Q&A for How to Play Scrabble

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  • Question
    What is a good Scrabble strategy?
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    Board Game Experts
    Expert Answer
    In Scrabble, your strategy depends on your opponent's style of play. If they are consistently using low-scoring words and occupying strategic spaces on the board, you may need to adjust your approach. Matching their strategy by focusing on shorter words to secure points becomes essential. On the other hand, if your opponent is more competitive with an extensive vocabulary, adapting your strategy to accommodate longer and higher-scoring words might be beneficial. The key is to be flexible and modify your strategy based on the specific characteristics of your opponent's gameplay.
  • Question
    What are blank tiles used for?
    wikiHow
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    Expert Answer
    Use a blank tile as a substitute for any letter you need to complete a word. For example, if you need an "a" in order to spell "apple," use the blank tile to stand for an "a." Once you decide on the letter that a blank tile will represent, it stays that way for the rest of the game—in the previous case, the blank tile will be considered an "a" for the entire duration of your Scrabble game.
  • Question
    What letter has the highest score?
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    Expert Answer
    Either "Q" or "Z" will provide the highest score for 1 letter tile—if you receive one of these tiles, you'll earn 10 points. Keep in mind that you can earn even more points for 1 of these letter tiles if you place it on top of a Premium Square. If you put "Q" or "Z" on top of a Double Letter Score square, you'll get 20 points for it; when you're lucky enough to set it over a Triple Letter Score square, you'll score 30 points.
  • Question
    What are the rules for playing Scrabble in a nutshell?
    Community Answer
    In a nutshell: You cannot use names. You cannot use brands. You can only use proper spelling. You can have a time limit to make a word, but this one is completely optional. There are more advanced rules if desired, but these are the basic ones.
  • Question
    If I can play on my own word list, is it okay to play on someone else's list?
    Community Answer
    No, that's not allowed.
  • Question
    Once I've put tiles on the board, can I change my word before the next person plays?
    Community Answer
    It depends on the rules of who you are playing with. In most cases, you won't be able to change the word once you lay your tiles down.
  • Question
    Is it legal to play a word, realize it isn't correct, pick up the tiles, and continue to play another word?
    Community Answer
    Yes.
  • Question
    What do you score for each of the 26 letters?
    Community Answer
    A-1, B-3, C-3, D-2, E-1, F-4, G-2, H-4, I-1, J-8, K-5, L-1, M-3, N-1, O-1, P-3, Q-10, R-1, S-1, T-1, U-1, V-4, W-4, X-8, Y-4, Z-10.
  • Question
    What if I don't have tiles to form a word at the beginning of the game?
    Stephz16
    Community Answer
    You can 1) exchange your tiles and lose your turn or 2) skip your turn.
  • Question
    If I place an S at the end of an existing horizontal word (like KEEP), can I continue playing downward with S as the first letter?
    Ollieoxenfree
    Community Answer
    Yes, on your next turn.
  • Question
    Must the first word cross the star in the middle?
    Community Answer
    Yes.
  • Question
    I used a triple score square, which made a horizontal and vertical word. Can I have the triple for each word?
    Community Answer
    If part of both words was on the triple score square, then you triple them both.
  • Question
    Are proper nouns allowed?
    Community Answer
    No.
  • Question
    Can we make words without crossing any tile? I am experiencing this on the mobile app.
    Community Answer
    No. You always have to connect to another tile, unless it is the first word, in which case it has to start in the middle. You can connect at the beginning, middle, or end of your word, but you must connect.
  • Question
    Is it legal to have repeated words on the board?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Yes.
  • Question
    Can I make multiple words in different places on the board as long as they connect to existing tiles?
    Community Answer
    No, you can only make one word in one direction in one place. Words created by intersecting letters don't count.
  • Question
    Can you switch directions?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you should be able to. However, the players should discuss and agree to rules before playing. It's supposed to be fun, so you can do things like this if you want!
  • Question
    Can you look up a word in the dictionary before putting down the tiles for that word?
    Community Answer
    Generally, no, but players should discuss and agree to such rules before the game.
  • Question
    After submitting a word, can I add to that word straightaway?
    Ollieoxenfree
    Community Answer
    You must wait until your next turn.
  • Question
    Are you allowed to use verbs?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you are. Only acronyms and proper nouns aren't allowed.
  • Question
    Can I change a Scrabble word by adding a letter or two at the beginning and ending of the same word, skipping more than one letter in between?
    Community Answer
    Yes, as long as a straight line is maintained. For example, you, play 'pan'. You may later add 's' at the beginning and 'ned' at the end to read 'spanned'.
  • Question
    Can I add just "S" to a word?
    Community Answer
    Yes you can, as long as it's still a legal word.
  • Question
    Why should we not show our letter tiles to the other players?
    Community Answer
    Your opponent might adjust her play to block your highest scoring plays, or be able to make an otherwise risky move near a triple word tile if she knows you won't be able to take advantage of it. It's better strategy to keep the opponent guessing about what you might do next.
  • Question
    What does a blank square mean?
    Community Answer
    A blank tile can be used as any letter you want, but you don't get any points for playing it (the rest of the word counts, but the blank tile has a letter value of 0). A blank square on the board just means you can put a tile there, but that particular square won't help your score.
  • Question
    May I use the same word more than once?
    Community Answer
    There is no rule that states you cannot use the same word twice, although if you would like a slightly more challenging game than you may change the said rule.
  • Question
    Do players always have to build off of the starting word, or can a player create a new word separately?
    Community Answer
    You have to build off of the starting word, unless you and your opponent decide to make a "house rule" that states otherwise.
  • Question
    If there is a vertically word like BIKE, can I add an S on the end and spell a word horizontally using the S as the first letter on the same turn?
    Community Answer
    Yes. You will get points for BIKES and your new word.
  • Question
    What is the best way to learn how to play?
    Community Answer
    Read the instructions before playing, or watching a video tutorial on Scrabble.
  • Question
    Can we check how many tiles are left in the bag?
    Community Answer
    There isn't really a rule about this, so decide among yourself and the other people playing. I would say it's fine as long as you don't look at the letters on the tiles in the bag when you count them.
  • Question
    Can I use abbreviations?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Abbreviations (other than acronyms) are not acceptable.
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