Back to index of Scrabble pages by Donald Sauter.
Scrabble For Word Lovers suite - main page.
Scrabble III introduction.
Scrabble III rules.

Ok, I get a little spunky sometimes talking about modern Scrabble. Even I wondered if maybe some of my sarcastic comments here crept a wee bit over the line. But when I tried to tone it down, it kicked the stuffings right out of my page. So I decided to let it rip and add this upfront apologia. For one thing, I'm hoping the page will have some entertainment value for the typical reader. For another, if I tried appear cool and pretend that what modern Scrabble has become doesn't give me the heebie-jeebies, I would blow fuses in every polygraph machine in a 500-mile radius.

But here's the deal. If anything I say below, or in my other Scrabble pages, makes you fighting mad, I will gladly respond to any and all charges in some public forum. Start one up, and call me over. The Scrabble world needs a forum badly, anyhow. Think of the fun you can have beating up on me, hundreds or thousands to one! You can't lose! But if there's one lurker who recognizes that something wonderful is happening here, that is, Scrabble rehabilitated as a glorious word game--something that even writers and college professors could play--something that would attract even crossword puzzle, word search, Jumble and Wheel of Fortune fans--and has the wherewithal to bring it to the world, we will all be immensely richer for it. (Especially him... kaa-chinggg$$$!!!) Fans of modern Scrabble have nothing to fear; those who choose to stick with the so-called "strategy" game may continue to ba! ka! na! and za! each other till doomsday.

 
In the Dover Scrabble Club (Delaware), we have moved up to Scrabble III For Big Word Lovers. This differs from regular Scrabble in that there is a six-letter minimum requirement on the main word of every play. Thus, every play involves a big word.

In harmony with the bigger words, Scrabble III uses an extended board with "wings" of three rows added to each side, and a rack with one extra tile. Instead of regular Scrabble's single, all-or-nothing bingo bonus for playing all your tiles, Scrabble III has a set of nicely balanced bonuses that reward you according to how many tiles you get down.

In my Scrabble III introductory page I told of my weariness with small words, of any sort, on a Scrabble board. I used the 2013 National Scrabble Championship as a basis of comparison between high level modern Scrabble and Scrabble III. I tried to be polite, but there's really no comparison. Scrabble III blows away championship Scrabble in every respect, the main points being the size and naturalness of the words played. With small words banished, gone are the nearly mindless plays, making up an estimated 80% of regular Scrabble, in which the board tells you where to plunk your juiciest consonant, after which you might play "connect-the-dots" with another couple of tiles. If you have an aversion for thinking, steer clear of Scrabble III !

There was a World Scrabble Championship held in December 2013 and I got the idea to work up a similar page for that. This time around, it's even harder to be polite; there's some weird stuff on World Scrabble boards! (Scroll below; keep your eyes on the red.) In fact, I think English-speaking Scrabble players outside of North America should file a class action suit against whoever foisted that cockamamie "dictionary" on them; or at least sue themselves for being such spineless, brainless sheep for letting it happen. (Come on! Can't you take a joke!)

On the plus side, I do have one unqualified, heartfelt compliment to pay World Scrabble; compared to the challenge rule of North American Scrabble, World Scrabble's 5-point penalty for double-checking a good play almost doesn't make me want to puke.

The 2013 World Scrabble Championship was held in Prague, Czech Republic in December 2013. The winner was Nigel Richards. The play-by-play of the 42 most important games in the regular rounds and the playoff rounds were recorded and posted to the web.

Accordingly, I chose 42 good Scrabble III games played in the Dover Scrabble Club from the same time frame for comparison.

What you see in this study are the words on the final boards, as opposed to the individual plays. Words in red below would not be acceptable in the Dover Scrabble Club since we use a regular dictionary. Think of it as spotting the world champs an extra few hundred thousand words or so.

Here are a couple of pictures which may be worth the 2386 words listed below. (A picture is worth 1193 words now?) The first Scrabble board is a reconstruction of the recorded game from Round 17 of the 2013 World Scrabble Championship. It has 43 words, some of which, you may note, are slightly unusual. Is this what YU aspire to?

2013 World Scrabble Championship, Round 17.

In case you think I'm pulling your leg, I submit MONOCL_ as evidence, slight though it may be, that this isn't the result of 6-year-olds playing with alphabet blocks.

Now, here is a nice Dover Scrabble Club game used in the study. It has 16 words, and I'm guessing you can figure them all out.

A nice Scrabble III board.

