How Superghost works
Superghost (sometimes called Lexicant) is the harder version of Ghost, the old spoken word game. Players build one string of letters between them:
- On your turn, add one letter to either end of the string.
- The string must always sit inside some real word. EAR is fine (in heart, early, bear). EARQ isn't in any word.
- If your letter completes a word, you lose the round. Most tables only count words of four letters or more, so CAT on turn three doesn't end anything.
- If you think the last player has no real word in mind, challenge. They must name a word that contains the string. If they can, you lose the round. If they can't, they do.
In plain Ghost you may only add letters to the end, so the string is always the start of a word. Letting players build in front as well is what makes Superghost hard: you have to find words where the letters sit in the middle.
How WordCracker plays it
WordCracker keeps Superghost's rules and adds a few of its own:
| Ghost | Superghost | WordCracker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where letters go | End only | Either end | Anywhere, even between two letters |
| Losing word | Agreed at the table | Agreed at the table | Any real word of 4+ letters |
| Bluffing | Challenge allowed | Challenge allowed | Challenge: bluffer names a word or loses |
| Referee | The group | The group | A 196,000-word dictionary |
| Scoring | GHOST letters | GHOST letters | Rounds, best of 1, 3 or 5 |
| Escapes | None | None | One Swap and one Shuffle per round |
Swap changes one letter on the board; Shuffle rearranges them all. Each can be used once per round, for the moment every letter you could add would finish a word.
An example round
- You play E. Your opponent adds A: EA.
- You add R: EAR. Three-letter words don't count, so you're safe.
- Now your opponent is in trouble. Most letters in front or behind make a word: BEAR, FEAR, EARN, EARS. They add T: EART, heading for EARTH.
- Your turn, and it's tight. H at the end spells EARTH and H in front spells HEART. You add S: EARTS.
- Your opponent doesn't believe it and challenges. You name HEARTS. The letters are in there, so you win the round.
Ways to play
- Duel: share a game code with a friend, pass one phone back and forth, or pick Play the World to find an opponent online.
- Solo: Quick Match against the AI at four difficulty levels, plus Quest, a long journey against themed opponents.
- Daily Puzzle: a new short puzzle every day.
Questions
Is it free?
Yes. The full game plays free in any modern browser and on iPhone and Android. You don't need an account to start.
Which dictionary settles a challenge?
A built-in English word list of about 196,000 words, without proper nouns. If a word isn't on the list, it doesn't count as a defense.
Can I play with someone in the same room?
Yes. Open Duel and pass the phone, or each join the same game code on your own phones.