Mission manual
How to play Acronauts
Every round you get a random acronym. Write a phrase whose words start with those letters, in order. Then everyone votes for their favorite without knowing who wrote what. Votes become points, and the highest total after the final round wins.
The one rule
One word per letter, in order
Your phrase needs exactly one word for each letter, and each word must start with its letter, in the same order. Capital letters do not matter. The server checks every entry, so a phrase that does not fit is rejected before anyone sees it.
- “Bold Agile Robots” — three words, starting B, A, R. (valid)
- “Bold Agile” — only two words for three letters. (rejected)
- “Bold Quick Robots” — the second word has to start with A. (rejected)
A round, step by step
- 01
The letters drop
A random acronym appears for everyone at the same moment. The game server runs the clock, so every player sees the same countdown.
- 02
Write your phrase
Type a phrase that fits the letters before the submission timer ends (60 seconds by default; 30–120 in custom rooms). One entry per player, locked in once you submit. If everyone submits early, voting starts right away.
- 03
Vote anonymously
Every entry is shown without its author. Pick your favorite before the voting timer ends (30 seconds by default; 15–45 in custom rooms). You can change your vote until voting closes, but you cannot vote for your own phrase. Voting closes when the timer ends, or as soon as everyone has voted.
- 04
Results and points
Authors and vote counts are revealed and points are added on the server. About 12 seconds later the next round starts automatically.
Scoring
How points are earned
- +100
- For every vote your phrase receives.
- +50
- For voting for the round's top phrase. If phrases tie for the most votes, each of them counts as a winner.
- +25
- Speed bonus for the earliest-submitted phrase that receives at least one vote.
Example: your phrase collects 2 votes and was the earliest-submitted phrase to get a vote, and you voted for the phrase that won the round. That is 2 × 100 + 25 + 50 = 275 points.
Scores are calculated on the game server when each round closes. These are the standard values.
Rounds and letters
Acronyms grow as you go
Games run 5 rounds by default (3–10 in rooms you create), and the acronyms get longer as the game goes on:
| Round | Letters |
|---|---|
| Rounds 1–2 | 3 |
| Rounds 3–4 | 4 |
| Rounds 5–6 | 5 |
| Rounds 7–8 | 6 |
| Round 9+ | 7 |
Letters are weighted toward ones that start plenty of words, so Q, V, X, Y and Z turn up only rarely.
Winning
Claiming the orbit
When the final round's results are in, the highest total score wins, and AI bots are on the scoreboard too, so keep your wits sharp. Games in official rooms count toward the global leaderboard and your career stats. Private rooms and custom games play exactly the same, just for fun.
Rooms and bots
Finding a game
Sign in and open the lobby. Join an open room, press Quick Play to drop into one (it creates a room with two AI bots if none is open), or create your own. Hosts pick the room name, a category, a mood, the player limits (up to 12 seats), the number of rounds, both timers, an optional password for a private room, and how many AI bots to bring.
In the waiting room everyone marks themselves ready. Once enough players are in and all of them are ready, the host launches the game. From then on the server runs every round, even if the host disconnects.
AI bots are full players with personalities: they write entries that follow the room's category and mood, vote, and chat. If the AI is ever unavailable they fall back to a built-in word bank, so a round never stalls.
14 categories (or write your own)
- General
- Animals
- Food & Drink
- Movies & TV
- Music
- Sports
- Science & Tech
- Travel & Places
- Office Life
- Dating & Romance
- Parenting
- Retro 90s
- Fantasy & Sci-Fi
- History
9 moods for the bots
- Witty
- Humorous
- Sarcastic
- Punny
- Wholesome
- Dramatic
- Trivia
- Poetic
- Raunchy
Fair play
Connection, hosts and chat
- Timers, phase changes and scoring all run on the game server, never in a player's browser.
- If your connection drops, the game keeps going. When you reconnect, the room resyncs to the current phase.
- If the host leaves, the next player in line becomes host automatically. If every human leaves, the game is cancelled.
- Chat is limited to 5 messages every 10 seconds per player.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acronauts free to play?
Yes. You need a free account to join games; the rules and the leaderboards are open to everyone.
How many players can join a game?
Rooms you create hold up to 12 players and can start with as few as 2. AI bots count as players, so you plus one bot is enough to launch. Official rooms set their own player limits.
Can I play on my own?
Yes. Add AI bots to your room, or press Quick Play in the lobby: it drops you into an open public room, or creates a fresh room with two AI bots if none is open.
What happens if I do not submit a phrase in time?
You simply have no entry that round, so you cannot receive votes. You can still vote, and still earn the 50-point bonus for backing the winner.
Can I change my vote?
Yes. You can switch your vote as often as you like until voting closes, which happens when the voting timer runs out or as soon as everyone has voted.
Can I vote for my own phrase?
No. Under the standard rules your own entry cannot receive your vote.
How long are the acronyms?
3 letters in the first two rounds, then one more letter every two rounds, up to a maximum of 7.
Which games count toward the leaderboard?
Only public games in official rooms. Private rooms and custom games play exactly the same way, they just do not change your rank or career stats.
Is Acronauts the same game as Acrophobia?
Acronauts is inspired by Acrophobia, the classic online acronym game, but it is an independent game with its own rooms, AI bots and leaderboards.
Your crew is waiting.
Create a free account, jump into a room, and put your wordplay to the test.