Wordfeud wildcard: how ? works – and how to use it effectively

Ready to try? Open the tool, enter your letters and use ? as wildcard.

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In Wordfeud (and Scrabble), a wildcard is a blank tile. It can be used as any letter – for example, a wildcard can become Q, X or Z. The wildcard is perfect when you're missing one specific letter to make a strong move.

• 1) Complete an "almost-word"
  You almost have a good word, but are missing one letter. The wildcard fills the gap.
• 2) Hit bonus squares
  Wildcard makes it easier to hit double/triple word or good crosswords – even though the wildcard itself doesn't give points.
• 3) Make difficult letters cheaply
  If you're missing for example Q/X/Z or a "rare" letter, the wildcard can be the shortcut that makes the move possible.
• 4) Control the board
  Sometimes the best move isn't the highest score – but a move that closes the board, avoids giving your opponent a triple, or creates a good "hook" for the next turn.

1) Use the wildcard to gain "tempo"

A wildcard can be valuable because it enables you to play a strong move now. If you're stuck with bad letters, a wildcard can often save a hand and keep you in the game.

2) Use the wildcard on long words – but only when it makes sense

Longer words can give access to more bonus squares and crosswords. But because the wildcard typically gives 0 points, a "long word with wildcard" can sometimes score less than a shorter word with stronger letters. Therefore: look at both score and board control.

3) Save the wildcard if your opponent has an open triple

If the board is open, the wildcard can be your "emergency brake": use it to play a move that closes dangerous squares, or forces the game into a more controlled area.

4) Use the wildcard to hit exactly the letter you're missing in a pattern

This is one of the most effective ways to use the wildcard: you have a pattern on the board, and the wildcard fills exactly the gap that makes the word possible.

• Example 1: Wildcard in your letters
  
  Enter in "Your letters": TRA?ON
  The wildcard (?) tries all letters and finds matching words.
• Example 2: Wildcard + pattern on the board
  
  "Your letters": RST?NE
  "On board": ..E*
  Here the pattern says: 3rd letter must be E, and the rest can be anything.
• Example 3: Use pattern to control length
  
  "On board": M..E
  This requires exactly 4 letters: M _ _ E. If you're missing one of the letters, wildcard can make it possible.

Tip: If you get too many results, use length filter (exact or min-max) and sort by Points.

1. Enter your letters in the field "Your letters".
   Use ? for each wildcard you have (e.g. AB?D).
2. Add pattern if needed in "On board" if the word needs to fit a specific position.
   Use . for one any letter and * for the rest.
3. Click "Find words" and see the results.
   You can sort by points and filter by length to find the best move.
4. Click on a word to copy it, so you can quickly enter it in Wordfeud.

Try wildcard in the tool