A recent (March 2014) Hasbro press release brags, "The SCRABBLE game has also reached a new community of players in the digital space with more than 15 versions of the digital game from Hasbro licensees including the popular SCRABBLE for iPad and SCRABBLE for iPhone games." Do you think, just maybe, that the "digital space" is big enough for one more version based on big, natural words? Think of me what you will, but my offer holds rock solid:

Program up Scrabble II and Scrabble III for the world, and the first $2 million dollars are yours before we start splitting it.

Now, then, on with the show. Here's us, regular people playing Scrabble III For Big Word Lovers using our own vocabularies, versus them, the best Scrabble players on earth, playing modern World Scrabble. (And please don't burn out before you get to the "Use of the Q" section.)

Champs: (none)

Dover: (1) DISCONTENTEDLY

Champs: (none)

Dover: (4) DIALECTICALLY ENCOURAGINGLY ENIGMATICALLY REACTIONARIES

Champs: (none)

Dover: (13) COMMANDEERED CONSERVATION CREMATORIUMS DICTIONARIES DISORIENTATE INTERCHANGES MALNUTRITION MILLIONAIRES MOISTURIZERS NATIONALIZED PLANETARIUMS RELATIONALLY UNMANAGEABLE

Champs: (none)

Dover: (18) ARRESTINGLY BACKGROUNDS BEAUTIFULLY CALLOUSNESS CHAMPIONING CURIOSITIES GENTLEMANLY GLAMOURIZED GROUNDWATER HOMESTEADER INTERESTING INVIOLATELY LOLLYGAGGED NECROMANCER PIRATICALLY PNEUMATICAL RESPONDENTS SHOEHORNING

Champs: (2) CONCURRENT INFINITUDE

Dover: (35) ASSAULTING BUFFOONERY CAUTIONING CHATTERERS CLATTERERS CONIFEROUS DESCRIBERS ENORMOUSLY EXPLAINERS FABRICATES FORWARDING FOSSILIZED GLITTERING GRANULATED GRATUITOUS IMPOTENTLY MANNERISMS MARKETABLE PREVIEWERS REBAPTIZED RECAPTURED REFLECTION REPLANTING REPOSITORY REPROBATES RETARDANTS UNABRIDGED UNBLEACHED UNBUTTONED UNFAIRNESS UNHAPPIEST UNSCHOOLED UNSNAPPING UNTHREADED URINATIONS

Champs: (14) ADNATIONS CREMASTER DECORATES DURATIVES ENFORESTS FLINCHING MISPRINTS NAUSEATES NODALISED PILOTAGES RETACKLED SOULDIERS TERRAPINS TINCTURED

Dover: (69) ABLATIONS ALLOCATED ANNOTATED BRAINIEST BRATTIEST CANNONADE CARRIAGES CHANDLERS COMMODORE CONVERGED COWARDICE CRAFTIEST DEIONIZED DELOUSING DEPOSITED DEVEINING DURATIONS ESCAPADES FEATURING FERVENTLY FLAVORING FORWARDED GOVERNORS GREEDIEST HOUSEHOLD INORGANIC INVERTERS INVISIBLE KINDLINGS LEARNINGS LETTERING MEMORIALS MENTALITY MENTIONED MOLLIFIED NEUTRINOS ORGANISER ORIENTING OUTLAWING OUTPOURED RECEIVING RECOATING RECOVERED REJOINDER RELATABLE REMARKING RESPONDER RETARDERS RETESTING REWRITING SCHOONERS SCRAWNIER SHOEHORNS SQUIGGLED STRAPPERS TEENSIEST THROATIER TRAVELERS TURNTABLE UNGUARDED UNMARRIED UNSTAINED UNTIDIEST VALIDATED VENTURING VITRIOLIC WALLOWING WARRANTED WEREWOLFS

Champs: (91) ABALONES ACCIDENT AEGROTAT ALLUDING ANALYZES ANECDOTE APEPSIES AUROREAN AVIATORS CAULDEST CLARINET COVERAGE CURATING DAQUIRIS DEASHING DIATONIC DOULEIAS ELDRITCH EPOXYING EROTICAL ETHERIAL EXALTERS FARSIDES FARSIDES FLEECIER FOLIATES FORESTAL FRONTONS GANTLINE GAZUMPED GENDARME GLOBOIDS GRANITIC HAIRLINE IMPALING INSTABLE KELLAUTS KNARLIER LALIQUES LEADIEST LICENSER LIGHTENS LUCIFERS MENTORED MEUNIERE MISEATEN MISTBOWS MOISTING MORIBUND MUGWORTS NEARLIER NEUROPIL OILSEEDS OLIBANUM ORDINANT OUTBREED OUTDARED OUTSHAME OVERRATE PARAVANE PAROEMIA PARTAKEN PERACUTE PIETISMS POTASHES PROTEGES RATOONER RECOPIED RECTITIC RESTORED REUNIONS SAXATILE SINNERED SLIPPAGE SNIRTLED SOCIATES SONGLESS SPITFIRE SUBAGENT TAILFINS TELERANS TOOLBARS TURBINED UINTAITE UNUNITED UPRAISER VERBOTEN VIREMIAS WARDMOTE WARFARES WATCHOUT

