# Word Roots Puzzle — Vocabulary & Etymology Game > Vocabulary & Etymology Game (iPhone/iPad app by Ryoko Goto.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-roots-puzzle/id6787639090 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Ryoko Goto](https://appshunter.io/developer/6787639092) - Category: Education, Games - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.0 · 2 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-07-06 - Data updated: 2026-08-28 - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-roots-puzzle/id6787639090/reviews.md ## What is Word Roots Puzzle? What if learning vocabulary felt more like solving a puzzle, and less like memorizing a list? Word Roots Puzzle is a no-flashcard vocabulary game where you build words from roots, prefixes, and suffixes. You don't need to know the word before you start. Break it apart. Follow the clues. Have that little "aha!" moment when it clicks. English words often share the same roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Once you notice those patterns, unfamiliar words can feel a lot less unfamiliar. HOW TO PLAY You're given a meaning, and your job is to build the word by putting its parts in the right order. Need a clue? Tap Show Meanings to see what each part means. Get it right and the word opens up, showing how the pieces connect to the whole word. In purchased volumes, get every word right twice to graduate. In the Free Sampler, once is enough. After graduating, you can reset and play again anytime. YOUR CERTIFICATE KEEPS THE WORDS When you graduate from a volume, you get a certificate that keeps every word you built, along with its word parts and meaning. So the words don't disappear when you finish. You can come back and review them anytime. SOMETIMES THE PARTS DON'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY Not every word means exactly what you'd expect if you simply combined its parts. Meanings change over time, and some words move far from where they started. That's why each puzzle includes a short explanation connecting the word parts to the way the word is used today. Etymology isn't a perfect formula, but it can give you an image, structure, or pattern that makes a new word easier to approach. WORD-PART HINTS IN 12 LANGUAGES French, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, or Vietnamese. Translations stay close to dictionary meanings, with learner-friendly wording where helpful. CHOOSE YOUR TRACK 560 words across 14 volumes, plus a free 20-word sampler. ESL ESSENTIALS — 40 words × 3 volumes B1–B2 vocabulary for stronger everyday English. UNIVERSITY PREP — 40 words × 3 volumes C1–C2 academic vocabulary, including language used in SAT, TOEFL, IELTS, and higher-level English study. MEDICAL TERMS — 40 words × 5 volumes Greek- and Latin-based terms used in anatomy, symptoms, conditions, procedures, and other areas of healthcare. These three tracks mix easier and harder words rather than getting progressively more difficult. TOEIC — 40 words × 3 volumes A2–C1 business and workplace vocabulary. This track gets harder from one volume to the next and is designed mainly for learners aiming for scores around 600–900. Some words also appear in other tracks because business, general, and academic English naturally overlap. I ALSO WANTED IT TO BE DEPENDABLE I want the puzzles to be fun, but I also want the information behind them to be solid. Word Roots Puzzle follows American English for spelling, definitions, usage, and word-part analysis, and every word part, meaning, and explanation is cross-checked before it goes in. JUST A DIFFERENT WAY TO STUDY Flashcards work really well for some people. They just don't work for everyone. If memorizing lists leaves you frustrated, this gives you another way in. The idea is to notice recurring patterns, so when you meet an unfamiliar word, you have something to work with. NO SUBSCRIPTION Every pack is a one-time purchase. No recurring fees. No ads. No account or login required. Your progress stays on your device. START FREE Not sure it's for you? Try the free 20-word Sampler and see how the puzzles feel before buying anything. I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK Word Roots Puzzle is independently made, so feedback from learners really does help me decide what to improve next. If you enjoy the app, I'd really appreciate a review. Word Roots Puzzle by Verbal Structure ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | SAT & GRE Prep — Volume III | $2.49 | one-time | | Medical Terms — Volume I | $2.49 | one-time | | Medical Terms — Volume II | $2.49 | one-time | | Medical Terms — Volume III | $2.49 | one-time | | Medical Terms — Volume IV | $2.49 | one-time | | Medical Terms — Volume V | $2.49 | one-time | | ESL Essentials — Complete Pack | $5.89 | one-time | | SAT & GRE Prep — Complete Pack | $5.90 | one-time | | Medical Terms — Complete Pack | $9.99 | one-time | | Complete Library — Every Volume | $18.49 | one-time | ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.0.3 — 2026-08-19 Certificates now list the words you built Finish a volume and its certificate shows every word you solved — the roots you assembled and what each one means. The free Sampler's certificate also names which collection each word came from, and how many more are waiting on that shelf. Also in this update - The SAT & TOEFL track is now called University Prep — same volumes, same words, covering the academic English that SAT, TOEFL, and IELTS all draw from - The sound and vibration switches now sit in the header, within reach at any point in a puzzle - The way back to the library sits with the volume name, just above the progress bar - Small fixes to the bookshelf ### 2.0.2 — 2026-08-10 - A new Sampler with words from all four tracks, each labelled with where it came from - Sound and haptic feedback when a word snaps together — both optional - The app now reopens on the puzzle you were playing ### 2.0.1 — 2026-07-27 Refined word-part breakdowns and translations across all volumes. Volumes that aren't available for purchase yet now show as "Coming soon." ### 2.0 — 2026-07-22 A major expansion and refresh of Word Roots Puzzle: • Added a new TOEIC track: 120 words across 3 progressively challenging volumes, focused on business and workplace English
• Added word-part meaning hints in 12 languages
• Reviewed and refined the core meaning of each root, prefix, and suffix so it can be understood clearly and applied across multiple words
• Improved definitions, translations, word-part analysis, and the explanations connecting each word’s parts to its current meaning
• Redesigned the language selector and multilingual hint display
• Improved puzzle-piece layouts and post-answer explanations
• Refined the Library, bundles, book spines, and pricing display
• Renamed “SAT & GRE Prep” to “SAT & TOEFL Prep” to better reflect the vocabulary included
• The app now primarily follows American English and has been checked using multiple reliable dictionaries and specialist references
• The Free Sampler requires one correct answer per word to graduate; purchased volumes require two Prices have been updated to reflect the addition of the TOEIC track, 12-language word-part hints, and the extensive review and improvement of the app’s vocabulary content and learning explanations. Break words apart. Follow the clues. Have an aha moment. ### 1.0 — 2026-07-06 No release notes. ## More apps by Ryoko Goto - [Advanced Verbal Lab](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/advanced-verbal-lab/id6791155116) All apps by Ryoko Goto: https://appshunter.io/developer/6787639092 ## Related topics [rooted word](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/rooted-word) · [puppy minimal pairs](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/puppy-minimal-pairs) · [unedo](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/unedo) --- *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 2026-08-28.*