Word games like anagrams, crosswords, scrabble, boggle, etc., are the most effective ways to learn and play simultaneously. They teach you different words, strategies, patience, and cleverness.
Some word games like Scrabble and Bananagrams can be challenging for the newbies, so I recommend playing mini-games like anagrams and wordles first.
You might want to master these games before leveling up to the games like Words With Friends, Boggle, etc. You can follow these tips and tricks to become a pro at these mini-games, especially an anagram.
What Is an Anagram, and How Many Types Are There?
An anagram is like reshuffling jumbled words in which you rearrange the letters to make new words or phrases. People started using them in the English language from the Middle Ages.
Types of Anagrams
No official types of anagrams are available because people love to play them using their modifications. Here are some popular ways people love using them.
1) Cultural Related
Jim Morrison used the Anagram Mr. Mojo Risin in the song LA Woman to refer to himself. Another well-known example of a culturally related anagram is Clint Eastwood’s full name that you can reshuffle to spell Old West Action.
2) Literature Related
Literature-related anagrams started in William Shakespeare’s time when he used Danish prince Amleth’s name to name his fiction Prince Hamlet. One of the most famous anagrams used in a movie was Tom Marvolo Riddle from Harry Potter, which meant I am Lord Voldermort.
3) Everyday Words Related
It is not a specific type of anagram but a mixture of all other anagrams. It can be a description of a place or person. For instance, you can spell moon starer from the word astronomer, dirty room from the dormitory, and gentle man from elegant man.
4) Math Related
These are maths related, and you can not use them in word games. For instance, you can write twelve plus one as eleven plus two.
Tips and Tricks to Solve an Anagram
1) Use a Word Scrambler
A word unscrambler tool can help you win almost every word game like anagrams, Scrabble, Boggle, crosswords, etc. You can rearrange letters using these types of online tools to get a list of valid words using those letters.
These tools also give you options to search words according to a specific game because word games often use different dictionaries than others.
2) Study Common Patterns
English language might be complex at times, but it is not random. You can figure out a word by staring at letters while playing anagrams. Many letters frequently appear next to each other more than the others. You can understand it better with some knowledge about consonant and vowel digraphs. A primary example is the letters ch, which can appear together in words like cheese, chrome, and chair or at the end of words like pinch, punch, and bench.
You can also try to separate vowels from consonants because consonant combinations are more helpful than vowels. As soon as you rearrange the letters, you instantly start filling the gaps with vowels to make new words.
For instance, you have letters like p, n, i, c, d, a, e, and m. You might find it complex to make a valid word using them. However, if you take out the vowels and write all consonants together, you will figure out the word effortlessly. You will see that the letters p, n, d, m, and c make the word pandemic.
3) Suffixes
Adding suffixes to the end of a word makes a new word. You can use this information and point out any suffix to make it easier to guess the word. The more you practice these suffixes in other word games, the better you can spot them in anagrams.
Here is a list of some common suffixes you can try to spot in anagrams.
- ion (action, reaction, onion),
- able (reliable, comfortable, commutable),
- ly (comfortably, happily, calmly),
- ish (selfish, inkish, flaundrish),
- th (seventh, breadth, beneath),
- ness (kindness, happiness, dueness).
4) Prefixes
Adding prefixes at the beginning of a word makes a new word. You can point out prefixes easily using this information to make it easier to solve anagrams. You can practice spotting them during long word games like Scrabble or Boggle.
Here is a list of some common prefixes you can try to spot in anagrams.
- con (conversation, confidence, contest),
- bi (bicycle, bingo, binge),
- in (inject, influx, intern),
- pro (procrastination),
- pre (prefix, prevent, predict),
- ex (example, extinct, exceed).
5) Use the Shuffle Button More Frequently
Shuffling letters is one of the easiest things you can do after you get stuck while solving anagrams. Almost every online anagram game gives you a shuffle button to shuffle all the letters/tiles so you can start rethinking. You might need to use it more often than you do.
You might have limited power-ups and bonuses in word games, but you get unlimited shuffles in anagrams. Seeing the letters in a different order can do the job for you.
Shuffles can also reveal the word or its good part if you are lucky. Letters like l, d, o, i, g, a, and n are complex to solve, but a lucky reshuffle can change them to d, g, n, a, l, i, and o, which makes it easier to see as the word diagonal.
6) Systematic Approach
Order matters massively in word games. You can start assuming that two same letters can be together, at both the ends or in the middle. You can also ignore thinking about one or two-letter words because they are invalid. Hence, you start following a systematic approach of starting with three-letter words.
For instance, you have letters like r, q, a, t, c, and i. You can start picking the letters c and a. After that, start guessing the words with combinations like cat or car. It is easier to find words starting with cat and car than caq and cai. It will be a more systematic approach.
7) Circle
Try to place letters randomly in a circular pattern that will not break up the given order. It also helps to avoid making sound combinations that can mislead. Circularly combining words also helps to see the different letter groupings.
8) Uncommon and Common Pairings
Always start the game by looking for the letters that frequently go together. For instance, if you have the letter Q, there is a strong probability that the letter U will follow it. One more example is the letter H. Letter H is often followed by letters like c, p, g, s, w, or t unless it is at the starting or end of a word.
Similarly, you can eliminate unlikely pairings like the letter p followed by letters like t, m, k, etc.
9) Memorizing Multiple Words Groups
Certain word groups repeat themselves more often than others. You can invest some time learning these types of word groups. Some common examples are angel, angle, glean, etc.
10) Practice
Practice is one of the primary methods to be better at anything. The more you practice, the better you can be. You do not necessarily have to practice anagrams only to be better at them.
You can also practice other mini-games like crosswords, wordles, etc. Once you start winning them easily, change your focus to games like Bananagrams and Words With Friends.
World tools can also play a vital role in enriching your vocabulary, which is a primary factor in getting better at word games. Learning new words can also help you in your student or professional life.
For instance, you can use an online word tool to find words with specific letters and change those letters on alternate days. I prefer using the same letters or words for at least three days.
Wrapping Up
Solving anagrams is easy once you get used to it. After playing ten or more games, you will start noticing the word groupings more effortlessly than earlier.
Completely changing your strategy can never go wrong because one tip can work for someone but not for another. For instance, some prefer a circular approach, but others do not.
Similarly, if a method is not working out for you, you can change it according to your way. You might use different tips and tricks than these, but you might still beat me in word games.
I hope these tips find you and find you well. I also hope that these tips make you better at word games.