Dover: (148) ACETATES ACTIVITY ADROITLY ALMANACS ANEURYSM APPOSITE ARTFULLY ASTEROID AUTOMATA AVERAGES BANDITRY BEHEADER BLEATING BLISTERY BOOKENDS BOUNTIES CANDLERS CARRIERS CHALKIER CHEESIER CHOICELY CHOMPERS CLEAVING COMATOSE COURIERS COURTIER CRAMPONS CREATURE CRISPIER CUDGELED CULVERTS CURATIVE CURLIEST CURTAINS DAZZLERS DECEASED DEPEOPLE DETAINED DIALECTS DOODLING DOWNTOWN DREAMILY DROWSILY EATERIES EMULATED ENVIABLE EUPHONIC EYEPIECE FLOURING FOOTINGS FORTUNED FOURTEEN FRACTION FRAILEST FRANKING GEARINGS GLOAMING GRITTIER HABITATS HANKERED HEMLOCKS HOUNDING HOUSINGS HUMANIST HUNGRILY IMPLODED INCHOATE LEGALIZE LOCATING LOOPIEST MAROONED MASTHEAD MONSOONS NATIVITY NATURALS NOTABLES OUTGOING OUTLAWED OUTPRAYS OVERSOLD PALPATES PARENTED PATCHIER PATCHIER PENUMBRA PINOCLES PINWHEEL PLACATER POACHERS POLENTAS PORPOISE PORTABLE PRANKING PRINTOUT RAINIEST RECEIVES RECORDED RECOVERY REFORGES RELENTED REPULSED RESTATED RETAILED REWARDER REWEAVES ROMANCER ROTATORS SALVAGED SANDLOTS SATCHELS SCATTING SCOURING SCREWING SHAFTING SHEETING SHOOTING SHOWOFFS SLEEPIER SLURRIED SPANGLED SPELLERS STAGGERS STEAMING SWAMPING SWATTING SWEARING SWIRLIER TAMPERER THEATRES THUDDING TRAINEES TRAVAILS TRUDGERS TWINKLES UNCOMBED UNDERAGE UNDOCKED UNDULATE UNFORMED UNHOOKED UNPACKED UNPOISED UNSEALED UNSPOKEN WEARIEST WONDERED WOUNDING WRITHING

Champs: (109) ADDREST AEROGEL AIERIES ALANINE ALIENLY APOSTLE ASTERTS ASTRICT BALLING BANTIES BARHOPS BEGUINE BEJEWEL BOGGART CALICOS DIESTER DRAFTEE ECBOLIC ELODEAS ELUATES ENRAGES EROTISE EXPUGNS FANWISE FAQUIRS FENAGLE FENURON FILASSE FOWLING FREEZER FRIANDE GANTLET GRAINED GUNSHIP GYMPIES HANJARS HEATERS INCENTS INSTATE IODATED IRONERS ISATINE JAEGERS JARVIES JETTING LACTONE LIATRIS LITHITE MAIGRES MANDATE METEORS MONOCLE MOTIVED MOTIVIC NARDINE NOISIER OILSEED ORBITED ORPINES OUTDOER OVERATE OVERAWE PAEONIC PINDERS PONIARD POONACS PURTIER QUINZES RACCOON RADIOED RATHOLE RONDELS RUMBLED SAGUARO SALTERN SALUTED SCHERZI SEELIER SEITENS SELECTS SEROSAE SNODDIT SONNIES STONNED SUDARIA SUETIER TAGLIKE TAMEINS TEARING TENSION THEEING TIMEOUS TITUPED TOURERS TOWBOAT TUNNELS TURISTA TUTANIA ULTIONS UNBARED UNICORN UNIQUER UNTRIED UPLIGHT VALOURS VENNELS WASPIER YARNERS YTTRIUM

