In CleverGoat’s Word Grid, fill nine squares with English words that satisfy both the row and column clues. In Normal mode, a lower usage score is better. Start with a word that fits, then improve it.
- Board
- 3 × 3 · nine intersections
- Normal mode
- Lower usage is better
- Change your mind
- Reopen a filled square
CleverGoat category grid · Rules and archive replay checked October 19, 2026.
Fill a square in four steps
- Choose an intersection. Read its row and column together. “Seven letter word” plus “Starts with tr” asks for one seven-letter word beginning with tr.
- Enter a fit you can spell. Check the required length and letter pattern before thinking about rarity. A long or unusual word still fails if it misses either clue.
- Read the acceptance checks. If the word is not accepted, distinguish a category failure from a word-list failure. The error example below shows why this matters.
- Reopen to compare. You can try another answer in the same square. Fill other squares you can solve, then return to ones where you can think of a less-used fit.
Use Normal mode for rare words, or switch to Reverse Mode to aim for common answers.
Same clues, two valid answers: travels → troikas
The official strategy article uses archive puzzle #240 to show a borrowed-word alternative. Here is that exact seven-letter × starts-with-tr intersection, rechecked on October 19.
Screenshots from an old puzzle replayed on October 19, 2026. Usage changes as people play. The selected square is the right-hand tile in each crop; “Contains ap” belongs to the neighbouring column.
Three ways to find a different fit
Try these routes from CleverGoat’s strategy guide, recheck both clues, then compare the accepted word’s displayed usage.
Try another word form
Troika → troikas: the plural changes six letters to seven. That is why the form can fit our worked square.
Recheck: a valid plural such as phones has six letters, so it fails a five-letter square. A plural can also break a required ending.
Think of a compound
Sniffle → mudflap: the official #244 example offers two seven-letter words containing the sequence fl. A different word family can open up a candidate you missed.
Recheck: a longer compound is no help when the square demands exactly seven letters.
Test a real prefixed word
Bloody → unbloody: the #248 example preserves oo and the final y while changing the word.
Recheck: this does not preserve length or the starting letters. An invented prefix combination still needs to be in the game’s word list.
Keep the valid word you already know in mind. If a replacement fails, fix the failed condition before searching for something even more obscure.
When a guess fails, read the failed condition
In the same #240 square, troika passed the word-list and starts-with-tr checks, but failed the seven-letter check. It has six letters. Troikas fixed that length mismatch and was accepted.
- Exact length is wrong
- Count the letters in the form you typed. Troika has six; troikas has seven. “Six letters or fewer” is a different condition from “Six letter word”.
- A sequence is not the same as separate letters
- Contains th needs adjacent t-h. Contains t, h needs both letters, in any order. As a constructed rule check, earth has th; hat has both letters but not that sequence.
- Double and multiple are different
- Double letter needs identical letters next to each other. Multiple T’s needs more than one t, with no adjacency requirement. Letter has tt; treat has two separated t’s. These are rule illustrations, not scored game submissions.
- The categories pass but the word list does not
- Check spelling, then try another valid form. The official FAQ names SOWPODS as its word list and notes that a word may still be absent. A result in another word finder does not override the game’s acceptance check.
Read the score in the mode you are playing
Normal: look for lower usage
The percentage describes use of that word in that square, rather than how many English speakers know it. Compare valid candidates within the same intersection. Values can change as people play.
Reverse: look for common choices
The goal flips to popular answers. The current rules rank the most guessed word first and mark words outside the top six with 🥶. A rare Normal-mode choice can be a poor Reverse choice.
The current Normal ladder runs through Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary and Galaxy. Unicorn means only one player has guessed that word for the square; another player choosing the word can change that status. Older strategy screenshots may use different tier names.
Coming from Krillion? Its assigned answer tiers and higher point totals are a different system. Use the rarity-system comparison before treating one game’s number as another game’s score.
Choose your next board
For current rules, use the official instructions, FAQ and developer updates.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change a Word Grid answer after submitting it?
Yes. Reopen the same square and try another word that meets both clues. Compare the displayed usage in Normal mode; the lowest score is the aim. The archive example here shows travels replaced by troikas.
Is an obscure word always a better Word Grid answer?
Only a valid word can fill the square. It must satisfy both categories and the game's word list. In Normal mode compare the actual usage shown; unfamiliarity, extra letters or a plural do not guarantee a lower score. Reverse Mode instead rewards common choices.