In Boggle, players shake 16 letter cubes into a 4 x 4 grid, then race a 3-minute timer to write down as many words as they can find. Words must be at least 3 letters long and made from letters that touch, in any direction. When time is up, any word that more than one player found is crossed off, and the rest score points. The player with the most points wins.
This guide follows Hasbro’s official Boggle rules: how to find words, which words count, the scoring chart, the tournament game and the small rules players often get wrong.
- Players: 2 or more, ages 8 and up
- In the box: 16 letter cubes, a base and lid, and a 3-minute timer
- You also need: a pencil and paper for each player
- To win: score the most points, or be first to an agreed tournament score
How to play Boggle
- Sit so everyone can see the grid. Each player gets a pencil and paper.
- With the lid over the base, shake the cubes until they all settle into the grid.
- Take the lid off and turn over the 3-minute timer.
- Look for words and write each one down. Keep going until time runs out.
- When the timer ends, everyone stops writing.
Hasbro’s rule: don’t touch the cubes or the grid while the timer is running.
How to find words in Boggle
- 3 letters or more. Two-letter words don’t count.
- Letters must touch. Each next letter must be next to the last one: across, up, down or diagonally, in any direction.
- No reusing a cube. You can’t use the same cube twice in one word. (Hasbro’s sheet says no letter may be used twice; its SOILS example, where one S cube is used twice, shows it means the same cube.)
- No skipping. Letters must join in sequence, with no gaps.
Which words are allowed?
Any word found in a standard English dictionary counts: nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, plus plurals, other forms and tenses. Proper nouns are not allowed, so names like Smith, Ohio or France don’t count. Words inside other words are fine: if you find “spare”, you can also score “spa”, “par”, “are”, “spar” and “pare” if you write them down.
Boggle scoring chart
| Word length | Points |
|---|---|
| 3 letters | 1 |
| 4 letters | 1 |
| 5 letters | 2 |
| 6 letters | 3 |
| 7 letters | 5 |
| 8 letters or more | 11 |
How scoring works at the end of a round
- Each player, in turn, reads their list out loud.
- Any word that appears on more than one player’s list is crossed off every list. Nobody scores it.
- Players score their remaining words using the chart.
This is why long or unusual words are so valuable: they are worth more and less likely to be on someone else’s list.
How to win Boggle
There are two ways, and you agree which one before you start:
- Single game: the player with the most points when play stops wins.
- Tournament game: play several rounds and keep a running total. The first player to reach the agreed score, such as 50 or 100 points, wins.
Small rules players often miss
- Same spelling, one score. “Tear” (to rip) and “tear” (from crying) count only once.
- Same word, one score. Finding the same word in two places on the grid doesn’t count twice.
- QU is two letters. It counts as 2 letters when you work out the word length.
- Underlined letters. M and W have a line under them, so you can tell them apart. Z is underlined so it isn’t read as an N.
- Singular and plural both count. “Oil” and “oils” score separately, as long as you wrote both down.
Simple Boggle tips
- Look for endings. Spot letter groups like -ING, -ED, -ER and S that you can add to short words.
- Build out from a short word. Once you find “oil”, check whether an S touches the L for “oils”.
- Hunt for long words. One 8-letter word (11 points) is worth as much as eleven 3-letter words, and others are less likely to find it too.
- Write fast and neatly. A word you can’t read at the end may be argued away.
- Pick a dictionary first. The rules don’t say how to settle a challenged word, so agree on one dictionary before you play (a house rule, not an official one).
Other editions, such as electronic-timer versions, follow the same word rules but start the timer differently, so check the sheet in your box. More word and family games: Guess Who? rules, board games like Scrabble, Yahtzee rules and Hungry Hungry Hippos rules.
Frequently asked questions
How many letters does a Boggle word need?
At least 3. Two-letter words don’t score.
How long is a round of Boggle?
3 minutes, timed with the 3-minute timer in the box.
Can you use a letter twice in Boggle?
Not the same cube in one word. If two different cubes show the same letter, you can use both.
Are plurals allowed in Boggle?
Yes. Plurals, other forms and tenses all count, and the singular and plural score separately if you write both.
What happens if two players find the same word?
It is crossed off every list that has it, and no one scores it.
How many points is an 8-letter word in Boggle?
11 points. Any word of 8 letters or more scores 11.
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