A Little Wordy — Rules, Clues, Berry Tokens & Strategy

A Little Wordy setup: letters, clues and shields

A Little Wordy is a two-player word-deduction game from Exploding Kittens, recommended for ages 10+ and approximately 15 minutes. The box includes 81 letter tiles (26 vowels and 55 consonants), two bags, two dry-erase player shields and markers, 16 clue cards and 40 Berry Tokens.

Shuffle the six Vanilla clue cards separately from the ten Spicy clue cards. Reveal four from each group, creating eight shared clue options for the entire game. Return the unused clue cards to the box. Put the Berry Tokens in a common bank.

Each player draws four vowel tiles and seven consonant tiles and privately creates a valid secret word using any number of their eleven tiles. Write the word on your shield, scramble the tiles, then fold down the shield. Finally, exchange all eleven tiles with your opponent, so you can see the exact letter set from which their word was made—but not the chosen word or which letters they used.

What counts as a valid secret word?

Your word may contain one to eleven letters and must be spelled only with your eleven available tiles. You are not obliged to use all eleven. Proper nouns, including people’s names or city names requiring capitalization, are not valid.

The publisher uses the Exploding Kittens Dictionary to settle spelling and word validity. If your secret word is invalid, you automatically lose the game. Both players may check a proposed word’s validity when uncertain, but cannot browse the dictionary to find a good secret word beforehand.

Every turn: activate one clue OR guess

Players alternate turns. On your turn choose exactly one of two actions: activate one face-up clue card, following its text, or attempt to guess the opponent’s secret word.

There is no fixed limit to the number of times a clue can be activated over the game, but you may activate only one clue per turn. Record information on your flattened player shield; this is essential for tracking eliminated letters, possible lengths and partial patterns.

How clue costs and Berry Tokens work

Each face-up clue card indicates an action and a Berry Token cost. To activate it, announce the card, follow the effect and then give the printed number of Berry Tokens to your opponent from the common bank. Thus you gain information while your rival gains points.

Example: a clue costing 2 Berries may reveal information that lets you eliminate a large number of possible words. The opposing player receives two Berry Tokens immediately, even though you initiated the clue. Repeating a clue is allowed if its text permits a useful new question; it again pays the full printed cost.

The publisher divides clues into easier-to-use Vanilla cards and more involved Spicy cards. Spicy clues can involve more complicated information trade-offs. The exact effect of each available card is determined by its printed text, so use the eight clues actually revealed for your match.

How to make a word guess

Instead of activating a clue, use the eleven letter tiles you received from the opponent to spell the word you believe they secretly chose. Announce that you are making a guess.

If your guess is wrong, your opponent takes two Berry Tokens from the bank and your turn ends. The game continues. An incorrect guess is a real point penalty, not merely a lost opportunity.

If your guess is correct, your opponent cannot earn more Berry Tokens from any further clues you would otherwise use. But the result depends on how your current total compares to your opponent’s Berry Tokens, as explained below.

Winning explained: guessing first is not always enough

When you correctly guess the opposing secret word, compare current Berry Token totals:

Example: you solve the opposing word, but you hold 6 Berry Tokens while they hold 9. You cannot immediately declare victory. Your opponent continues seeking your secret word. Each clue they activate awards you Berries; once your total exceeds theirs, you win. If they solve your word and scores tie, use the special tiebreaker.

The important strategic principle is that spending more on clues can make your rival rich enough to beat you, even if their deduction is slower.

Four-letter speed tiebreaker

If both players correctly guess the other’s secret word and Berry totals are exactly tied, count down from three. Using the letter tiles currently in front of you, race to spell a valid four-letter word not previously used during the game. The first player to complete a valid fresh word wins.

Because you use the tiles from the opponent’s original eleven-letter set, the tiebreaker rewards quickly spotting a new arrangement rather than trying to remember either already-solved secret word.

Where do the berries come from?

All Berries come from the shared bank. You receive them when your opponent activates a clue or makes an incorrect guess. You do not earn Berries just for guessing successfully.

If the forty physical Berry Tokens run out, the rulebook allows players to record additional earnings on their shields and include those recorded points in the final comparison.

Worked example: your opponent activates clues costing 4, 2 and 1 Berry, then guesses wrong once. You receive 4 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 9 Berries. If you have given them 6 Berries through your own clues, your current lead is 9–6. A correct guess now wins immediately.

Eight original word-deduction strategies

• Start with the revealed letter pool. You know every letter the opponent could have used, including duplicates.
• Check both information and cost. A powerful clue might cost enough Berries to make the opponent’s score difficult to overtake.
• Write down eliminated possibilities. Repeating a question with no new information wastes a turn and Berries.
• Do not overvalue length. Short words may be harder to identify because many different combinations fit eleven letters.
• Choose a valid but non-obvious word. An impossible or misspelled word loses automatically.
• Avoid reckless guesses. Each wrong guess gives the other player two Berries.
• Watch both Berry totals. Your goal is not simply to identify the word quickly; your score must also lead.
• Use Spicy clues deliberately. Their unusual trade-offs may be worthwhile when they sharply reduce the remaining candidate words.

These suggestions are editorial deductions from the published rules, not claimed firsthand playtesting.

Team and best-of-three versions

The official rulebook suggests a three-game match: play three complete games, and the winner of at least two is the overall winner. Each game still uses its own separate words, letter tiles and Berry Tokens.

For a team version, divide participants into two teams. Each team cooperates on a secret word and on which clues to activate against the opposing team. The publisher notes that teammates must remain careful about what they say aloud, so they do not reveal the secret word unintentionally. These are variants of the two-player core game, not additional components or expansions.

A Little Wordy FAQ

How many players does A Little Wordy support?

Two in the standard game. A team variant can involve more people.

How many letters do you draw?

Eleven: four vowels and seven consonants.

Do you have to use all eleven letters?

No. The secret word may be between one and eleven letters.

How many clues are available?

Eight face-up clues: four Vanilla and four Spicy.

Who receives Berries when you buy a clue?

Your opponent, not you.

Can a clue be used more than once?

Yes; the publisher places no overall limit, though you may activate just one clue per turn.

What does a wrong guess cost?

Your opponent earns two Berry Tokens.

Does the first correct guess always win?

No. The player must also have more Berries, or wait until their total overtakes their opponent’s.

Can you use names of people or cities?

No. Proper nouns are invalid.

What happens if both players solve their words with tied scores?

A race to form a new valid four-letter word breaks the tie.

Who should play A Little Wordy?

Best for two people who enjoy words, deduction and weighing the informational value of clues against their score cost. It relies on vocabulary and spelling; those seeking broad group play may prefer a team word game.

Similar games and what to play next

If you are comparing this game with other titles on BoardGameArchive, these guides explain genuinely different mechanics and player experiences:

• Codenames — For a word-association challenge designed around teams instead of a two-person secret-word duel.
• Hanamikoji — A compact two-player contest with difficult choices, but based on card allocation rather than spelling.
• The Mind — For a very different cooperative communication challenge with almost no written text.

Official references and editorial scope

• Exploding Kittens official rules page and downloadable 2024 instructions
• Exploding Kittens publisher product details and component list

Publisher rules checked October 12, 2026. The examples and strategy are original instructional commentary, not claims of a personal playtest. Follow the exact clue text in your edition. Editorial policy and corrections.