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A Word Game to Play in English or Turkish

· KeliMax

KeliMax is a Scrabble-style word game you can play in English or in Turkish. Set Language in Settings to English and you play on a 15×15 board with the SOWPODS word list of 267,751 words; switch to Türkçe and the same board uses the Turkish alphabet and a Turkish dictionary. It is a word game, not a language-learning app.

How the English game works on KeliMax

The rules are the same in both languages: you hold seven letters, you connect your word to letters already on the board, and the score comes from letter values and multiplier squares. Three things change with the language: the dictionary, the tile set and the labels on the board. That makes KeliMax a good fit if you are a Turkish speaker who wants to play in English, or an English speaker who wants to try a word game in Turkish.

English games check words against the SOWPODS list, which holds 267,751 words. The tile bag has 100 tiles: the 26 letters of the alphabet plus 2 blanks. Letter values are: A, E, I, O, U, L, N, S, T and R are worth 1 point; D and G 2; B, C, M and P 3; F, H, V, W and Y 4; K 5; J and X 8; Q and Z 10. A blank is worth 0 points but can stand for any letter.

In English games the multiplier squares use English abbreviations: DL doubles a letter and TL triples it; DW doubles a word and TW triples it. In Turkish games the same squares read 2H, 3H, 2K and 3K. Use all seven letters in one turn and you get a 50-point bonus. For worked examples: How are points calculated?

How to choose the game language

When you open KeliMax for the first time, the game starts in Turkish if your phone is set to Turkish, and in English otherwise. You can change it at any time:

  1. Open Settings in the app.
  2. Tap Language in the General section.
  3. Pick English or Türkçe from the list.
  4. Start a new game: a random one-on-one match, a room you create in Room Mode and the Word League in Play Offline now open in that language.
  5. To switch back, follow the same steps and pick the other language.

The Language option changes both the game language and the app menus, so choosing Türkçe also switches the menus to Turkish. Games already in progress are not affected: every game finishes in the language it started in, so your ongoing matches are never cut short.

Which modes can you play in English and Turkish?

Random one-on-one match: a game you start while English is selected is played in English, and matchmaking only pairs English games with English games. The same goes for Turkish. In 24 Hours mode you have up to 24 hours for each move, so there is no rush to find a word in a second language.

Play Offline: in the Word League under Offline Games you play against the computer in the language you selected, and your progress is kept separately for each language. It is a good place to practise without an internet connection and without hurrying.

Room Mode: a room is played in the language of the person who created it. If you want to play with friends in English, create a private room while English is selected and share the code; everyone who joins with the code plays in English. For the steps to create and join a room: Guide to playing with friends online

The Weekly League also has separate Turkish and English leagues; if you join while English is selected, you are ranked in the English league.

Does it help with vocabulary?

The honest answer: KeliMax is not a language course. It has no lessons, word lists, pronunciation practice or level tests, and it does not measure how much you learn. Do not treat it as a complete tool for learning English or Turkish; it does not replace a course or regular study.

Still, the game asks you to use the words you know: recalling short words, trying the plural or another form of a word, and paying attention to the words your opponent plays. You can also look up the dictionary entry of a word played in a game; for English words the entry is in English and may not be found for every word. In these ways a word game can help reinforce your vocabulary while you have fun.

If you want to use the game for practice, you can set yourself small habits: try at least one new short word in every game, look up the meaning of a word your opponent played that you did not know, and warm up without hurrying in the Word League under Play Offline. These are not a study programme offered by the game; they are simply habits you can build while you play. And when you need a break, switching back to your own language on the same board is only a tap away.

5 tips for playing in English

  1. Learn the two-letter words: QI, ZA, XI, JO and OX are all valid and let you use a high-value letter in a tight spot.
  2. Q usually needs a U; if you do not have one, words without U such as QI or QAT can save your rack.
  3. Do not waste your S: pluralising a word on the board lets you score two words at once together with your new word.
  4. Put J, X, Q and Z on a DL or TL square to double or triple their value.
  5. Keep endings such as -ING, -ED and -ER on your rack to set up a bingo; use all seven letters and you earn a 50-point bonus.

For more tactics: Word game strategy guide

Frequently asked questions

Can I learn English or Turkish with KeliMax?

KeliMax is a word game, not a language-learning app. It lets you use the words you already know and look up the meaning of words played in a game; that can help reinforce your vocabulary, but it does not replace a course.

Which dictionary is used for English games?

English games use the SOWPODS list of 267,751 words. If a word is on the list, it is valid in the game, even when no dictionary entry is found for it.

Is KeliMax the same as English Scrabble?

KeliMax is a Scrabble-style word game where you place letters on a 15×15 board to score points, and English games use the SOWPODS word list. It is a separate app with its own modes, leagues and power-ups.

Can I have Turkish and English games running at the same time?

Yes. Every game continues in the language it started in. When you change the Language option, only the games you start afterwards use the new language; your ongoing games stay as they are.

Ready for your first game in English or Turkish? Get KeliMax for free from the App Store or Google Play: download links