# WordStake

> WordStake is a free, browser-based timed word game where players score points by entering valid English words across 7 slots of increasing length (2-7 letters). A rotating bonus category doubles scores for matching words, and players represent their city on a global leaderboard. The game runs fully offline after initial load.

WordStake is built and operated by MILL5 (https://mill5.com). It is offline-first, privacy-respecting, and free to play with no account required (an optional anonymous profile lets you save scores and represent a city).

## How the game works

- Each round is timed and presents 7 word slots of length 2 through 7.
- Players type any valid English word that matches the slot length.
- Words are validated client-side using compact XOR8 probabilistic filters (~141 KB total, no server roundtrip).
- A bonus category (e.g., Animals, Food, Sports) rotates per game; matching words score 2x.
- Filling all 7 slots with words from the active category triggers a "perfect category" 2x multiplier on the total.
- Time bonus: 1 point per 4 seconds remaining, capped at 25.
- First-use bonus: +2 per word the player has never submitted before.
- Cross-game duplicate words score half points and earn no category bonus.

## Scoring

- Base score is the sum of letter tile values (classic tile-based scoring: common letters worth 1, rare letters like Q/Z worth 10).
- Category bonus: 2x per matching word.
- Perfect category bonus: 2x on total.
- Time bonus: capped at 25 points.
- First-use bonus: +2 per never-before-submitted word.

## Cities and leaderboard

- Players optionally choose a city to represent (511 cities, lat/lon-verified).
- A daily leaderboard ranks the top scoring players globally.
- A world map shows the top 30 cities by aggregated score, balanced by region and population.

## Tech and privacy

- Frontend: React + TypeScript + Vite, deployed to Azure Static Web Apps.
- Backend: Python on Azure Functions (used only for profiles, leaderboards, and city scores).
- Word validation runs entirely in the browser — no words are sent to a server during gameplay.
- No tracking pixels, no third-party analytics, no ads.
- Anonymous profile data (handle, city, scores) is stored on Azure SQL.

## Key URLs

- Play: https://wordstake.casualapps.ai/
- How it works: https://wordstake.casualapps.ai/how-it-works
- Leaderboard: https://wordstake.casualapps.ai/leaderboard
- Terms: https://wordstake.casualapps.ai/legal?page=terms
- Privacy: https://wordstake.casualapps.ai/legal?page=privacy
- Cookies: https://wordstake.casualapps.ai/legal?page=cookies

## Operator

- Company: MILL5
- Website: https://mill5.com
- Source / showcase: https://github.com/ChiefInnovator/wordstake-showcase