# ULU - Ultimate Lookup Utility — Fast, powerful word searching

> Word lookup and tournament adjudication tool for word games. (iPhone/iPad app by Seth Lipkin.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulu-ultimate-lookup-utility/id1281832323 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Seth Lipkin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1766126774)
- Category: Reference, Games, Board, Word
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 43 App Store ratings · 18 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 12.0 · 759 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2017-09-22
- Data updated: 2026-08-15
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulu-ultimate-lookup-utility/id1281832323/reviews.md

## What is ULU?

ULU is a word-lookup and tournament adjudication tool useful for a variety of word games, including Scrabble®, Words With Friends®, and crossword puzzles.

ULU comes equipped with both of the lexicons used in English-language Scrabble: the NWL2023 lexicon for North America, and the CSW2022 lexicon for the rest of the world.

ULU's Search page enables you to find words that match letter combinations, with or without blanks and wildcards. It also finds words matching any pattern you name, words that contain only a subset of letters you name, words of a certain length, or any combination of these things at once. You can also limit search results to show only the number of matches or to show which blanks make matches. Tapping a word brings up a page of more detailed information about that word.

ULU's Judge page lets you see whether or not words you type are all valid, as you would need when playing tournament Scrabble.

ULU also includes a customizable timer for use in tournament Scrabble or in other games

## Key features

- Official Scrabble lexicons (NWL2023, CSW2022)
- Advanced word pattern matching
- Wildcard and blank letter support
- Tournament word adjudication
- Customizable game timer

## Recent user reviews (10 of 18)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulu-ultimate-lookup-utility/id1281832323/reviews.md

### 5/5 — มีปัญหา

*2025-09-12, version 1.2.25*

Iphone 13 ปุ่มคีบอร์ดขึ้นมาค้าง ปัดลงไม่ได้ ทำให้ไปหมวดอื่นไม่ได้

### 5/5 — Thanks for a wonderful gift

*2024-12-21, version 1.2.21*

Thank you Seth.

### 5/5 — I love this App

*2023-03-20, version 1.2.6*

It’s definitely helped me learn new words and new anagrams. I don’t know why but my iPad version won’t give me definitions. I’d pay for this app, just saying. I love tournament scrabble and I am improving yearly with study. This tool really helps. 

 It’s tricky knowing what the word lists are, the abbreviations are confusing. Updating the app description here in the App Store would be nice — add latest lists and describe what they mean. For instance, the latest NASPA list has two for 2020. The one with the S is for school or students and has more ‘objectionable’ words removed.

Thanks for such a handy tool!

### 5/5 — Works for Me

*2020-07-16, version 1.2.0*

Albeit, this App has a couple of drawbacks when compared to Zarf which, to many, was the Gold Standard.  However, ULU is more than I could have hoped for and, for our purposes (wife and I), it is exactly what we needed when we go head to head in our Scrabble competitions against each other. Thank you for developing this wonderful App.

### 5/5 — Lives up to its name

*2020-03-23, version 1.1.7*

The only other feature I wish it had was definitions, but get that this a licensing issue or whatever. Thanks for an exceptionally useful tool, Seth!

### 5/5 — Excellent app

*2020-03-05, version 1.1.7*

Great!!

### 4/5 — Almost Perfect

*2019-09-20, version 1.1.2*

Love it but is there any hope this app will ever include definitions?

### 5/5 — CSW19

*2019-05-18, version 1.1.0*

How soon will the lexicon be updated to the new CSW19?

### 5/5 — cool

*2018-04-12, version 1.0.4*

great stuff for scrabble.

### 3/5 — Needs Better Word List

*2018-02-14, version 1.0.3*

Unfortunately the word list lexicon is quite small. 
It really needs TWL 2016, which is copyright. Why can’t for a fee or something we get a better lexicon. 
I am using this app to replace Zarf and Zyzzyva, which no longer work on my iPad.

## Frequently asked questions about ULU

### What lexicons does ULU use for Scrabble?

ULU includes both the NWL2023 lexicon for North American Scrabble and the CSW2022 lexicon for international Scrabble. These are the official lexicons used in English-language Scrabble tournaments.

### Can ULU find words with specific letter patterns?

Yes, ULU's Search page allows you to find words matching letter combinations, with or without blanks and wildcards. You can also search for words containing only a subset of letters or of a specific length.

### How does ULU help with tournament Scrabble?

ULU features a Judge page to verify word validity for tournament play. It also includes a customizable timer suitable for tournament settings or other games.

### What devices is ULU available on?

ULU is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It is designed to be a versatile tool across Apple's mobile ecosystem.

### How often is ULU updated?

The latest version of ULU is 12.2.28, last updated on December 3, 2025. This indicates a commitment to regular updates and improvements.

### What is the age rating for ULU?

ULU has an age rating of 4+. This makes it suitable for a wide range of users, including younger players and families.

### Is ULU free to use?

Yes, ULU is completely free to download and use. There are no in-app purchases or advertisements, providing an uninterrupted experience.

### What kind of word information does ULU provide?

Tapping on a found word in ULU brings up a page with detailed information about that word. This can include definitions and other relevant linguistic data.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.2.31 — 2026-05-27

* Added "Hide courtesy timer?" setting to the global timer settings.

### 1.2.29 — 2026-04-19

* Added the latest Polish lexicon, OSPS52

### 12.2.28 — 2025-12-03

* Improved CSW24 definitions.

### 12.2.27 — 2025-10-20

* All taps on a timer or the timer's stop button, even if the start of a swipe or a double-tap, now register correctly.
* The timer's stop button recognizes taps from a larger area, making it easier to hit.

### 1.2.26 — 2025-09-29

* Included definitions for the WOW24 lexicon
* Fixed issue in which hooks were being truncated when using large font sizes.

## Apps similar to ULU

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Word & Anagram Finder](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-and-anagram-finder/id1338302714) | 4.7 (2,568) | Free | Reference |
| [Word Check - Scrabble Words](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-check-scrabble-words/id1489890340) | 5.0 (3) | $0.99 | Reference |
| [Word Checker for Scrabble®](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-checker-for-scrabble/id1419607257) | 4.8 (9,475) | Free | Reference |
| [Word Checker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-checker/id718149452) | 4.7 (33) | Free | Reference |
| [Word Expert: Crossword cheats](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-expert-crossword-cheats/id1437814395) | 4.6 (338) | Free | Reference |
| [WordWise Validator: word judge](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordwise-validator-word-judge/id1552668247) | 4.7 (305) | Free | Reference |

## More apps by Seth Lipkin

- [cross-tables](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-tables/id845382258)

All apps by Seth Lipkin: https://appshunter.io/developer/1766126774

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-15.*