Sanajuuri (Helsingin Sanomat)

About Sanajuuri (Helsingin Sanomat)

Sanajuuri (word root) is one of the games on HS Pelit, the games page of the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, alongside Miniristikko, Sanalouhos and Uutisvisa. A new puzzle with its own date appears every day, and everyone gets the same starting word.

The game shows the first word and all the letters that will be used. On each row you must make a new word from all the letters of the word above plus exactly one extra letter, in any order. The paper's own example: from ILO, adding K gives OLKI or KILO. Only one particular letter will keep the pyramid going, so a valid word with the wrong letter can lead you into a dead end.

Each row offers two hints (the last row only one): the first tells you which letter to add, the second gives the first letter of the word. A shuffle button rearranges the letters if you are stuck without wanting a hint. Proper nouns, inflected forms, compound words and abbreviations are not accepted, and the word list is built from the Institute for the Languages of Finland's list of modern Finnish words.

The game is credited to an HS team of Mikko Kivistö, Katariina Rahkola, Juhani Saarinen and Antti Hämäläinen. It suits Finnish speakers who like anagrams and want a short, steady climb rather than a guessing game.

How to play Sanajuuri (Helsingin Sanomat)

1. Open Sanajuuri on HS Pelit and press Pelaa.
2. Look at the starting word and the letters available.
3. On the next row, make a word that uses every letter of the previous word plus one new letter.
4. Use the hints if needed: the first shows which letter to add, the second shows the first letter of the word.
5. Keep growing the word until you reach the last row, or press Lopeta to stop.

Tips

• Try each remaining letter in turn and look for anagrams; only one letter leads on.
• Remember that inflected forms and compounds do not count, so think of base forms.
• Shuffle the letters before using a hint; a new order often shows the word.

Questions