Dover: (180) ACCOUNT ACUTELY ADAMANT ADVISED AMATEUR ANNEXED ANTIQUE ANXIOUS APLENTY APOLOGY ASSAYED AVIATED AVOIDED AWARDED BALDING BALEFUL BALLOON BANNING BAOBABS BATTEAU BAWLERS BEATING BEEHIVE BEEHIVE BEMOANS BETOKEN BIPOLAR BOATERS BOATMAN BONNETS BOOTIES BORROWS BOTTOMS BRIDGES BROILED BRONZER BROUGHT BUMPERS BUREAUS BUREAUS CABANAS CARRIER CHAPELS CHATTEL CLOAKED CODLINS COMMITS CORONAS CORSAGE COURAGE COURTED CRABBED CRAFTED CURABLE DEBITED DEBRIDE DENTALS DEPARTS DERIVED DERIVES DOUBLED DUCKING DULLING ELOPING EMITTED EQUERRY ESSAYED EVOLVED EXACTER FARROWS FATALLY FAULTED FEATEST FILETED FINCHES FLAUNTS FOIBLES FOISTED FOLDOUT FOOLING FOOLING FORAGED FOREMAN FRONTAL FROTHED GAVOTTE GENUINE GESTURE GOATEES GOVERNS GRAMMAR HARPING HAUNTED HEALING HEROINE HOLDING HOVERED JOURNEY JUNKIER LABORER LECTURE LIBRARY LOCATED LOGGERS LOOTERS MATADOR MINCERS NAPPING NONAGON NOODLED NOONDAY NUNNERY ODOROUS OMITTED OPENING OPERATE OPINION ORDERLY OVATION PARKING PELLETS PHAETON PIECING PIVOTAL PLUNGES POKIEST POPULAR POTABLE POWERED PREACHY PREVENT PROBATE RAMBLES REGRETS RELEASE RESPITE RIPTIDE ROUNDER ROUTERS SALOONS SALTINE SEEKING SEEPAGE SEQUINS SEXTANT SHELVED SKEWING SKIMMED SKIPPER SKITTER SNOOPED SOCIETY SPANNED SPEEDER SQUARED STACKED STIFLED STOMATA STONILY TREACLY TUMBLER TWIRLED UNBRAID UNCLEAR VACATED VAGUELY WALKOUT WALLEYE WALNUTS WALTZED WATTAGE WEEDING WHEELED WHEELED WIENERS WINTERY WOMBATS WORMIER WORMING ZYGOTES

Champs: (80) AALIIS AGGIES AORTAE APOGEE BELOVE BOVINE CALKER CAUDAE CHOKEY CIZERS CLOVEN COOMBE COWKED CRUSTA DAZING DECEIT DEVEIN DEVOTE DIPNET DIVERT DOURAH EMAILS EONIAN EQUATE EQUINE ETERNE EUPNEA EURIPI FACTOR FINITO FOGMEN GROOVY GUQINS HALVER HOOVER HURLEY IONICS JARVEY KIRTAN KOSHER LEVITY MAWGER NIEVES NIXIES NORMAS ONLAYS OUTWIT OVATED PANARY PAVANE QUICHE QUINOA RAMJET RAMPED REWINS ROARED SAUGHY SHOJIS SUBLOT TATSOI TIBIAE TIPPET TOLZEY TOORIE TOUZED UNTRIM VAUNTY VIOLER VIXENS VOICED WANGUN WEBLOG WIGGAS WILJAS WINIER WONGIS WOODIE WOUNDS WUDDED ZOETIC

Dover: (122) AGAVES AIDING ANALOG APIECE ARMORY BLIMPS BONNET BOWERY BRAVED BRINES BUGGED BURNED BYPASS CANNED CAULKS COUGAR COWARD COWARD CREAKY DEVEIN DEVOID DOTAGE FAMOUS FAVOUR FEASTS FELLOW FENCER FINISH FLAKES FLAMBE FLATLY FLIGHT FLUIDS FLUIDS FONDER FOOLED GOOSED GOOSEY GOTTEN GRIFTS HAIRDO HALITE HALVAS HANGAR HAOLES HARKEN HATTER HAULER HOMINY HUNGRY INSIDE JOINER JUICES JUTTED KIRTLE LAUGHS LINENS LOADED LOADER LOOKER LOVERS MANNER MARROW MEANER MENTOR MINDED NINETY NOVELS ODDITY PACKED PAYOUT PEEKED PELTED PENNON PERMIT PIVOTS PLACED PLANAR PLOUGH POOPED POTION PROWLS PUREES PURRED QUAKER QUORUM RAIDER RAZORS ROTTED RUANAS SCOLDS SCOOTS SEQUEL SEXIER SEXIER SHAVER SHORES SOMBER SORBET SPOKEN SPONGE STOICS SWEARS THROVE TIMBER TOGGLE TOMATO TRENDS TRIAGE VACATE VENIAL VENTED VERGES VISAGE VOWING WAGGED WARDED WAXIER WAXING WEBBED YAPPER YEARLY

