--- title: "Timed anagram rounds: API" package: "@phaser-ae/anagram-rounds" tier: Pro version: 3.0.0-0 released: 2026-10-21 updated: 2026-10-21 description: "Rounds of jumbled letters to find every word in before the clock runs out, or scrambled words to unscramble one after another, with scoring and pass rules." url: https://phaser.io/packs/anagram-rounds/api site: Phaser - https://phaser.io --- # Timed anagram rounds: API `@phaser-ae/anagram-rounds` — Find every word a jumble of letters spells before the clock runs out, or unscramble words one after another, as in games like Text Twist. ## The pack ### `anagramRounds` ```ts function anagramRounds(): Pack<{ anagramRounds: AnagramRoundsApi }> ``` The `anagram-rounds` pack: timed anagram rounds over the english-words lists. Pure logic, so it runs headless. ## Helpers ### `anagramScore` ```ts function anagramScore(word: string, full: boolean, scoring?: AnagramScoring): number ``` Points for `word` under `scoring`. Throws a RangeError for a table or function that gives a negative or non-finite number. ### `createAnagramRounds` ```ts function createAnagramRounds(options: AnagramRoundsOptions): AnagramRounds ``` Start a game. Throws a RangeError for options out of range: a letter count or length range no word in the list has, a time that is not above 0, a qualify rule or mode it does not know. ## Types ### `AnagramEvent` ```ts type AnagramEvent = | { readonly kind: 'found'; readonly word: string; readonly points: number; readonly full: boolean } | { readonly kind: 'cleared'; readonly bonus: number } | { readonly kind: 'round-over'; readonly passed: boolean } | { readonly kind: 'skipped'; readonly word: string; readonly timedOut: boolean } | { readonly kind: 'next'; readonly round: number } ``` Something that happened, for a game to show. ### `AnagramMode` ```ts type AnagramMode = 'twist' | 'unscramble' ``` `'twist'`: find every word a rack's letters spell, round after round. `'unscramble'`: unscramble one word after another. ### `AnagramMove` ```ts type AnagramMove = | { readonly kind: 'word'; readonly word: string } | { readonly kind: 'shuffle' } | { readonly kind: 'skip' } | { readonly kind: 'next' } | { readonly kind: 'advance'; readonly seconds: number } ``` A move. ### `AnagramRounds` ```ts interface AnagramRounds ``` A game of timed anagram rounds. Make one with `createAnagramRounds`. - `observation(): AnagramView` — The game as it stands. - `check(word: string): { readonly ok: true; readonly points: number; readonly full: boolean } | Refusal` — Would this word count now? `{ ok: true, points, full }` or the refusal with a reason a player could be shown. Changes nothing. - `submit(word: string): { readonly ok: true; readonly result: FoundAnagram } | Refusal` — Submit a word made from the rack's letters. - `shuffle(): void` — Put the rack's letters in a new order. - `skip(): { readonly ok: true; readonly word: string } | Refusal` — Unscramble: give up on the word, revealing it, for its cost. Refused in twist mode. - `next(): { readonly ok: true } | Refusal` — Twist: start the next round after a passed one. Refused while playing or once the game is over. - `advance(seconds: number): void` — Let `seconds` of game time pass; consecutive advances are saved as one. A round or run ends when its clock does. - `undo(): boolean` — Take back the last word, skip, shuffle or round start; time is never given back. - `hint(): { readonly first: string; readonly length: number } | null` — The first letter and length of a word still to find (the shortest), or null. - `answers(): ReadonlyArray` — Twist: every target of the round. Unscramble: the word to unscramble. For a solver, a reveal or a test. - `snapshot(): HistorySave` — The game as a save: the seed and the moves. Restore it into a game made with the same options. - `restore(save: HistorySave | string): void` — Replace this game with a save. Throws, changing nothing, when it does not replay. ### `AnagramRoundsApi` ```ts type AnagramRoundsApi = typeof rules ``` `game.anagramRounds`: every function and type this pack carries, as one namespace. ### `AnagramRoundsOptions` ```ts interface AnagramRoundsOptions ``` How a game is set up. Only `seed` is required. - `seed: number` — Picks the words and every scramble, as an unsigned 32-bit integer. - `mode?: AnagramMode` — `'twist'` (the default) or `'unscramble'`. - `words?: WordList` — The words that count. Default the English lexicon. - `exclude?: ReadonlyArray` — Words never used, as a rack's word, a target or a word to unscramble (any case). - `minLength?: number` — Twist: