you’re able to say you do n’t care if you win or lose at Scrabble , but you may very well be in the nonage . Even former PresidentBarack Obama , one of United States ' most gamy - profileScrabbleenthusiasts , is n’t above boasting about his wins . " It ’s his favorite game to play , " then - White House communication music director Robert Gibbs said in a2008 interview with The Independent .
And Obama ’s not the only famous Scrabble lover . Former United States President Richard Nixon was an avid player . So is actor Daniel Radcliffe , who once had a bouncy real - lifetime battle with Harry Potter ’s curse Draco Malfoy ( aka Tom Felton ) . tardy author Vladimir Nabokov , far-famed for his novel " Lolita , " was a skilled player . EvenQueen Elizabeth IIis reported to enjoy a royal secret plan of Scrabble [ source : McSmith ] .
Not unsound for a pastime fabricate during the Great Depression . In 1931 , out - of - work architect Alfred Mosher Butts came up with a plot that he first called Lexiko , then Criss Cross Words . He spent several years tinkering before settling on the pattern , now familiar to all Scrabble player : You draw seven letter and seek to make words on a board with a 15 - by-15 control grid . Each letter of the alphabet mark specific points that roughly go along with how hard it is to correspond the letter into a word . If an opponent challenges an strange Scripture , it had well be in the dictionary , or you ’ll have to remove it and turn a loss a twist .
Butts ' secret plan did n’t encounter with much success initially . But in the 1940s , another secret plan maven , James Brunot , took over . He rename the game Scrabble and by 1952 , it had become a mavin [ source : Fatsis ] .
Scrabble aficionado , like the ones we just mentioned , may memorize long list of unusual word to win their crowing rights . But casual histrion can meliorate their plot by learning just a smattering of utilitarian entries . you may impress — and even beat — your friends by blitzing them with high - scoring words , or by sneaking in coarse but strategic words that get disembarrass of undesirable letters . Remember to make use of the double and ternary squares to leverage your score on almost any word . And always face for what participant call a " bingo , " the 50 special item you get for using all your tile on one play .
Now let ’s reckon at 20 words that every Scrabble player should hump .
20: Za
Challenge ! That might be your first instinct , thinking there ’s no mode this is a word . But " za " is now take as slang forpizzaand appear in the NASPA Word List 2020 . NASPA stands for North American Scrabble Players Association , and it is the net agency for satisfactory Word in the U.S. and Canada .
Our two - missive word may not be much to look at , but " za " tamp a big punch : With 10 points for the " z , " it ’ll realize you least 11 sum . Hit a triple letter square and you could score 31 . tot up pepperoni and you ’ve get a meal .
19: Muzjiks
Muzjiks are Russian tike — or so they were called under the tzar ( another handy Book to know ) . InScrabble , " muzjiks " gives you the high possible opening play . Put the " zee " on the twofold alphabetic character square for an initial score of 39 . All opening move plays seduce a double word — that shit 78 . add together 50 for abingo , the use of all seven letters in your rack . With a aggregate of 128 , you ’re off to a terrific first .
18: Aerie
An aerie is an eagle ’s nest locate on a drop-off or some other gamy locating . In Scrabble , the word is a handy way to get free of four vowels in one fell slide . You only score five full point , but it beats turning your tiles in for unexampled 1 and turn a loss a number in the process .
17: Caziques
When Spanish explorer first extend to the West Indies , they find tribes of Indians who discover their chiefs using this news . The conquistadors applied the tidings , which can also be spelled " caciques , " to all native chiefs .
It also refers to a tropic razzing like to an oriole . In a biz in England in 1982 , Dr. Karl Khoshnaw set the record for the highest exclusive word score in Scrabble rivalry . He played " cacique " across two triple tidings squares for a entire score of 392 .
16: Faqir
" Q " is the good of letters and the worst of missive . It gives you 10 points when you utilise it , but drag down your score if you end the game holding it . think of " q " words is always a challenge . That ’s why it ’s a good idea to keep " faquir " in mind .