Champs: (212) ABAND ABLOW AERIE AFOOT AGAPE AGLOO AIERY ALLEE ANENT ANNEX ANOAS ANODE AQUAE ARMOR ASIDE AVERT AVERT AZIDE BEDEW BEEDI BEEFY BEIGE BEING BELON BENDS BENDS BEVEL BEWIG BEWIG BHANG BLENT BLOOM BLOOP BLUER BOAST BOLIX BOOGY BRENT BULGY CHERT CHIAO CHIRO CIVIE CONGO COOEE COVIN CROZE CRWTH CULPA CULTI CURIE DASHI DAUNT DEILS DEIST DEPTH DEWAX DIYAS DOLCI DONAH DORKY DOVIE DRAIL DRINK DROVE DRUNK DRYER DUING DUITS DUPES EMPTY EVICT EXACT FAGOT FANCY FEMUR FERAL FEUAR FIBRO FILAR FLAIL FLEWS FLIMP FOAMY FOXIE FRANC FROGS FUNNY GAGER GANDY GAWPY GERLE GIBER GITES GLOOM GOOKY GRIEF GROWN GRRRL GRRRL GUFFS HALID HANDS HAYED HEAVY HERTZ HONEY HUIAS HUTIA INANE JACKS JAGIR JAGRA JAMES JATOS JEMBE JETES JIBED JIRDS JIVEY JOEYS JOIST JOWED KANJI KYLIX LICHT LOPER LOUSY LUREX MAVEN MAVIE MEADS METHS MILIA MOGUL MUTHA MZEES NIZAM NURLS OBEYS OBIAS ONERY ORIBI OVIST OVOID PANDY PEKOE PIONY POLIO POOVE PREDY QUACK QUIDS QUIPO QUIRE QUOIT RADIX RAJES RHIME RICED ROQUE RORAL ROUPY SAITH SERIF SKIEY SLYLY SOURS SPULE SWIFT TALAQ TANGO THIRL TIDDY TIMID TITRE TIYIN TRAMP TRUTH TUINA TWEED TWEED UNCOY UNMEW UNWET USAGE VAGAL VAUNT VENGE VENUE VILDE VIRTU VITTA VIZIR VIZOR VODUN VOLVA VOTER VOXEL VOXEL VROUS WEDGY WEEKE WELTS WIFES WOMAN WONKY YENTA YEVES YOGIC ZERKS ZIBET ZONER ZOUKS

Dover: (none)

Champs: (259) AGUE AJAR ALEW ALEW AMID ANES ANOA ANON AQUA ARAR AREA AWEE BAHU BANC BANI BANK BARF BAWN BEAK BEEF BETH BIDI BIGG BIMA BIOG BLOT BRIG BROW BUAT BYTE CALM CALP CELL CHOP CLAW CLEW COIR COOF COWL CRIB CZAR DAGO DEAR DEMY DENI DEXY DIRT DIYA DOEN DOER DOES DONE DRIB DRUG DUAN DUIT DUKE EAUS EAUX EGOS EPEE ERNS ETAT EUOI EUOI FAAS FACT FAVA FAWN FEAT FEEN FIFE FILA FIRM FLEW FLEW FOHN FOID FORD FOXY FOXY GAOL GAWP GEEZ GERM GHEE GIBE GLED GLIA GOAD GOJI GOOF GREX GROK GRRL GRUM GUCK GYVE HANK HAUF HEAD HERB HIDE HIED HIES HIOI HITS HIYA HOMS HOOD HOST HOTE HOUF HOUF HOYA HYEN IDEA IDEE ILIA IOTA IRID JABS JAKE JARL JAWS JEON JEUX JIMP JIVE JIVY JOEY JOGS JOKE JOOK JUNK KAID KEMB KOEL KUEH KURI LASE LENS LOCA LOID LOVE MADS MEES MELT MEMO MEND MERC MIEN MOOD MUNT NAIF NOAH NONG OBAS ODIC OGEE OLEA OMEN ORBS ORZO OWES OXES PAIN PATH PAWN PEEP PERM PIUM PLEX POXY PUGH PUNT PUTZ QADI QATS QATS QINS RANI REND RENK RENT ROAR ROES ROPE RUBY SANE SEEP SIJO SITS SLIP SUET SUQS SWEY SWIZ TAIS TAWA TELD THEN TIKE TINE TOFU TOMB TONY TOWT TOZE TREE TRYE TURD TWAY TWIN TWIT TYIN UNAI UNAU UNIT VAIR VASE VEEP VEGO VIAE VIDS VIVO VLOG VOTE VOWS VUGG WAFT WAIS WAME WAWS WEEL WEET WIND WINS WIPE WIST WOES WOGS WOWS YAAR YATE YAWN YAWN YEAD YEBO YULE ZATI ZEIN ZEIN ZEST ZETA ZINS ZOOS ZORI ZULU

