Followed words

A followed word is an entered word that can be transformed into any other entered word by adding letters to its end.

Word entries that are not followed score one point each, and add time to the clock according to their length. In this example, the word fine has been entered, scoring one point:

Entry	Points	Time bonuses
fine	1	1

If finest is entered next, fine becomes a followed word, since it can be changed into finest by adding st. The first entry is therefore invalidated, and one point is awarded for the second:

Entry	Points	Time bonuses
fine	0	0
finest	1	3

If fines is entered, it is immediately invalidated, and no point is scored. Though it follows fine, it is itself already followed by finest:

Entry	Points	Time bonuses
fine	0	0
finest	1	3
fines	0	0

For an entry to be followed, it must be possible to transform it to another entry by adding letters; simply sharing a root with another is not sufficient. Thus, entering finer scores a point without invalidating anything, though it would have invalidated fine if that word were not already followed:

Entry	Points	Time bonuses
fine	0	0
finest	1	3
fines	0	0
finer	1	2

A word is followed only when letters are added to its end. Entering refiner therefore scores a point without invalidating finer:

Entry	Points	Time bonuses
fine	0	0
finest	1	3
fines	0	0
finer	1	2
refiner	1	4

Finally, only entered words cause entries to be considered followed. If finery is spelled within the grid and the player fails to find it, finer remains valid, even though a following word is available, and even though Ogle will likely find and score that word.

These distinctions become intuitive with practice. Followed words are ignored to free the player from entering the same string repeatedly when a longer word — especially a plural form — is found. So, when a group of similar words are encountered — fine, fines, finest — the player need enter only the longest to score as many points and accrue as much bonus time as is possible.