shortest word that counts, in letters. Default 3. - `letters?: number` — Twist: letters on the rack in the first round. Default 6. - `growEvery?: number` — Twist: one more letter every this many rounds; 0 never. Default 0. - `maxLetters?: number` — Twist: most letters on the rack. Default 9. - `minWords?: number` — Twist: fewest words a round's letters must spell for its word to be chosen. Default 6. - `attempts?: number` — Twist: base words tried for `minWords`, the richest kept. Default 60. - `time?: number` — Seconds on the clock: a twist round's, an unscramble run's, or with `perWord` each unscrambled word's; Infinity for no limit. Default 120 for a twist round, 90 for a run, 30 a word. - `qualify?: QualifyRule` — Twist: what passes a round. Default `'full'`. - `qualifyCount?: number` — Twist: words needed with `qualify: 'count'`. Default 5. - `bonus?: number` — Twist: points for finding every word of a round, which also ends it. Default 500. - `lengths?: readonly [number, number]` — Unscramble: the shortest and longest word to unscramble. Default `[5, 7]`. - `count?: number` — Unscramble: words in a run. Default 10. - `perWord?: boolean` — Unscramble: each word has a clock of its own, `time` seconds; running out counts as a skip. Default false. - `skip?: 'points' | 'life'` — Unscramble: what a skip (or a word's clock running out) costs: `'points'` (the default) or `'life'`. - `skipPenalty?: number` — Unscramble: points a skip costs with `skip: 'points'`. Default 50. Never takes the score below 0. - `lives?: number` — Unscramble: lives with `skip: 'life'`; the run ends at 0. Default 3. - `timeBonus?: number` — Unscramble: points for each whole second left on the clock when a word is unscrambled. Default 1. - `scoring?: AnagramScoring` — Points for each word. Default ten a letter, doubled for a word using every letter. ### `AnagramScoring` ```ts type AnagramScoring = ReadonlyArray | ((word: string, full: boolean) => number) ``` Points for a word: a table of points by length (the last entry for anything longer), or your own function, told whether the word used every letter on the rack. Default: ten points a letter, doubled for a word using every letter. ### `AnagramTarget` ```ts interface AnagramTarget ``` One target of a twist round, as a player sees it. - `readonly word: string | null` — The word, once found or once the round is over; null before. - `readonly found: boolean` — Found by the player (not just shown at the end). ### `AnagramView` ```ts interface AnagramView ``` The game as it stands. Never gives away an unfound word. - `readonly mode: AnagramMode` — The mode. - `readonly phase: 'playing' | 'round-over' | 'game-over'` — `'playing'`, `'round-over'` (twist: passed, waiting for `next`) or `'game-over'`. - `readonly round: number` — The round (twist) or the word (unscramble), counting from 1. - `readonly letters: number` — Letters on the rack. - `readonly rack: ReadonlyArray` — The rack's letters in their current order, lower case. - `readonly targets: ReadonlyArray<{ readonly length: number; readonly words: ReadonlyArray }>` — Twist: the round's words, by length, shortest first, alphabetical within a length. Empty in unscramble. - `readonly total: number` — Twist: how many targets there are. - `readonly found: ReadonlyArray` — Words found this round (twist) or this run (unscramble), in order. - `readonly score: number` — Points in the game so far. - `readonly timeLeft: number` — Seconds on the clock now; Infinity for no limit. - `readonly time: number` — The clock's full time, seconds. - `readonly passed: boolean` — Twist: has the qualify rule been met this round? Unscramble: always true. - `readonly lives: number` — Unscramble: lives left (Infinity unless `skip: 'life'`). - `readonly solved: number` — Unscramble: words unscrambled. - `readonly skipped: ReadonlyArray` — Unscramble: words skipped or timed out, revealed. - `readonly last: AnagramEvent | null` — What the last word, skip or round end did, or null. ### `FoundAnagram` ```ts interface FoundAnagram ``` A word found, and its points. - `readonly word: string` — The word, lower case. - `readonly points: number` — Points it scored. - `readonly full: boolean` — Did it use every letter on the rack? ### `QualifyRule` ```ts type QualifyRule = 'full' | 'count' | 'none' ``` What passes a twist round: a word using every letter (`'full'`), `qualifyCount` words (`'count'`), or nothing (`'none'`). --- ## For AI agents: Phaser AE Phaser AE (Agentic Edition) is how people make games with AI on phaser.io. 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