Dover: (none)

Champs: (354) AAH ABA ABY AGO AHI AHI AIA AKA ALA ALA ALA ALA ALE ALE AMA AME AME AMU APO ARE ARE ATE ATE ATE AUF AUF AVO AWE AWL AXE AXE AXE AZO BAL BAR BAT BEG BEY BEZ BEZ BIN BIZ BOD BOI BOI BOO BOO CAW CEE CEE CIS CIT CLY COX DAG DAN DAN DAY DEF DEN DEV DEX DID DIE DOD DOG DOP DOS DOS DOY DUG DUH DUH DUH DUO DZO DZO EAS EDS EEN EFF EFT EFT EGG EGO EME ENE EON ERE ERE ERF ERK ERR ETH EVE EWE EWE FAB FAG FAX FAX FEH FER FES FET FEZ FIZ FRA FUB FUM GAG GEN GEO GIF GIP GOD GOD GOD GOT GOV GUP GUP GYP HEN HET HEX HEY HID HIS HIT HMM HOD HOI HOI HON HUI IDE IDE IDE INK ION IOS JAB JAI JAP JAY JEE JEE JIN JOG JOR JOT JOY KAW KEB KOA KON KYE LAD LAD LAP LAR LAR LAV LAX LAX LOO LOU LUX LUZ MAC MED MED MEH MIZ MOC MOL MOO NAB NAM NAT NAW NAY NED NED NET NET NOD NOH NOO NOT NOT NTH NUB OBE OBE OBI ODE OES OFF OFT OHM OHO OKA OKE OOF OOH OON OOP OOT OPE ORD ORE OUK OVA OWE OWE OWN OWT OXY PAR PAW PEE PEE PEH PEL PEN PEN PIC PIG POA QAT QAT QAT QAT QAT QIN QIN QIN QIN QIN QIN QIN QIN QIN QUA RAI RAJ RAJ RAX REG REH REI REN RES ROE RYE SAY SEA SED SEI SEL SEX SHE SIF SIF SIM SIX SON SOZ STY SUQ TAE TAR TED TED TEE TEN TIE TIG TIP TIX TON TOW TOY TUT TYG UFO UGH UNI UNI UNI USE UTA UTA UTA VAG VAU VAW VAW VEG VET VEX VEX VIA VIA VIM VIN VOX VOX VOX WAE WAR WAX WEB WEB WEX WOE WOE WOF WOF WOG WOS WOT WOX XIS XIS YAE YAE YAR YAW YET YEW YEX YEX YGO YID YIN YIN YOB YOD YOD YUS ZAG ZAP ZAP ZAX ZEA ZED ZEE ZIT ZOA ZOO ZOS