Faqirs were in the beginning monks in the Sufi sect of Islam , who take vows of poverty . ( The word come from the Arabic for " poor humanity . " ) The term is now used to pertain to any Muslim or Hindu holy man . On the Scrabble board , " fakeer " earns you a generous 17 decimal point . And it ’s an idealistic way to habituate a " q " if you do n’t have its common cooperator , the missive " u. "
15: Jousted
Once upon a time , when knight jousted , they had corking fun try out to knock each other off their horses with spear . In 2006 , two journeyman Scrabble buff jousted with each other in a secret plan in Lexington , Massachusetts , that involved record high scores .
The loser , Wayne Yorra , open with a lotto using the Holy Scripture " joust . " He strike the double missive lame with the " joule " for an initial grudge of 23 . Doubled , it was 46 , plus 50 points for using all his tiles , and Yorra was off to a gallop starting time with a scotch of 96 .
14: Quixotry
In that same record - place 2006 game we name antecedently , which took spot in a church cellar , winner Michael Cresta stupefy Scrabble fan with the permitted Christian Bible " quixotry . " It entail a windy scheme , action or opine and is derived from the fictional part Don Quixote , whose visions led him to joust with windmills .
Cresta , a carpenter by trade , stretched the word between two triple word squares . With a double letter square under the " x , " he initially score 35 . Two three-bagger multiplies that by nine for 315 . add together 50 for the bingo , and Cresta ended with a score of 365 , a North American record for a undivided word . The two military personnel went on to set two more records : Cresta ’s final grievance of 830 was the most points in a game by one player . Combined with Yorra ’s 490 , the players prepare a record for most total point at 1,320 .
13: Jukebox
Long before the iPod playlist , there was the coin - operate on phonograph . Jukeboxes brought popular euphony to the world for decennary and grew into coloured , bubbling neon shrine to drink down and rock ‘n’ roll . The word come from a Gullah term mean repelling ; it originally referred to a fake house , a brothel .
In Scrabble , you need to keep in mind that high - grading words do n’t have to be vague . This mutual Holy Scripture gives you at least 27 power point . As an opening bingo , it ’s worth a solid 85 , which is music to any player ’s ears .
12: Zax
This Son evolve from " sax , " a individual - boundary sword of ancientScandinavia , and total to distinguish a tool for swerve and plug nail holes in roofing slates . It also refers to the craftsman who uses the putz . It give the in high spirits possible Scrabble musical score for a three - missive word : 19 . bump off a double or triple letter second power , and you ’ll do even better . The incentive : You dump two debatable letters at once .
11: Queue
George Washington had one . So does your pressman . " Queue " can refer to either a tress of hair hanging down a person ’s back , or a line of people , mark jobs or anything else . It comes from the Latin wordcauda , which mean tooshie .
In Scrabble , " waiting line " earns a minimal score of 14 , nothing to sneer at . Even well , it clears your rack of a crew of awkward vowels . And , of course , you suffer the " q , " a varsity letter you do n’t require to be saddled with at the secret plan ’s remainder .
10: Chutzpah
The writer Leo Rosten saidchutzpahwas when a valet bump off his parent , then thrust himself on the mercy of the judicature as an orphan . The word reaches us from Hebrew through Yiddish . It can mean either extreme self - confidence or shameless crust .
You ’ll hit at least 27 peak with chutzpah anywhere on the display panel . agree it into either the upper right wing or lower good corner become across , and you ’ll do better , much just . That puts the " z " on the double letter public square , giving you an initial 37 . It also countenance you hit two three-fold Good Book squares , which multiplies your score by nine . Add 50 for a bingo . You ’ll wind up with a phenomenal 383 points and a major boost to your ego - self-confidence .
9: Xi
Xi is the 14th varsity letter of the Greek rudiment , falling between nu and omicron . In English , it ’s pronounced something like " sigh . "
You may lease out a sigh of fill-in when you make this gambling in Scrabble , because it clear your stand of the " x , " which will subtract eight points from your musical score if you ’re stuck with it in the last count . So keep " xi " in mind . It ’s rare that you ca n’t find a place to squeeze this little word in , dispose of the " x " and pick up nine points in the process .
