plural, and this will give you
a four-letter word. In playing around with different forms of any word, it becomes possible to fill up the spaces faster. While creating the words, you can use your mouse to select the letters you want, but I find it faster to type them from the keyboard. Using the keyboard during the game has often helped me save a couple of seconds in each level, and these can be of really great importance in the game.
Where to Play
A good number of sites allow you to download Word Whomp, and many others provide you with a platform to play online. Some of the most popular ones include pogo.com and thegamerstop.com where you can challenge other members and even join tournaments for extra fun.
Increase Your Vocabulary with Word Whomp
Word Whomp has enabled me to extend my vocabulary in a great way in the past couple of months and I believe it has the same effect on any player; whether young or old. Before I played this game, I considered myself a master speller, but then I wasn’t so sure once I tried it out. The fact that you need to spell between three and six-letter words from the specific letter combinations you are given makes things quite tricky considering you also need to beat the clock while at it. The more you play the game, however, the better the chances you have to discover new words; it’s a good way to incorporate some learning without making
things boring. Unlike the crossword puzzles in newspapers where everything is lifeless, the graphics and actions of the gophers in Word Whomp make the game very entertaining. The liveliness shouldn’t fool you though; the game is a challenge particularly when you get to the higher levels.