Similar to Scrabble, Bookworm is a Flash game developed by PopCap, and hosted on Shockwave. While it doesn’t offer the immediate action of, say, Bejeweled or Zuma, Bookworm can be just as appealing, especially if you have a large vocabulary.

The object of the game is to create words by clicking on adjacent tiles. The longer the word, or the harder to use the letter, the more points you will gain. There are four types of letter tiles for you to manipulate during play:

  • Normal tiles, of which there are by far the most
  • Gold tiles, which are triggered by making long words (five plus letters) and provide “mega points,” according to the helpful hints that are provided (should you happen to want them)
  • Green tiles, which aren’t as valuable as gold tiles, but still provide a nice point bonus
  • Flaming tiles. This last type isn’t immediately helpful. Triggered making too many short words (usually those with about three or so letters), flaming tiles slowly burn their way toward the bottom of the playing field. Should they reach the bottom (you will be reminded before they do by a profusely sweating worm), your library catches on fire and the game ends

Additionally, there are occasionally “bonus words” that will give you extra points, should you manage to spell them out.

There are, of course, limits. The game doesn’t accept any words with less than three letters. Proper nouns are off limits as well, and don’t even think about trying colloquial terms. It does, however, accept some rather unexpected letter combinations, such as “leet” and “thefez” (okay, maybe not thefez, but it does accept “leet” as a valid word). And did you know that “quod” and “qua” are words? They even give a nice point lift for using the “Qu” combination tile.

If you think you have a decent vocabulary (or even if you don’t and you’re looking to expand it), give Bookworm a try. Even if you’re an edge-of-your-seat action type person, you’ll probably be able to find at least some enjoyment in it.


Servo5678 says re Bookworm: Bookworm is also available for the PC and Game Boy Advance.

Grundoon got to the front rocks. She curled up in the huge tire inner tube, warm from the sun. She sighed with pleasure and opened her book.

Along came Lizardinlaw. Lizard studied her sister for a minute. Then she climbed onto the inner tube, lying down crosswise across Grundoon. On top of the book.

Grundoon tried to wrench the book out from under Lizard. No go.

"Chrissssiiiieeee." said Lizard, "Would you play with me?"

"No." said Grundoon. "I am reading my book."

"Pleeeease?" said Lizard.

Grundoon started laughing. "Koren asked me to sew and I said no. Nono asked me to make cards and I said no. I want to read my book. It's at a really exciting place. I'll play with you later. Go away."

"Pleeeeeease?" said Lizard.

"Is this how you felt when I was little and you were reading and I'd bug you to play?"

Lizardinlaw nodded happily.

"Oooohhhh, you drive me crazy." said Grundoon. "Now go away and let me read!"

And Lizard did.



Not true! The grundoon got up, and went swimming with the lizard! At least, that's the way SHE remembers it. And did yoga on the rocks. Now the lizard needs to come up with a color scheme for her spiffy log cabin, so the grundoon can go junking and get her shopping yayas out on the cheap. -ed. grundoon

Book"worm` (?), n.

1. Zool.

Any larva of a beetle or moth, which is injurious to books. Many species are known.

2.

A student closely attached to books or addicted to study; a reader without appreciation.

I wanted but a black gown and a salary to be as mere a bookworm as any there. Pope.

 

© Webster 1913.

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