Tri Words

A word game against the computer. Sixteen different letters are dealt at random onto a four-by-four board, and you and the computer take turns making three-letter words from them, you first. A word must use three different board letters, be in the game's list of 489 words, and not already have been played by either side; a refused word costs nothing, so you simply try again. Each side's words are listed beside the board. When the computer can find no word it is stumped and you win. You may give up instead: then the computer tries once more, and if it is stumped too the game is a tie. NORMAL BRAIN knows fewer words than SUPER BRAIN. There is no time limit.

Controls: Either controller. The stick moves the cursor over the board (hold to repeat); the left button picks a letter or GIVE UP, and the third pick sends the word; picking the last letter again takes it back, and the right button clears your picks. On the title, up and down choose and a button starts.

ColecoVision version credited in the source to Claude (an AI made by Anthropic) for Amy Studio, in Amy, the language by Amy Bienvenu, 2026: a reimagined adaptation of the published rules. From Ahoy! No. 60, December 1988, page 18: original Commodore 128 program by Bob Blackmer. This is a modern homebrew adaptation, not a commercial Coleco release.