Crossplay rules in brief
- Crossplay is a two-player word game on a 15 × 15 board.
- Each player holds seven tiles on a tray that the opponent cannot see. The bag has 100 tiles, including three blanks.
- The first word must cover the center square. Every later word must connect to tiles already on the board.
- After you play, your tray is refilled to seven tiles while the bag lasts.
- Instead of playing a word you can swap tiles or pass; either one uses your turn.
Source: NYT Help Center: The Crossplay App.
How scoring works
Your score for a turn is the sum of the letter values in every word you form. Double and triple letter squares multiply the tile placed on them; double and triple word squares multiply the whole word. Bonus squares count only on the turn a tile is first placed on them. Blanks are worth 0 points. See every value on the Crossplay letter values page.
Using all seven tiles from your tray in one turn is called a sweep and earns 40 bonus points (NYT Help Center: The Crossplay App).
How a Crossplay game ends
When the tile bag is empty, each player gets one final turn and then the game ends. Tiles left on your tray are not subtracted from your score (TheWordFinder: Crossplay vs Scrabble (September 24, 2026)).
Crossplay vs Scrabble
| Crossplay | Scrabble | |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 2 | 2 to 4 |
| Blanks | 3 | 2 |
| Bonus for using all 7 tiles | 40 (sweep) | 50 (bingo) |
| Center square | No bonus | Double word |
| Leftover tiles at the end | Not counted | Subtracted |
| Word list in North America | NWL2023 | NWL2023 |
Comparison from TheWordFinder: Crossplay vs Scrabble (September 24, 2026). The tile values differ too: G is worth 4 instead of 2, K is 6, V is 6, W is 5 and J is 10, while H drops to 3. With no word bonus near the center and triple word squares close to the corners, Crossplay rewards opening, and blocking, lanes toward the edges.
Practice tips
- Learn the Crossplay two-letter words. QI, ZA, JO, XI and XU let you place your highest tiles in tight spots.
- Before playing a big word, look at which triple word squares it opens for your opponent.
- Keep a blank for a sweep rather than spending it for a few points.
- Stuck on a turn? The Crossplay solver lists every legal move with its score.