Smush

What Is Smush?

Smush is a daily word puzzle, where you build words from a 3×3 letter grid. The gold center letter must appear in every word, while the other letters have limited uses.

Unlike Spelling Bee, Smush adds resource management: you are not just hunting for words—you must decide when to spend each letter to maximize your score.

How to Play

• Objective: Find as many high-scoring words as possible.
• Gameplay: Create words using the nine available letters.
• Key rule: Every word must contain the gold center letter; each other letter can be used up to five times.
• Use Shuffle, Delete, and Hint when you need help managing your board.

Hardest Challenge

The biggest difficulty is resource planning. A word may be valid but still be a bad move if it consumes letters needed for a stronger combination later. The puzzle rewards thinking several words ahead rather than simply entering every word you see.

Best Tips & Strategy

• Find the pangram early. Look for a word containing all nine letters. It can provide a major scoring advantage, especially when played first.
• Protect rare letters. Don't waste limited uses on short, low-value words if that letter is likely needed for a longer word.
• Build around the gold letter. Since the center letter is always required but does not run out, use it as the foundation for longer words.
• Watch your final uses. Using a letter for its last available time can create a scoring opportunity, so plan which words will “smush” letters at the right moment.
• Prioritize bonus combinations. A word becomes much more valuable when it combines high letter value with bonuses such as the spicy letter or multiple letters reaching their final use.

Why Players Like It

Smush works well for players who enjoy word games but want more strategy than simple word-finding. The limited letter supply creates a satisfying balance between vocabulary, planning, and score optimization.