Word Galaxies Tips and Tricks

Part 2: Advanced Tips for Speed

Time is of the essence in Word Galaxies. Here's the scenario: you've got two and a half minutes to find over 30 words, and you already recognize most of them. You just need to beat the clock. How do you do it without cramping those fingers? Read on.

Speed Tip #1: Use the TAB key.

The TAB key recalls the most recent successful word you found in the current level. It's a shortuct for the “Last” button on the game screen. You can use this to your advantage to save typing. First, identify word stems (roots) and possible endings. Do you see an “S”? How about “ING”, “ER”, “LY”?

Think. What is the word's stem? How many words can you make with that stem? Ok, now type. Start with the stem. Once you've entered the stem word, hit the TAB key to recall it. Now append the first ending you see (typically an “S”). If you see another word with the same stem, hit TAB again, then quickly tap backspace (or delete) to remove the previous ending, and finish the word!

By identifing word stems and endings, and planning your attack, you can type words faster than by typing each word separately. The trick is to use the TAB key to do your typing for you!

Speed Tip #2: Don't waste time.

In this game, wasted time could mean the difference between winning and losing. Don't spend time trying to figure out the longest word when you've got 30 other words to find! If you see enough words rightr off the bat to qualify for the next level, you should type those quickly, then return to the longest word once you've qualified for the next level. That way, you can waste as much time as you like without jeopardizing your game.

Tackling the easy words first is not merely a postponement of the difficult words. By finding the shorter words, you will warm up your mental muscles, and you'll figure out the longer words when you get to them.

Speed Tip #3: Keep an eye on the clock.

At the start of each level, take survey of your situation. You know that you've got two and a half minutes for 7-letter puzzles, and two minutes for 6 letter puzzles. Estimate the number of blank slots along left side of the screen. Don't bother to count them. Instead, take a guess based on what you know about the number of words which fit on the screen: 36 words reaches from top to bottom. That means 18 words fill about half the screen, and 9 words fill one quarter of the screen.

You can use this information to pace yourself. For example, in a level where the slots reach about half way (18 words), you need to find a word roughly every eight seconds.

Next: Part 3: Expert Tips

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