Bejeweled Blitz Tips: Six Ways to Bust Gems Like A Pro

Bejeweled Blitz, the Facebook version of PopCap's popular gem-swapping game -- gives players 60 seconds to score as many points as possible before the time runs out. The kicker is -- matching three games of the same color or more isn't second nature to everyone -- so if you're a slow on the draw and want to beat your friends' high scores, these six tips (courtesy of the game's official Facebook page) will help you go from a match-three newbie to a jewel-busting junkie.

1. Try to keep your speed bonus up at all times. With a maxed-out speed bonus every move is worth 1250 points!

2. Multiplier gems apply not only to matches, but also to your current speed bonus. For example, with a x3 multiplier, each match made with a full speed bonus would be worth 3750 points. So once you've established a respectable multiplier, maintaining your speed bonus is extremely valuable.

3. Keep an eye out for bigger matches. Look for the opportunity to match 4 or 5 gems. This will create Hypercubes, Flame and Star Gems. These special pieces are instrumental in creating large explosions, which will earn you lots of points, more chances at extra Multiplier Gems and will help mix up the board, potentially making it easier to find new matches. Lost opportunities mean lost points.

4. Matches made lower on the board are more likely to generate cascades. If you're finding it hard to make matches lower on the board, try creating and using a Hypercube or Star Gem.

5. When you earn a Hypercube, don't waste it on the first color you see. Try to use it to on the color with the most gems on the screen. Or if you have any multiplier gems on the screen, consider matching it to the color of that gem.

6. The score chart provided on the Game Over screen is a great place to discover strategies of your own. Make sure you take the time to review this chart for your highest scoring games to learn the secrets of your own success.

[Via Bejeweled Blitz Facebook page]

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