diff --git a/tests/xwgame.pl b/tests/xwgame.pl
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..54ac8d8e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/xwgame.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+
+# Play a relay game.  Params are CookieName and device count.
+
+use strict;
+
+my $xwdir = "../linux/linux";
+
+my $cookie = "COOKIE";
+my $nPlayers = 2;
+my $port = 10999;
+my $dict = "~/personal/dicts/SOWPODS2to15.xwd";
+my $quit = "";
+
+my @names = (
+    "Fred",
+    "Barney",
+    "Wilma",
+    "Betty",
+);
+
+while ( my $param = shift( @ARGV ) ) {
+    print STDERR "param $param\n";
+
+    if ( $param =~ m|-C| ) {
+        $cookie = shift( @ARGV );
+        next;
+    } elsif ( $param =~ m|-nplayers| ) {
+        $nPlayers = shift( @ARGV );
+    } elsif ( $param =~ m|-dict| ) {
+        $dict = shift( @ARGV );
+    } elsif ( $param =~ m|-port| ) {
+        $port = shift( @ARGV );
+    } elsif ( $param =~ m|-quit| ) {
+        $quit = " -q ";
+    } else {
+        usage();
+        exit 1;
+    }
+}
+
+my $cmdBase = "cd $xwdir && ./xwords -d $dict -C $cookie $quit -p $port";
+
+for ( my $p = 0; $p < $nPlayers; ++$p ) {
+    print STDERR "p = $p\n";
+    my $cmd = $cmdBase;
+    if ( $p == 0 ) {            # server case
+        $cmd .= " -s ";
+        
+        for ( my $i = 1; $i < $nPlayers; ++$i ) {
+            $cmd .= " -N ";
+        }
+    }
+    $cmd .= " -r $names[$p]";
+
+    my $pid = fork;
+    print STDERR "fork => $pid.\n";
+    if ( $pid ) {
+        # parent; give child chance to get ahead
+        sleep 1;
+    } else {
+        exec "$cmd";
+        last;
+    }
+} 
+
+