How to Play Bass-Ack-Words

Bass-Ack-Words is simple to pick up and surprisingly hard to put down. Here's everything you need to know — the core rule, the timer, the cash bounty, hints, the levels, and the world-wide leaderboards.

The one rule that matters

You're shown a definition — a short clue for a hidden word. After about three seconds, you have to spell that word out backwards and submit it before the timer runs out. That's the whole game — and it's harder than it sounds, because your eyes desperately want to read left-to-right.

The timer & the bounty

Every word is against the clock — you get 30 seconds, and there's a $50 bounty riding on each word. The catch: the bounty drains as the seconds tick by, so a lightning-fast answer keeps nearly all of it and a last-second squeaker earns you pocket change. The moment you tap the final letter, your answer submits itself — no submit button, no takebacks. Fast and right is the name of the game.

Levels — words get longer

The game starts gentle: Level 1 is all four-letter words to warm up your backwards-spelling muscles. Clear five words and you move up — five letters in Level 2, six in Level 3, seven in Level 4, with a cash bonus every time you clear a level. Then comes Level 5, the final level: an endless mixed bag of everything, where the rounds keep coming for as long as you can keep up. By then you'll understand why folks in the Holler say it'll "turn your brain bass-ackwards."

Hints, erasing & streaks

Stuck on a tough one? You get up to three hints per word — each one reveals a letter but takes a bite out of that word's bounty. There's an ERASE button for fixing a fumbled answer, and a "SHOW ME THE WORD" escape hatch when a word has you fully whipped (no payout, but you live to spell again).

Here's where the real money is: streaks. String together solves without using a hint — or without touching ERASE — and bonus payouts start landing, growing the longer you keep the streak alive. The best players barely touch the hint buttons.

World-wide leaderboards

Create a free account and every dollar you earn climbs the world-wide leaderboards — lifetime cash, best single game, and top level reached. Sign in from any device and your totals follow you. No account is needed to just play; jump in as a guest and the game works exactly the same. The account is only there if you want to see your name above your friends' — and let's be honest, you do.

Want the full farm? Play the Classic version

The original Classic version is the whole of Haybell Holler in your browser — same backwards spelling at its heart, plus a barn full of extras the streamlined version leaves behind:

• Bonus mini-games — pause into the barn for fast arcade rounds that pay extra cash, with a surprise unlock for a perfect score.
• The Garage — buy rides for your donkey: a tractor, a truck, a car, a motorcycle... and one ride money can't buy.
• The Clothing Shop — dress your donkey in a dozen outfits, from '70s groove to caveman chic, and the look carries through the game.
• The Money Jar — the barn jar fills as you earn; click it and a sign tells you whether you're broke or loaded.

Fair warning: Classic has a long load time — it's best played on a computer with a solid connection. Both versions share the same leaderboards, so your cash counts no matter where you earn it.