How to play Mixle

Mixle is a free daily word puzzle that gives you 9 letters and challenges you to build the highest-scoring word you can. Every player gets the same letters each day, so you can compare strategies with friends without spoiling anything.

The basics

Each day starts with 9 random letters. Tap or click them in order to spell a word — any valid English word between 3 and 9 letters. Once you're happy with your word, hit submit. That's one round complete.

You play 3 rounds per day. After each round, any letters you didn't use carry over to the next round, mixed in with fresh letters to fill back up to 9. This carry-over mechanic is what makes Mixle unique — your choices echo forward through the entire game.

Scoring

Words are scored using Scrabble-style letter values. Common letters like E, A, and T are worth 1 point, while rarer letters like Q and Z are worth 10. Here's how the values break down:

1 point: A, E, I, O, U, L, N, S, T, R

2 points: D, G

3 points: B, C, M, P

4 points: F, H, V, W, Y

5 points: K

8 points: J, X

10 points: Q, Z

Use all 9 letters in a single word and you earn a +5 bonus on top of the letter score. Your total score is the sum of all 3 rounds.

The carry-over mechanic

This is where strategy comes in. If you use 5 letters to spell a word, the 4 unused letters carry over to the next round. Fresh letters are drawn to fill your hand back to 9. That means a shorter word now might leave you with better letters later — or it might leave you stuck with a tough combination.

If you use all 9 letters, you start the next round with 9 completely new letters plus the bonus points. There's a real trade-off between going for the bonus and keeping flexible letters for future rounds.

Game over

Only the first round is guaranteed to have a valid word. In rounds 2 and 3, it's possible to end up with a combination of letters that can't form any valid word — and that ends the game early. Smart carry-over decisions help you avoid this.

Tips for higher scores

Look for long words first. Using all 9 letters gives you the +5 bonus and maximizes letter points. Even if you don't find a 9-letter word, 7 or 8 letters is usually better than a short high-value word.

Think about what carries over. Vowels are flexible and combine well with most new letters. Leaving behind consonant clusters like X, Q, or Z without a U can make the next round very difficult.

Don't rush. The puzzle is the same all day. Take a moment to look for anagrams and less obvious words before committing.

Play now

A new Mixle puzzle goes live every day at midnight. It takes about five minutes to play — perfect for a morning coffee, a lunch break, or a commute. No app to download, no account to create.