SpellRush

SpellRush is a daily word mutation game. Each round starts with a source word, and the goal is to turn it into as many valid words as possible by applying a small set of mutations: dropping letters, slicing words apart, swapping letters, and earning more powerful mutations through play.

Game Design

The central constraint is that every word has to come from the previous word. You are not typing an answer from scratch; you are reshaping the current word one move at a time, then locking it once it becomes a valid dictionary word. That makes each source word feel like a small search space where the question is not just "what words do I know?" but "what path can I afford?"

The core mutations are:

• Drop - Remove one letter
• Slice - Cut the word and keep one side
• Swap - Exchange two different letters

Longer chains unlock bonus mutations like Shift, Pair Swap, Trim, Mirror, Cull, and Flip. Those operations open up better paths, but they also make the scoring and risk decisions more complicated.

Modes

Daily mode gives everyone the same puzzle each day, with limited mutations, three strikes, and generated objectives worth bonus points. Rush mode turns the same idea into a 60-second race where valid words earn time back and mistakes cost time.

There are also Classic, Zen, Puzzle, Tutorial, and Challenge modes. Challenge mode can replay another player's run as a ghost so you can compete against the same source words and starting mutations.

Scoring

Scoring rewards both the value of each mutation and the shape of the chain. Mutation weights range from small moves like Drop and Slice to higher-value operations like Flip and Cull. Locking a word after three or more mutations adds a chain bonus, and finding multiple words from the same source word increases the combo multiplier.

The Spell Rush system adds another layer: extracting multiple words from one source word builds a reward ceiling, then the next word has to claim it with a strong enough mutation chain. Push too little and you leave points behind. Push too far and you risk losing the run.

Tech Stack

SpellRush is built with React, TypeScript, Vite, Tailwind CSS, and Zustand. The dictionary is generated offline into separate common and valid word lists, with common words used for seed selection and the broader valid list used for player locks.