Guide
Letter Box Scoring and Par Explained
Par is the benchmark number of words for a puzzle. On this site, par is simply the length of the checked solution — and every live puzzle has par 2.
Par on the live boards
All seven live puzzles have par 2, because each checked solution uses two words. A solve in 2 words meets par. A solve in 3 words is one over par. A solve in 4 or more words still solves the puzzle — it just uses more words than the benchmark.
Stars
The game awards 3 stars for a solve at or under par, 2 stars for one over par, and 1 star for any other completed solve. Stars are a summary, not a score to chase at the cost of enjoying the board: a 3-word solve you found yourself is better practice than a 2-word solve you copied.
Other numbers
The timer counts up from your first letter and stops when you solve, so it measures your solve time for that board. Statistics — games played, games solved, current streak, fastest solve and solve rate — are stored only in your own browser, with no account. They do not follow you to another device, and they are not shared with anyone.
There is no time limit and no penalty for extra words. The only failure state is giving up, and even then the hints and the solver are there to help you finish.
Keep reading
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