Letter Upgrades & Letter Powers

This page is intended to give a brief, yet clearly understood, synopsis of the letter upgrades and letter powers system used in the game. For a more comprehensive and detailed explanation, please interact here.

The small number, found just below a letter, shows how many points that letter adds to the distance travelled by Tilly's locomotive, also known as Tilly Tokens, as well as to the progress toward goals, which is rewarded after solving word-making puzzles.

Using a letter, or getting letter XP rewards, will allow for a letter to be upgraded when its XP bar is filled, which increases the number below the letter.

When a letter reaches a specific number, that letter unlocks possible powers. These powers, once purchased using in-game coins, do not expire and have unlimited uses.

The player may choose which powers they would prefer to upgrade in any order of their own choice.

Below is a list of the current possible powers, along with short descriptions.

### Progress Gems

Progress Gems indicate the amount of points that a letter gives toward travelling and also towards progressing a task bar. This number is equal to the small number below a letter, with a sum total of this small number calculated at the end of a completed puzzle, by adding that small number each time the corresponding letter is used in words that appear inside of the crossword puzzle as solutions. This is done the same way for each letter that appears in the puzzle solutions.

* Bonus words are always exempt from earning Progress Gems.
* If the player stops a puzzle before finishing it and starts a new puzzle, the numbers do not count for the incomplete puzzle, until that puzzle is also solved.
* Progress Gems are the only way to speed up unlocking treasures, since the Souvenir Booster excludes the treasure minigame.
* The player is able to increase Progress Gems 5 times initially. After which, the player must wait until the letter reaches "8" to upgrade it further, for an additional 5 increases, and finally at letter total of "45" the player may increase this power 5 more times.

### Travel Booster

This power adds more "Tilly Tokens" (the pink gems with the TX sacred marker on them) to how far the player travels after finishing a puzzle. This means that the player still receives the Progress Gems equal to the numbers below the letters used, based upon how many times the letters were used in puzzle solutions, plus the amount of times the player has purchased the "Travel Booster" powers, per each letter. For example, an E with a "17" below it, along with Travel Booster purchased 5 times, would give out 23 Tilly Tokens per each time "E" appeared in the last puzzle solution that was completed.

* Unlocks at letter total 5.
* The player is able to increase the Travel Booster 5 times initially. After which, the player must wait until the letter reaches "18" to upgrade it further, for an additional 5 increases, and finally at letter total of "50" the player may increase this power 5 more times.

### Wallet Booster

Purchasing the Wallet Booster power will increase the chances of accruing additional Tilly experience, the currency which levels Tilly up. The probability of this power activating is based upon a percentage that is cumulative, and raised each time the Wallet Booster power is purchased for that letter. The Wallet Booster percentage is rolled individually for each letter that has this power purchased, so long as the aforementioned letter is used in the last puzzle that was completed by the player.

* Unlocks at letter total 10.
* The player is able to increase the Wallet Booster 5 times initially. After which, the player must wait until the letter reaches "23" to upgrade it further, for an additional 5 increases, and finally at letter total of "55" the player may increase this power 5 more times.

### Hint Booster

Purchasing the Hint Booster power will increase the chances of a free hint being gifted. The probability of the power activating is based upon a percentage that is cumulative, and raised each time the Hint Booster power is purchased for that letter. When a letter that has a Hint Booster power purchased is used in a puzzle to make a valid word, it may drop a free hint. The free hint is activated and automatically used the next time that the player makes a valid word with the same letter that activated the Hint Booster. This does not work on duplicate words.

* Unlocks at letter total 13.
* The player is able to increase the Hint Booster 5 times initially. After which, the player must wait until the letter reaches "28" to upgrade it further, for an additional 5 increases, and finally at letter total of "60" the player may increase this power 5 more times.

### Golden Letters

Purchasing the Golden Letters power will increase the chances of free coins being added directly to the player's inventory. The probability of the power activating is based upon a percentage that is cumulative, and raised each time the Golden Letters power is purchased for that letter. When this power is active, the letter will turn golden as an indicator. It is possible to have more than one Golden Letter active at the same time. When a letter that has a Golden Letters power purchased, and has the power active, is used in a puzzle to make a valid word, including bonus words, it will automatically add a free coin to the player's personal inventory located at the top of the screen. This does not work on duplicate words.

* Unlocks at letter total 16.
* The player is able to increase the Golden Letters power 5 times initially. After which, the player must wait until the letter reaches "33" to upgrade it further, for an additional 5 increases, and finally at letter total of "70" the player may increase this power 5 more times.
* The amount of coins that a player may collect using Golden Letters is unlimited, so long as the player can input a valid word, however solving the puzzle completely will end the chances of imputing new words.
* These coins do not go into the Piggy Bank.

### Souvenir Booster

This power adds more progress gems to how far the task progress bar is filled after finishing a puzzle. This means that the player still receives the usual progress gems equal to the numbers below the letters used, based upon how many times the letters were used in puzzle solutions, plus an additional amount, equal to the sum total of times the player has purchased "Souvenir Booster" powers, per each letter used to solve the puzzle.

* Unlocks at letter total 19.
* The player is able to increase the Souvenir Booster 5 times initially. After which, the player must wait until the letter reaches "40" to upgrade it further, for an additional 5 increases, and finally at letter total of "80" the player may increase this power 5 more times.
* The Open the Treasure minigame is the only souvenir minigame exempt from using this particular power.
* This power does not apply to the Tilly Tokens that are used for travel, nor does it apply to task progress bars used for furthering the storyline or events.

### Piggy Booster

This power allows the player to fill up their Piggy Bank faster. When making bonus words, if the player makes a word with the piggy symbol hovering over one of the letter used included, the power adds coins to the piggy bank equal to the number of times that the Piggy Booster has been purchased for the letter that the piggy symbol is on top of.

* Unlocks at letter total 22.
* The player is able to increase the Piggy Booster 5 times initially. After which, the player must wait until the letter reaches "50" to upgrade it further, for an additional 5 increases, and finally at letter total of "90" the player may increase this power 5 more times.

### Trivia

* Version 31 of the game added many of these features, improving upon how letters are upgraded, as well as overhauling and fixing the older system that it replaced.