Preview
What is Word Cubby?
Word Cubby is a word-sorting solitaire game in your browser where you file word cards into cubbies by topic until every group is delivered. A stamped topic card opens an empty cubby, words of that topic go in, and same-topic words can wait on each other in the columns. Thirty rounds grow from 2 topics and 8 cards to 6 topics with face-down cards and only 2 or 3 cubbies, and every round is proven winnable inside its move limit.
Key facts
- Genre
- Puzzle
- Players
- 1 (single player)
- Rounds
- 30, in 3 chapters of 10
- Topics per round
- 2 at first, up to 6
- Cubby rule
- Opens only with a topic card
- You lose when
- the move counter reaches 0
- Session length
- Under 5 min
- Platform
- Web browser
- Devices
- Desktop, tablet, mobile
- Price
- Free
- Sign-up
- Not required
How do you play Word Cubby?
Deliver every topic before the move counter reaches 0. Tap a card or a column to pick up its top run of same-topic cards. A stamped topic card opens an empty cubby; after that every word of that topic belongs in it, and the cubby is sent off once it holds the whole group. Words can also wait on a word of the same topic in the columns, and an empty column takes anything. Tap the draw pile for a new card; each move and each draw costs one move. From round 11, column cards lie face down and turn over as you clear them.
Tips & strategy
- Before opening a cubby, count the words of that topic you can see; open it once most of them are in reach.
- Keep the last empty cubby free until you hold a topic card whose words are mostly face up.
- Work on columns that hide face-down cards first: every card you turn over might finish a group.
- Stack a word on a same-topic word in the columns instead of drawing; a draw costs a move too.
- Note what passes through the draw pile: after you turn it over, the cards come back in the same order.
- A topic card shows its word count (×4, ×5), so you always know how many words still belong to it.
What are the controls in Word Cubby?
| ACTION | INPUT |
|---|---|
| Pick up or file cards | Tap a card or its column |
| Put cards down | Tap a lit cubby or column |
| Sort a card | Click the card, then its place |
| Draw a card | Tap or click the draw pile |
| Choose a place, then act | Arrow keys, then Enter |
| Draw a card | D |
| Show a hint | H, or the light-bulb button |
| Restart the round | R, or Restart when paused |
| Pause | P or Esc |
Plays with keyboard, mouse, and touch. Fullscreen works in desktop and mobile browsers.
Word Cubby FAQ
Why won't a word card go into an empty cubby in Word Cubby?
An empty cubby opens only with a topic card, the one with a stamp and a word count such as ×4. Once that card is in, the cubby takes every word of its topic and nothing else. Until you find the topic card, park its words on a same-topic word in the columns or in an empty column.
What happens when a Word Cubby cubby is full?
The topic is delivered: the cubby flashes, the whole group leaves the table and the cubby is empty again for the next topic card. A cubby is full when it holds its topic card and every word of the group, which is the number printed on the topic card. Delivering every topic wins the round.
How do face-down cards work in Word Cubby?
From round 11, only the top card of each column is face up. When you move the last face-up card away, the card below turns over at no extra cost. Face-down cards never move with a run, so clearing a column is the only way to see what it hides.
How many cubbies does Word Cubby give you?
Rounds 1 to 8 have one cubby per topic, up to 4. From round 9 there are fewer cubbies than topics: 3 cubbies for 4 to 6 topics, and only 2 on rounds 15, 20, 25 and 30. With fewer cubbies, finish one topic before opening the next.
Does drawing a card cost a move in Word Cubby?
Yes. Each draw turns one card onto the open pile and costs one move, the same as moving cards. When the draw pile runs out, tapping it takes the open pile back in the same order, and that also costs one move, so draws pay off most when a column move isn't available.
What is par in Word Cubby, and how does it set the stars?
Stars compare your moves with par, the number of moves the built-in careful sorter needed. Finish at par or better for 3 stars, within half of the spare moves for 2 stars, and any other win earns 1. Round 1 has a par of 10 out of 20 moves; round 30 has a par of 51 out of 54.
Are the words in Word Cubby the same in every language?
The deal is the same, but every language has its own words. Each of the 24 topics, such as Sea animals or Toolbox, has 6 words written for that language, and words that could fit two topics are left out. Topics that overlap, like Fruit and Drinks, never appear in the same round.
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