8: Syzygy
There ’s no way to sound out this word , which describes an alignment of three heavenly bodies , without sounding like you ’ve had too much todrink . But it ’s a cool and telling word to keep in psyche for Scrabble .
To start with , you ’ll grade at least 21 point for " syzygy . " Of course , you ’ll need to practice a blank , because there are only two " y " tiles in Scrabble . But you could amp up your score if you bring the Christian Bible into alinement with one of the corners . polish off the double letter second power with the " z " and terminate on a triple word hearty , and you ’ll have a total of 93 . A cracking move when you ’re short of vowel .
7: Wagyu
This Nipponese stock of kine provides gourmets with Kobe beef , which can deal for $ 200 a pounding and up . In 2011 , " wagyu " was added to the Scrabble word list for period of play outside the U.S. and Canada . That fact indicate out a enceinte divide in the Scrabble humanity . In North America , the Scrabble brand is controlled by Hasbro , which rule on the words that are permissible in tournaments . In the rest of the world , Scrabble is marketed and overseen by Mattel . Different prescribed word lists apply . For casual games , players can choose an average lexicon as the last discussion in what word can be used .
With the combination AYWUG on your rack , you might be result scratching your head . But remember " wagyu , " and you ’ll tally at least 12 decimal point ab initio , with a chance for more with threefold letter squares — if you live outside North America .
6: Yo
" Yo , my gentleman’s gentleman ! " This exclamation is used to get somebody ’s attention . Sounds present-day , but surprisingly , " yo " goes back to the Late Middle English of 1400 . soldier inWorld War IIused it to mean " present " in a gyre call . Sylvester Stallone , in the Rocky movies , used it a wad , too . " Yo , Adrian ! "
In Scrabble , it ’s a ingenious way to dump a pesky " y. " It may only mark you five points , but that can make a dispute in a tight game .
5: Zymurgy
This is the limb of chemistry that deal with fermentation , as inwinemakingor the brewing of beer . You might refer to your next kegger as an experiment in zymurgy .
It ’s a high - octane word for Scrabble as well . For an possibility bingo , put the " izzard " on the double letter square and you ’ll brew up a grudge of 120 . It can be a howling style to nock points when you ’re myopic on vowels .
4: Bezique
Bezique was Winston Churchill ’s preferent card plot . It ’s a high - scoring , trick - taking and melding competition that employs a deck of 64 batting order . Its more popular offspring is pinochle .
In Scrabble , the word pinocle can be a winner . You ’ll make a minimum of 27 points when you play it anywhere on the board . But use it as an opening bingo with the " q " on a double letter square and you ’ll score 124 , one of the highest possible openings .
3: Flapjack
In America , this is another give-and-take for pancake . cowpoke dampen them down with tough coffee berry for breakfast . But in Britain , a flapjack is a chewy sweet made from oats .
You might overlook flapjack as a mundane word , but it can be a high Scrabble scorer . attain a duple letter public square with the " j " and you ’ll score 34 . Stretch it between two triple word squares and you ’ll stop up with a sweet-scented 356 .
2: Qanat
A qanat is a tunnel used in arid regions forirrigation . It was invented in Iran , then cry Persia , about 2,500 year ago and is still used today . It taps into underground pee and uses the incline of the land to bring that piddle to where it ’s needed without pump .
A rack containing these letters can be madden . Two " a ’s " and no " u " to go with the " q. " But do n’t despair . Qanat clears most of your varsity letter and rids you of " q , " scoring you at least 14 points in the process .
1: Aa
Solidifiedlavacomes in two signifier . Aa is rough like cinders . Pahoehoe , formed from hotter lava , is smooth . Both words are Hawaiian .
The game is winding down . This could be your last play . you could fit the word in almost anywhere there ’s another " a. " It ’s only worth two points , but if they allow you to edge out your opposer , you ’ll be vaunt about those two percentage point for a while .
