What is Scrabble?

Scrabble is essentially a word game which can be played by 2-4 players at a given time on a board which comprises a grid of squares in a 15 X 15 format. The squares are assigned different scoring attributes. There are 100 tiles to draw from and players must draw 7 tiles initially and maintain the same number on their racks till they are exhausted. Each tile has a point value attached to it. If all 7 tiles are used in a word an additional 50 points is added to the players score. The goal is to win by scoring more than your opponent. Scrabble is now increasingly played competitively across several countries on the globe and in several languages.

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Scrabble Word Study Tools

 My colleague Ishika takes you through some useful tools for word study namely Zyzzyva, Aerolith, and Anagram Quizzer. I chip in on my favor...

Monday 15 August 2016

Bangalore Scrabble League Tournament 2016 - Standings as on August 15

The Bangalore Scrabble League Tournament 2016 is reaching its climax with just under a month to go. Here are the updated standings. Nupur has won it and Manju is guaranteed second place:

Standings
Player
Handicap
Win
Loss
Spread
Average Game Score
1
NUPUR
-20
33
9
2030
401
2
MANJU
-45
33
11
2257
404
3
SANJOY
-65
31
13
2102
393
4
RAJVEER
-55
28
12
1656
397
5
MOHSIN
-60
25
15
2139
414
6
LENNIE
-35
23
18
405
382
7
SHANKAR
25
23
20
36
390
8
NALINI
-20
22
21
484
392
9
HEMANTH
0
21
19
1186
397
10
SARAS
0
21
21
321
400
11
YASH
0
20
19
423
393
12
DIPANKAR
-35
20
22
-947
370
13
VIDYA
15
19
23
-225
378
14
RADHIKA
-35
19
17
-280
390
15
CHRIS
10
17
27
-686
376
16
REX
-10
16
22
-535
369
17
HARSH
45
14
22
-990
395
18
SHAILAJA
15
13
21
-1257
377
19
ARVIND
10
12
26
-1779
379
20
AUBREY
0
12
24
-1404
353
21
NEELAM
10
10
23
-1171
368
22
DEEPA
40
9
28
-1925
367
23
VASAVA
45
1
5
-550
343
24
GIRISH
40
0
4
-617
309
25
SHILPA
45
0
1
-296
284

Tuesday 9 August 2016

Pune Scrabble Tournament this Week End

Another fun filled tournament awaits Scrabblers this week end in Pune.


Venue: Poona Club
Date: 12-14 August
Registration: Between 9 AM and 9:30 on August 12
Games Start: 10 AM

Word Source: Collins Scrabble Tournament and Club Word List 2015 

Saturday 6 August 2016

Low Probable but Handy Scrabble Play - OPGEFOK

This is courtesy Nick Ivanovski via Facebook in a real game at the Trans Tasman challenge in Australia. When you are on the verge of a comeback and have a RETAIN rack, you could still end up Opgefok.

scrabble game

Sunday 24 July 2016

Sherwin Retains Gail Scrabble Cup

Sherwin retained his Gail Cup title by winning the 2016 edition winning just over 18 games out of the 23 played. Here are the top 10 in the final standings:

Rank
Player
Win
Loss
Spread
1
Sherwin Rodrigues
18.5
4.5
1453
2
Udayan Grover
17
6
1115
3
Goutham Jayaraman
16.5
6.5
883
4
Michael Tang
15
8
803
5
Varisht Hingorani
15
8
282
6
Douglas Lobo
14.5
8.5
541
7
Ranganathan Chakravarthy
14
9
1349
8
Charles Carneiro
14
9
544
9
A. Krishnan
14
9
437
10
Sudhir Kamath
14
9
345

Saturday 23 July 2016

Gail Scrabble Cup - Day 2

The Gail Scrabble cup is turning into a highly competitive affair. Goutham Jayaraman is on top. Here are the top 10 after day 2:

Rank
Player
Win
Loss
Spread
1
Goutham Jayaraman
13
3
935
2
Sherwin Rodrigues
13
3
835
3
Udayan Grover
12
4
1046
4
Alex Tan
11.5
4.5
1253
5
Michael Tang
11
5
630
6
Douglas Lobo
10.5
5.5
943
7
Javved Shamim
10
6
660
8
Aditya Iyengar
10
6
648
9
Varisht Hingorani
10
6
350
10
Mangala Bhandarkar
10
6
298

Friday 22 July 2016

Gail Scrabble Cup - Day 1

The 3rd edition of the Gail Scrabble Cup has kicked off. This time around the tournament is WESPA rated and has a good bit of international participation. Udayan Grover is on top. Here are the standings after day 1:

