Introduction Making Moves Replacing Cards Scoring |
File Menu Cards Menu Options Menu |
Keyboard Commands Mouse Commands Credits |
The rules for CrossCards are essentially the same as the rules for Scrabble, but with a few important differences:
Legal hands: | Examples: | |||
2, 3 or 4 of a kind | ![]() |
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2 pairs | ![]() |
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full house (pair and triple) | ![]() | bonus = 20 points | ||
flush | ![]() | bonus = 30 points | ||
straight | ![]() | bonus = 40 points | ||
5 of a kind | ![]() | bonus = 50 points | ||
straight flush | ![]() | bonus = 70 points | ||
royal flush | ![]() | bonus = 100 points |
A computer player is indicated by a digit at the end of their name. The digit represents their skill level, ranging from 0 for novice up to 9 for expert. To change the skill level just click on the name in the scoresheet. A computer player will only make a move when you click on the MOVE button or hit the enter/return key.
If you are the current player then drag your cards one at a time from the rack to the board. As cards are added to the board, CrossCards calculates and shows the potential score. Note that "?" is displayed if the move is illegal.
Legal moves are made by placing cards on the board in a horizontal or vertical line with no intervening empty squares. The very first move must cover the middle square. For all other moves, at least one card must be placed next to a card from a previous move. When you have finished, click on the DONE button or hit the enter/return key. At that point you will be asked to specify a card for any joker used.
CrossCards will warn you if you attempt to make an illegal move. You can return cards from the board to your rack by ctrl-clicking or right-clicking on them, or by hitting the delete key.
Play continues until there are no cards left and one player has used all of their cards, or until all players have passed.
If you cannot make a legal hand (or if you prefer not to make one) then you can replace one or more cards, but only if there are 8 or more cards remaining in the bag.
To replace a card you can ctrl-click or right-click on it, or you can drag it into the "Cards remaining" box. The cards to be replaced will be displayed in the box. If you change your mind, just click in the box to put the last card back in your rack. Click on the DONE button when you have finished. The score for such a move is 0.
If you cannot make a hand and there aren't enough cards remaining to be replaced then you will have to pass. Simply click on the DONE button or hit the enter/return key. The score for a pass is 0.
Scoring is performed much the same as in Scrabble. CrossCards automatically calculates each player's score, so you only need to know the following information if you are learning the game and want to know how to make high-scoring moves.
joker | = | 0 points |
2, 3, ... 9, 10 | = | 2, 3, ... 9, 10 points |
jack | = | 11 points |
queen | = | 12 points |
king | = | 13 points |
ace | = | 14 points |
2 or 3 BY CARD = 2 or 3 times the card value.
2 or 3 BY HAND = 2 or 3 times the sum of all card values in that hand.
Card multiplication is done before hand multiplication. Once covered, a multiplier square has no effect on future moves.
The following keyboard commands are available:
backspace/delete | put last card added to the board back in the rack |
enter/return | do the move (equivalent to pressing DONE/MOVE button) |
space | sort cards (equivalent to pressing SORT button) |
B | toggle blinking of computer moves |
C | toggle seeing computer player's cards |
F | toggle fullscreen mode |
H | show this help (equivalent to pressing HELP button) |
L | show last move |
N | start a new game |
O | open a previously saved game |
P | toggle playing of sounds |
Q | quit CrossCards |
S | save the current game |
Z | undo the last move |
shift-Z | redo an undone move |
8 | show the highest scoring move (using skill level 8) |
9 | show the best strategic move (using skill level 9) |
[ | decrease sound volume |
] | increase sound volume |
These mouse commands are available (on a Mac the option key is the same as alt):
alt-click on a card | show all matching cards |
shift-click on a card | drag a connected line of cards horizontally |
shift-alt-click on a card | drag a connected line of cards vertically |
ctrl-click on a rack card | replace that card |
right-click on a rack card | replace that card |
ctrl-alt-click on a rack card | swap that card for another from bag |
ctrl-click on a board card | return that card to the rack |
right-click on a board card | return that card to the rack |
Andrew Trevorrow designed and programmed CrossCards. Much thanks to Ian and Colin Lynch Smith for distributing the original Macintosh version.
Thanks to rhodesmas for the bonus sound.
Thanks to Jostein Gaarder for writing The Solitaire Mystery. A lovely book with a lot to say about the importance of jokers. :)