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.

Featured post

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...

Saturday, 14 September 2024

Saturday, 23 March 2024

2024 KSSA Indian Open Scrabble Championship

Normally I would do a detailed post on the 2024 KSSA Indian Open Scrabble Championship sponsored by Mu Sigma. However, Will Anderson has made an excellent video on it, capturing the genius of the GOAT Nigel Richards (the eventual winner) that was on display throughout the tournament. Here it is:

Thursday, 27 July 2023

WESPAC 2023 - Moments

WESPAC 2023 is in the books now with David Eldar crowned champion. A great venue in Las Vegas and some insanely good Scrabble played over 5 days. Here are some game gameboards courtesy of Josh Greenway, Ricky Purnomo, and Hubert Wee:

Adam Kretschmer extended kings to hijackings scoring 74 in a 492-370 win:


Balogun and Toh combine for 1151 in a 613-538 win for Balogun:


Ben Schoenbrun scores over 400 in his first 4 moves en route to a 600-466 win:


Dennis Ikekeregor with a 221-point 9X stocking play that secured a 601-405 win:


Who says you have to score in Scrabble? Matthew O'Connor secures a -6 to -11 win after he and his opponent failed to score for 6 consecutive turns:


Some boards from Ricky Purnomo:

A narrow loss in a high-scoring game 460-462:


A huge 656-447 point win:


The very nice play of baptisia:


A good opponent play of the 9 villainry:


Some magic from Hubert:

A 159-point comeback:


A very nice find of didactyl:


The brilliant overlap of exodes for 110:


The nice find of unbishop:


The dream find of zlotych:



Sunday, 9 July 2023

Pune Scrabble Tournament - Finale

 The 3 day Pune scrabble tournament concluded today. Sherwin was the runaway winner, Udayan finished 2nd while Ishika came 3rd. Here is the action from the final day:


Saturday, 8 July 2023

Pune Scrabble Tourney - Day 2

The Pune Scrabble Club celebrates it's 25 th anniversary this year. The 3 day national tournament held in this regard has reached day 2. Here is some coverage from day 2. Sherwin has set the pace and remains undefeated after 17 games:


Wednesday, 8 March 2023

KSSA Indian Open Scrabble Championship 2023 - Gameboards

The KSSA Indian Open Scrabble Championship 2023 sponsored by Mu Sigma concluded in January. Here are some game boards from the action:

My opening game against India's best missed dentist with a blank on the opening move and missed yetties the next and soon find myself a 100 down, came back with antisera, twiglets, and Qigong to secure an unlikely 453-398 win:


The next game was dominated by my opponent who had the excellent plays of axillae and ottoman for an easy 535-378 win:


The next board is action from one of the top tables, with an interesting play of ballonne:


In my next game, I had the lead throughout with some high probable bingos running out a 484-413 winner:

Another board from the top tables:


My next game was against one of India's young guns built a good lead and clinched it with forehand, 431-382: 

A good board from one of the top tables:


Was routed in the next one by my opponent who started with oxazole and had 3 more bingos in a 555-336 win:

Another board from a top table, featuring the s hook to podium:


I briefly led in this one after I played steming, but it was all him from there winning easily 512-362:


Led from start to finish in this one with some high probable bingos, winning 447-388:


Another game I lead all the way through, with some high probable bingos winning 487-376:


This was a game I blew after leading by over 100, by going into a defensive shell, probably should have changed, didn't, and lost 362-374:


This was a game I lead throughout had two good plays of similor and queridas that saw me through 433-394:


A game against one of India's young guns, that I deserved to lose after trying scowsing, still could've won it had I spotted tsaddik on the triple lane, lost 432-497:


This game was close with my suboptimal play of us jags instead of quay us costing me the game 373-375:

I missed aecidium early in this one and struggled throughout, losing  382-477:


Was lucky in this one after I started with azurite for 107, was up throughout the game, winning 532-400:

Was trailing throughout in this one after her manorial and tiercet bingos, only managed to reduce spread losing 415-382:

Never in this one, and was playing catchup most of the game, losing 391-434:
 

Played poorly in this one, stratous on the triple was definitely better than outrates early, missed stengahs as well, and trailed after his heatings but set up scowl/tasting to win 418-316:


Chickened out of outgiven in this one, which gave her the lenition play, and she ran out an easy winner 440-377:

Was trailing for most of this one, and he went out with detainees to win 513-383:


He started with aetatis, and was up nearly 100 after he played shouter. I came back with olefiant,  riblets, and striven to take this 424-368: 


Got a bit greedy in this one trying a double-double, had oper challenged off while farrens was valid, trailed by a bingo, came back with stearine, aboideau, and seamier clinched it 448-382:


Her hairpins, donative, my amulets, arenite, made this very close, went out with doobs to win 421-395:


Was up early in this one and led throughout for a 506-418 win:


This was close but tried titchy and riya (phony), in the end, which cost me the game 385-415:


A game I was up throughout. Chickened out of baguios/swelting but didn't matter. Won 458-340:



Close game this, he tried zincide, which I challenged off. His retiary, my avianize, he took the lead with synodal, I came back with bestain, and clinched it 431-413:


Another close one, he extended roseate to roseately, but after his drys play I thought he had gone out and hit the clock, allowing him to go out and throwing away the game 445-460:


Close game, but she phoneyed early with caesure (only cesurae), and later on, with moxy, I went out with induct to seal it 441-409:


Was playing catchup, dronish got me within 8, but he pulled away with potlucks, frigates, and virandas for an easy 569-439 win:


I had a comfortable lead in this one after we traded bingos, and ended up winning 489-439:


Final game had a chance to finish in the top 10, but was not to be as my opponent led throughout following his raucous and germain, I exchanged the Q got it back, and was stuck with it, losing 389-452. Lost all my 4 games to friendly opposition form Srilanka, giving up over 400 in spread:


All in all a decent tourney for me after a hiatus, went 9-4 in my last 13 games to finish 13th.

Tuesday, 13 December 2022

Playing the Bots on Scrabble Go -1

 Some interesting games against the bots on Scrabble Go:

Paravane was a good find:


Mairehau was not too shabby:

Agacante was a high probable find:

Need all the luck to beat the bots by 200+:


The common hitches find was nice:

The 9 timer of deciduae stood out, aikona was nice too:

Beakier was a decent find:

Smoochier was quite nice:

Nazified was nice, which takes the de prefix, clouring was not too bad:


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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.