Dover: (5) ASH ERR NOS ORE SOS

Champs: (553) AA AA AB AD AD AD AD AE AE AE AG AG AG AH AH AH AH AI AI AI AI AL AL AL AL AM AM AN AN AN AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AR AS AS AS AS AT AT AT AW AW AW AX AX AX AX AX AX AY AY AY AY BA BA BE BE BE BI BI BI BO BO BY CH CH CH CH DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DE DE DE DE DE DI DI DI DO DO EA EA EA EA EA EA ED ED ED ED ED ED ED ED ED ED ED EE EE EE EE EE EE EF EF EF EF EF EF EF EF EF EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EL EL EL EL EL EL EL EL EM EM EM EM EM EN EN EN EN EN EN EN EN ER ER ER ER ER ES ES ES ES ES ET ET ET ET ET ET EX EX EX EX EX EX FA FA FA FA FA FA FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FY FY GI GI GI GO GO GO GO GO GU GU GU GU GU GU GU GU GU HA HE HE HE HE HI HI HO HO ID ID ID ID ID ID ID IF IF IF IF IF IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IS IS IS IS IS IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT JA JA JA JO JO KA KA KA KA KA KI KI KI KO KO KO KO KY LA LI LI LI LI LI LO LO LO LO ME ME ME ME MI MI MI MO MO MO MO MO MO MO MO MU MU MY MY NA NA NA NA NA NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NO NO NO NONU NU NU NU NU NU NY NY NY OB OB OD OD OD OD OD OD OD OE OE OE OE OE OE OF OF OF OF OH OH OH OH OI OI OI OI OI OI OI ON ON ON ON ON ON OO OO OO OP OP OP OP OP OR OR OR OR OR OR OR OR OS OS OS OS OU OU OU OU OU OU OU OW OW OW OW OX OX PA PA PA PA PA PE PE PE PE PI PI PI PO QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI RE RE RE RE RE RE SH SI SO SO SO TA TA TA TA TA TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TI TI TI TI TI TI TI TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO UG UG UG UH UH UH UH UH UM UM UM UN UN UP UP UP UR UR UR UR UR UR UR US UT UT WE WO WO WO WO WO XI XI XI XI XU XU XU YA YA YA YA YE YE YE YE YE YE YE YO YO YU YU YU YU ZA ZA ZA ZA ZA ZO ZO ZO ZO

Dover: (115) AD AD AD AD AD AD AD AM AN AN AN AR AR AR AR AR AS AS AS AS AS AT AT AY BE BE BE BE BE BE BE BE BY DO DO DO DO DO ED ED ED ED ED EF EF EF EH EL EL EL EM EN ER ER ER ER ER ER ER FA GO GO HA HE HE HE HE ID IF IN IN IS LA ME ME ME ME ME MY NO OF ON OR OR OS OS OS PI RE RE RE RE RE RE RE RE SH SH SO TA TA US UT WE WE WE WE WE WE WE WE YE YE YO YO

Notice that in Scrabble III, two-letter words average less than 3 per game, while in championship World Scrabble, they average a little over 13 per game. Oi.

