Ruzzle

Ruzzle is a competitive, fast-paced puzzle game that challenges you to find the most words in two minutes.

Start by logging in with Facebook or a Ruzzle account. (Logging in with Facebook makes it easier to connect with friends.) Choose which friend to challenge, or compete with a random opponent.

To rack up points, find as many words as possible in a 4-by-4 tile grid by swiping your finger across the screen vertically, horizontally or diagonally. As long as the letters are connected to one another, they can form words.

Ruzzle offers three two-minute rounds that can be played whenever they’re convenient for you. A round can’t be paused, so you have to give it your best effort for two minutes straight. Once you’re done with a round, Ruzzle will tell you how many words you found, for example, 16 out of 341 possible words.

The amount of words, word length and bonus pieces all contribute to your score at the end. Some pieces have signs on them, like double letter score, triple letter score, double word score and triple word score. Think Scrabble. 

Overall, the gameplay is fast and rewarding, and the audio only enhances the overall experience. Our favorite feature is the chat option in the top right corner, where you can partake in some competitive banter and remind your friends how they just got schooled. Games can be played in about a dozen languages.

If you want to practice offline to sharpen your skills, you’ll have to download the Premium version for $2.99. The upgraded version also lets you see the hundreds of letter combinations you could have puzzled together after each round and shows your statistics.

Reviewed: Feb 08, 2013 | Yelena Galstyan

Also featured on: Best Free Game Apps of 2012