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...

Thursday, 17 December 2015

Announcement from WESPA - WESPAC 2017 – Call for Expressions of Interest

The following is an announcement from WESPA regarding the World Scrabble Championship to be held in 2017:


The World English-Language Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) is asking
for potential organizers/hosts of the 2017 WESPA Championship to submit
their expression of interest by January 31, 2016.

Everyone who submits an expression of interest will receive a complete
package of information required to submit a formal bid. Bids will be
evaluated by the WESPA Committee, and one organization will be chosen to
organize and host the 2017 WESPA Championship. A potential organizer/host
may be a club, state or national association, or may be an organizing
committee of interested people.

The expression of interest does not require any of the details that will
be needed for the formal bid, but potential organizers/hosts should keep in
mind the following elements which we will be looking for when the complete
formal bid is submitted:

· A suitable venue for at least 300 players. (WESPAC 2015 in Perth
had 130 players, and the concurrent Perth Open had a similar number. We
hope to make WESPAC 2017 even larger.)

· Availability of suitable accommodation for players travelling
from out of town.

· A strong local team to carry out all preparations prior to the
event, in consultation with WESPA.

· A strong local team to direct the event efficiently.

· A communications plan to drive successful publicity and
promotions prior to the event, and strong media and internet coverage
during the event.

· A suitable proposed date.

· A reasonable budget that provides an attractive prize pool
combined with an affordable entry fee. A plan for securing sponsorship
would be a plus.

· Support from local and national Scrabble bodies.

Submit expressions of interest to info@wespa.org and copy to
shcheah@gmail.com

Bid Process Timeline
Expressions of interest – Submitted to the WESPA Committee prior to January
31, 2016
Formal Bid deadline – March 31, 2016
Committee Selection Announcement – on or before May 31, 2016

Wednesday, 2 December 2015

Panupol wins Princess Cup

Nigel dominated the recently held Princess Cup in Thailand but Panupol beat the run away leader in the final. Here are the final league standings:

Friday, 27 November 2015

Wordaholix Scrabble League II - Suzerains Win

Team Suzerains lifted the second edition of the Wordaholix Scrabble league edging out the Ardrighs 97-94.5. Here are the complete standings along with individual player performances:


Saturday, 21 November 2015

Wordaholix Scrabble League, Standings after Day 2

The 6 team Wordaholix Scrabble League has started. The Suzerains are on top. Here are the standings after the second day:

Sunday, 8 November 2015

2015 WESPA Scrabble Championship Finals, Wellington Jighere Wins

Wellington Jighere from Nigeria lifts the 2015 WESPA Scrabble Championship beating Lewis Mackay 4-0. Here are the annotated games from Cross-Tables:


Saturday, 7 November 2015

WESPA Scrabble Championship 2015 Standings - Day 4

Here are the standings after day 4 from Scrabble Australia's coverage of the WESPA Scrabble Championship 2015:

Rank
Player
Wins
Spread
1
25
1347
2
23.5
1054
3
22
1125
4
21.5
1031
5
21
1200
6
21
640
7
20.5
1326
8
20
1287
9
20
913
10
20
910
11
20
693
12
20
536
13
19.5
678
14
19.5
557
15
19.5
250
16
19
916
17
19
793
18
19
762
19
19
686
20
19
651
21
19
564
22
19
526
23
19
287
24
19
77
25
18.5
83
26
18
931
27
18
866
28
18
708
29
18
648
30
18
588
31
18
559
32
18
488
33
18
484
34
18
176
35
18
164
36
18
-260
37
18
-619
38
17.5
1408
39
17.5
1198
40
17.5
-63
41
17
765
42
17
751
43
17
441
44
17
331
45
17
293
46
17
285
47
17
216
48
17
97
49
17
5
50
17
-147
51
17
-232
52
17
-251
53
17
-336
54
17
-364
55
16.5
682
56
16.5
606
57
16.5
-68
58
16
567
59
16
508
60
16
285
61
16
275
62
16
219
63
16
120
64
16
111
65
16
23
66
16
-62
67
16
-95
68
16
-149
69
16
-161
70
16
-286
71
16
-447
72
16
-486
73
16
-680
74
16
-763
75
15.5
-8
76
15
647
77
15
571
78
15
225
79
15
177
80
15
122
81
15
71
82
15
29
83
15
-55
84
15
-158
85
15
-247
86
15
-258
87
15
-312
88
15
-352
89
15
-379
90
15
-509
91
14.5
492
92
14.5
-36
93
14.5
-450
94
14
162
95
14
-88
96
14
-200
97
14
-225
98
14
-255
99
14
-411
100
14
-489
101
14
-587
102
14
-766
103
14
-937
104
14
-1055
105
14
-1077
106
13.5
-270
107
13
-269
108
13
-361
109
13
-403
110
13
-600
111
13
-746
112
13
-789
113
13
-805
114
13
-861
115
12
-249
116
12
-287
117
12
-397
118
12
-545
119
12
-674
120
12
-680
121
12
-895
122
12
-1351
123
12
-1480
124
11
-1114
125
11
-1249
126
11
-1423
127
11
-1503
128
10
-996
129
8
-1917
130
6
-2799

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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.