Tuesday 19 July 2016

Some High Scoring J,Q, X and Z words

Here is a visual representation of some high scoring scrabble plays that involve the J,Q,X and Z from word buff author Derek Mckenzie:

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Different Words Same Meaning

Citolas, Citoles, Cithrens, Citherns, Cithers, Citterns - A Guitar
Waivode, Waiwode, Woiwode, Voivode - An army leader
Cagouls, Cagoules, Kagouls, Kagoules, Kagools - An anorak
Eulachan, Eulachon, Oulachon, Oulakan, Oolakan, Ulikon - A candlefish
Kiester, Keister, Hurdies, Patootie - The Buttocks
Didakei, didakai, Diddicoy, Didicoi, Didicoy - A Tinker
Cabala, Cabbala, Kabala, Kabbala, Kabbalah, Qabala, Qabalah - a Jewish doctrine
Yoghurt, Yaourt, Yogurt, Yoghourt - A type of curd
Narwal, Narwhal, Narwhale - An Arctic aquatic mammal
Lekythus, Lecythus, Lekythos - An ancient oil Jar
Germen, Germain, Germaine, Germin - Something that serves as an origin
Filemot, Philomot, Philamot - A dull brown shade
keblah, Kibla, Kiblah, Qibla - The direction muslims face while praying
Litchi, Lichi, Lychee, Lichee - A fruit
Poursue, Pursue, Persue, Poursew Pursew - To follow
Pummelo, Shaddock, Pompelo - A citrus fruit
Repreeve, Reprive, Repryve - To delay
Baklava, Baklawa, Baclava - A middle eastern desert
Nilgai, Nilgau, Nilghai, Nilghau, Nylghai, Nylghau - a large antelope
Cassina, Cassene, Cassine, Cassena - an evergreen tree
Narghile, Narghily, Nargile, Nargileh, Nargily - a hookah
Dirdam, Dirdum, Durdum - uproar
Shechita, Shehitah, Shehita - krosher killing of animals
Mezuzot, Mezuzoth, Mezuzah, Mezuza - a Jewish scroll

Combo Words of Two Words that are Good Both Ways

Bedrail - Railbed
Dovering - Ringdove
Hangover - Overhang
Turnover - Overturn
Runover - Overrun
Roadside - Sideroad
Outburn - Burnout
Woodworm - Wormwood
Linecut - Cutline
Outpass - Passout
Outspeak - Speakout
Comedown - Downcome
Upclose - Closeup
Outback - Backout
Pinhead - Headpin
Mateship - Shipmate
Cutover - Overcut
Upstart - Startup
Outshoot - Shootout
Overwing - Wingover
Fantail - Tailfan

Common Words with Not so common Anagrams

Tailors - Oralist, Rialtos, Sliotar
Almonds - Dolmans
Mustard - Durmast
Stadium - Dumaist
Romance - Cremona
Cauldron - Crunodal
Acolyte - Cotylae
Cilantro - Contrail
Decagon - Congaed
Ethical - Alethic
Strongly - Strongyl
Ungrazed - Gazunder
Expires - Prexies
Detangle - Danegelt
Teardown - Danewort
Erasions - Sensoria
Innovate - Venation
Inundate - Antidune
Invocate - Conative
Antidote - Tetanoid
Liaises - Silesia
Coalise - Celosia
Isotherm - Moithers
Heroism - Moreish
Sedation - Astonied
Marries - Simarre
Tsunami - Manitus, Santimu
Cheerio - Echoier


Those Handy Pyramid Words!

Pyramid words are words which start at 2 letters but can be extended to 7 letters and beyond. For example take the word loofahs, we start with lo, next we get to loo, followed by loof, loofa, loofah and loofahs. Thus by knowing loofahs we get to know a total of 6 words. Other examples include:
Abasers, Amenders, Amusers, Barbers, Bingers, Chained,
Chiasmal, Daledhs, Divests, Erasers, Fasties, Godsons, Hookahs, Jambees, Jamboks, Kaingas, Kinases, Lapsers, Maliced, Mentors, Nursery, Parkiest, Poleyns, Reeders, Reposes, Singers, Skaters,Tapetis, Teasers, Ureases, and Woosells.

There are some reverse pyramid words too. Take the word drooped for example, we start with ed, then ped, then oped, then ooped, rooped and finally drooped.Other examples include:
Aemules, Afeared, Borates, Cleared, Demures, Escapes, Glaired, Hamates, Lemures, Mananas, Penates, Retapes, Scraped, Testates, Upreach, Vacates, Whooped, Yslaked and Zananas.