Bingo stems: finding the seven letter play
Playing all seven tiles in one move scores fifty points on top of the word itself. That is more than most ordinary moves are worth, and it is worth checking for on every turn.
The trick: add one blank
You rarely hold a full seven letter word. What you often hold is six letters that become one, if the right seventh tile shows up. To find out, type your tiles into the word finder and add one blank — an underscore, a question mark, any non-letter character.
The finder then shows every seven letter word you could build if you drew one more tile, with the missing letter marked. Now you know two things: whether a bingo is available at all, and which letter you need to draw for it.
Why this changes how you keep tiles
Once you can see which single letter completes a bingo, holding a promising six letter combination becomes a real decision rather than a hope. A rack that needs any of several common letters is worth keeping for a turn. A rack that needs one specific rare letter is not.
The letters that appear in the most seven letter words are the ordinary ones — A, E, I, L, N, R, S, T. A rack built from those is far more likely to become a bingo than one carrying a J or a V, even though the J is worth more points sitting there.
Two blanks
The same works with two blanks: type five letters and two non-letter characters. You get far more results, because two unknown tiles open up many more words. Treat that list as a map of what is possible rather than a plan — drawing two specific tiles is much less likely than drawing one.
Words played with a blank score less, because the blank itself is worth nothing. The finder shows both numbers so the difference is visible before you commit to the move.
Stems: the six tiles worth keeping
Tournament players do not memorise seven-letter words. They memorise stems — six-letter combinations that turn into a bingo with a large number of different seventh tiles. The most famous is SATIRE, which combines with most of the alphabet; others in the same family are SATINE, RETINA and TISANE, all built from the same handful of common letters.
You do not need the lists to use the idea. Type any six tiles plus a blank into the word finder and count how many distinct seventh letters appear in the results. Six letters that work with ten different tiles are worth holding for a turn; six that work with one are not.
When holding is wrong
The bingo is worth fifty points, but a turn is worth something too. Three things should make you take the points instead of waiting:
- The board is closing. A bingo needs somewhere to go: seven tiles need an open line. If every lane is blocked, the rack you are protecting has nowhere to land.
- You need a specific rare tile. Waiting on the one J or the one Z is not a plan. Waiting on any of five common letters is.
- The bag is nearly empty. Late in the game there may not be enough draws left, and unplayed tiles are subtracted from your score when someone goes out.
In Words with Friends the calculation shifts again, because the bonus there is thirty-five rather than fifty — the same wait buys less. Details on the Words with Friends calculator page.
Common questions
Does a bingo have to be exactly seven letters? It has to use all seven tiles from your rack in one move. The word itself can be longer if it runs through letters already on the board — those extra letters are free.
Is the bonus multiplied by a word square? No. The word is multiplied, then the fifty is added.
Does a blank still count? Yes. A bingo played with a blank scores less for the word, but the fifty points are unaffected — which is usually why the move is still the best on the board.
How often should I expect one? Far more often than most casual players get them, because most casual players never check. The habit that changes the number is typing your rack plus a blank every turn, not learning more words.