Wortwerk – bad word game – review, test and critique

Getting the word out of someone's mouth is not just a form of speech, but also the goal of Wortwerk indirectly by Arno Steinwender (moses.Verlag). Indirectly it means that you don't actually want to steal anything from anyone. But as with games that have time restrictions, it's better to be quick, and you might end up anticipating what the other person was trying to say.

How to play Wordworks?

Wortwerk – like dozens of other word search games – revolves around creating a word from a selection of letters. Eight letters are drawn randomly in a row. The order of the letters is important. A general term is given and within 60 seconds everyone must think of a word (initially secret) that contains as many of these letters as possible. If you have one, quickly grab a wooden cylinder with a number between one and five, which corresponds to the number of letters used in the word you've made. The letters used then give victory points. The only condition: that the letters in the word appear in the order in which they appear on the screen.

Example: If the eight letters on the screen include B, S, and E (in that order), you can use them to type the word Ban eggsByeHL (if it fits the given generic term).

If the wooden cylinder number 3 is already gone, you need to take the next smaller cylinder. So: whoever catches it faster may have an advantage.

That's it. You play seven rounds in which three letters are exchanged each round. Whoever has the most points wins.

What is the appeal of Wortwerk?

The idea of ​​Wortwerk is not a revelation in terms of the basic idea (word search). It is slightly worn by the somewhat attractive material. The letter tiles are made of thin wood, which makes the whole thing look very valuable. Number cylinders are also made of wood. The inside-out cover of the package, which contains the counting strip on which small marks are cut from the cardboard, serves as a tally recorder. They're stuck there, and hopefully that will still be the case after Game 30. You should probably be a little careful, just to avoid damaging the cover.

The structure is also beautiful. The letter tiles are placed in a row on the board at the bottom of the game box. If you push three new letters into the row from the left at the start of the round, three new letters will fall from the right and through a gap directly into the chest. Cleaning done!

Word finding difficulties are inappropriate

However, Wortwerk's appeal lies not only in the challenge of finding a word. In the end, there are four factors that really make it attractive: the time limit (1.) as well as the maximum number of characters (2.) you want to use. Depending on the topic, a whole barrage of words immediately come to mind – and flood your mind. Because many words meet letters that do not fit them. Or out of order.

You can quickly find a word that contains one or two letters, but this is where the third aspect comes into play: using more letters than other letters. By the time you think about this, the first cylinders with smaller numbers are already gone. Suddenly the fourth feeling comes: panic. Can you even find the word? If you think about it for a long time but finally can't find a word where you can get the smallest disc still available, you'll come up empty-handed.

Wortwerk is treated to just a few pages of game rules, which are also meticulously laid out. It takes up almost no space, and takes no more than 15 minutes, so it's perfect as a toy to take with you or as a break during your lunch break at the office. There is no competitive pressure with two people, so it is best played with multiple players. But it's not enough to stand out from the wide range of word search games.