Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook: Beginner's Guide to Getting a Higher Score

I'm not sure how it happened, but somewhere along the line my husband and I became Bejeweled Blitz addicts on Facebook. We're a little too old to have been a part of the video game generation, so catching on to games like Bejeweled Blitz doesn't come naturally to us. However, once we figured it out we loved it! And as a bonus, it gives us something in common with our teenage son!

I checked around on-line for Bejeweled Blitz tips, and what I found was so complicated that if I hadn't already played the game I would have never considered starting. Bejeweled Blitz is not as hard as some 'experts' make it out to be. Here's a simple beginner's guide to Bejeweled Blitz, in non-gaming terms:

What is Bejeweled Blitz?

Bejeweled Blitz is a game on Facebook. The object of Bejeweled Blitz is to make matches of three or more and get the highest score. Facebook clears the scores every week, and competition starts anew.

How do I get Bejeweled Blitz on my computer?

First, you need a Facebook account to be able to play. If you don't have one, go to www.facebook.com to sign up. It's very easy and it's free. Once you've established your Facebook account, type Bejeweled Blitz in the search bar and click on the icon. The 'app for that' will load on your computer. (It may take a moment.)

How do I play Bejeweled Blitz?

Once Bejeweled Blitz is loaded, click on the word "Play" to begin. You'll see a screen with a checkerboard-like pattern with a colored gem in each square. You'll also hear the Bejeweled Blitz voice. (At first we thought he sounded kind of mean and scary, but we got used to him. If you don't like his voice you can turn the sound off.)

There are red, yellow, blue, green, purple, and orange "gems" on the board. You score by matching three or more gems of the same color. Matches can be made vertically or horizontally. (Click and drag on the gem to move it to a position where it matches surrounding gems. You can only move one square vertically or horizontally.) Matching three gems makes them disappear and new gems fill the board starting at the top.

When you match four gems you create a "flaming gem". When you match the flaming gem in a set of three or more, it explodes and you get lightning strikes on the board. The more explosions and lightning, the higher your score.

Matching five gems in an L or a T shape also results in a flaming gem. When you match five gems in a straight line (vertically or horizontally) you get a hyper cube. A hypercube explodes when you move it toward any gem on the board, and also makes all the gems of that color on the board explode.

Helpful Bejeweled Blitz Tips:

The gold coins match the yellow gems only.

There's a hint button on the lower left of the screen. If you can't find a match, click on the hint button and it will show you where to make a match.

A colored circle with a number in it is called a "multiplier". Match the "multiplier" with gems of the same color to increase the multiplier. This is a great way to get a higher score on Bejeweled Blitz.

If you don't explode all your flaming gems before the end of the game, don't worry. The Last Hurrah explodes them all for you and your score will continue to climb even after "time's up".

Speed counts, so try to make matches as quickly as you can. The Bejeweled Blitz board turns orange when you get a speed bonus- another great way to get a higher score!

Good luck and have fun with Bejeweled Blitz!