Champs: (685) CREMASTER ENFORESTS NODALISED PILOTAGES SOULDIERS AEGROTAT APEPSIES CAULDEST DAQUIRIS DEASHING DOULEIAS EROTICAL ETHERIAL FARSIDES FARSIDES GAZUMPED INSTABLE KELLAUTS KNARLIER LALIQUES LEADIEST MISTBOWS MOISTING NEARLIER NEUROPIL OILSEEDS OLIBANUM ORDINANT PAROEMIA PERACUTE RECTITIC SINNERED SNIRTLED SOCIATES TURBINED WARDMOTE WARFARES WATCHOUT ADDREST AIERIES ALIENLY ASTERTS ASTRICT BANTIES BEJEWEL BOGGART DIESTER ECBOLIC EROTISE EXPUGNS FAQUIRS FENAGLE FILASSE FRIANDE GYMPIES HANJARS ISATINE JARVIES LIATRIS LITHITE MAIGRES NARDINE OILSEED PAEONIC PINDERS POONACS QUINZES RATHOLE SEELIER SEITENS SNODDIT STONNED SUDARIA SUETIER TAMEINS THEEING TITUPED TURISTA TUTANIA ULTIONS UNBARED UNIQUER UPLIGHT VALOURS VENNELS WASPIER YARNERS AALIIS BELOVE CAUDAE CHOKEY CIZERS COOMBE COWKED CRUSTA FINITO FOGMEN GUQINS HALVER HOOVER HURLEY JARVEY KIRTAN MAWGER NIEVES NORMAS OVATED PANARY REWINS SAUGHY TATSOI TOLZEY TOORIE TOUZED VAUNTY WIGGAS WILJAS WONGIS WUDDED ZOETIC ABAND ABLOW AGLOO AIERY ALLEE BELON BOLIX BOOGY CHIRO CIVIE CONGO COOEE COVIN CULPA DIYAS DOLCI DONAH DOVIE DRAIL DUING DUITS FEUAR FIBRO FLIMP FOXIE GANDY GOOKY GRRRL GRRRL GUFFS HALID HUIAS HUTIA JAGIR JAGRA JAMES JEMBE JIRDS JOWED LICHT LUREX MAVIE MUTHA MZEES NIZAM NURLS OBIAS ONERY OVIST PIONY POOVE PREDY QUIPO RAJES RHIME RORAL ROUPY SKIEY SPULE TALAQ THIRL TIDDY TUINA UNCOY VILDE VIZIR VOXEL VOXEL VROUS WEDGY WEEKE WIFES YEVES ZERKS ZOUKS ALEW ALEW ANES ARAR AWEE BAHU BANC BAWN BETH BIGG BIMA BIOG BUAT CALP COOF DAGO DEXY DIYA DOEN DUAN DUIT EAUS EAUX ETAT EUOI EUOI FAAS FAVA FEEN FOID GLED GOJI GRRL GRUM HAUF HIOI HIYA HOMS HOTE HOUF HOUF HYEN IDEE IRID JEON JEUX JIMP KAID KEMB KOEL KUEH KURI LOCA LOID MEES MERC MUNT NOAH NONG OXES PIUM PLEX POXY PUGH QADI QATS QATS QINS RENK SIJO SUQS SWEY SWIZ TAIS TAWA TELD TOWT TOZE TRYE TURD TWAY TYIN VEGO VIAE VIDS VIVO VLOG VUGG WAIS WAME WAWS WEEL WEET WOGS YAAR YATE YEAD YEBO ZATI ZINS ZULU ABY AHI AHI AIA AKA AME AME AMU APO AUF AUF AZO BAL BEZ BEZ BOI BOI CIS CIT CLY DEV DOD DOP DOY DZO DZO EAS EDS EEN EFF EME ENE ERF ERK FEH FER FES FET FIZ FRA FUB FUM GEN GEO GIF GOV GUP GUP HET HMM HOI HOI HON HUI IDE IDE IDE IOS JAI JAP JIN JOR KAW KEB KON KYE LAR LAR LAV LOU LUZ MEH MIZ MOC NAM NAT NAW NED NED NOH NOO OBE OBE OES OKA OKE OOF OON OOP OOT ORD OUK OWT OXY PEH PEL POA QAT QAT QAT QAT QAT QIN QIN QIN QIN QIN QIN QIN QIN QIN RAX REG REH REI REN SED SEL SIF SIF SIM SOZ TAE TIG TIX TYG UFO UNI UNI UNI UTA UTA UTA VAG VAU VAW VAW VIN VOX VOX VOX WAE WEX WOF WOF WOG WOS WOX YAE YAE YAR YEX YEX YGO YID YOD YOD YUS ZEA ZOS AA AA AE AE AE AL AL AL AL BO BO CH CH CH CH DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DE DE DE DE DE DI DI DI EA EA EA EA EA EA EE EE EE EE EE EE ES ES ES ES ES ET ET ET ET ET ET FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FE FY FY GI GI GI GU GU GU GU GU GU GU GU GU IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO IO JA JA JA JO JO KA KA KA KA KA KI KI KI KO KO KO KO KY MO MO MO MO MO MO MO MO NA NA NA NA NA NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NY NY NY OB OB OD OD OD OD OD OD OD OE OE OE OE OE OE OI OI OI OI OI OI OI OO OO OO OP OP OP OP OP OU OU OU OU OU OU OU PE PE PE PE PO QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI QI TE TE TE TE TE TE TE UG UG UG UN UN UR UR UR UR UR UR UR XU XU XU YA YA YA YA YU YU YU YU ZA ZA ZA ZA ZA ZO ZO ZO ZO

Dover: (none)

Stop and think about this for a moment. Of the 1676 words on the final boards of the world champions, over 40% of them would not be found in a respected, regular dictionary! And the champs' 685 words in red is almost as great as all the words put together (710) on the 42 Scrabble III boards!

Note that since Scrabble III (like Scrabble II) is played with a random scoop of a hundred tiles from a mixture of three sets, not every game will have a Q. The Dover Q-words above were from 42 consecutive games showing a Q.

Note that only four of the champs' Q-words, EQUATE, EQUINE, QUICHE and QUINOA, would be allowed on a Scrabble III board.

For more "Us vs. Them" Q-word studies like this, visit my "How to use the Q in Scrabble - Two modes of thought" page.

The number of words on the final board is a very interesting statistic. For the 42 World Championship games, there were a total of 1676 words on the final boards for the 4078 tiles played. That works out to a walloping 40.3 words per final board. (I normalize things to a standard, 98-tile final board.)

For the 42 Dover Scrabble Club games, there were only 710 words for the 4073 tiles played, working out to an almost unimaginable 17.1 words per final board!

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Helpful keywords not in the main text: naspa=north american scrabble players association. sowpods dictionary. kaa-chinggg! = old-fashioned cash register.