Most people tend to view Scrabble as a simple game. The game’s basic concept is to create words with the tiles of letters provided on a board. However, Scrabble is anything but easy. It’s a tricky game that can leave you frustrated every time you lose — akin to the feeling you can get if you lose heavily on spin.city/en. There are numerous tricks, tips, and strategies you can use to master Scrabble.
Top 10 Pieces of Advice That Will Lead You to Success in Scrabble
Even if you consider yourself a walking dictionary, you might end up disappointed if you continually post low scores when playing Scrabble. Here are 10 tips and tricks you can use to gain the upper hand and raise your scores each time you play Scrabble:
● Make the most of two and three-letter words: Short words offer way more points than many Scrabble enthusiasts think. This is especially true towards the game’s conclusion, where short words can help raise your last score to win. As you get closer to the end of the game, you’ll have to be creative, as there won’t be enough space for longer words. Moreover, short words are useful for forming double words. You can do this by placing one letter to create two words and amassing extra points.
● Make use of prefixes and suffixes: You can create new words instantly and rack up extra points by adding -er, -ed, or -ing to words. It’s best to place prefix and suffix letters on the right side of the board so you can easily visualize the possibilities.
● Use words without vowels: If you end up with a stack of constants, fear not! Many words don’t need vowels, and you can use them to raise your score. In Scrabble, certain onomatopoeias are considered words, which can be helpful while playing the game. You can unload tiles of consonants with words like tsk, pfft, shh, hmmm, psst, and brr, to name a few. There are also basic words to consider that don’t consist of any vowels, including cry, try, by, crypt, rhythm, scry, glyph, pry, and many more.
● Use more letters: This tip is self-explanatory because turnover is vital for amassing points. With each bag containing only 100 letter tiles, it’s best to use more letters so your opponents have less to use.
● Search for ‘Hooks’: Hooks is Scrabble lingo that refers to single-letter additions that form entirely new words. For instance, COME becomes COMET, and LUSH becomes BLUSH. You’ll rack up points from new tiles in addition to all the other letters. However, any bonuses on your existing tiles won’t apply.
● Use different versions of words: An excellent way to make the most of your existing words is to use various versions of each word. This is particularly important if you currently have unfavorable letter tiles and can’t find decent openings. For example, you can create ‘STOPPED’ or ‘STOPPER’ from ‘STOP.’ This helps you offload unwanted and excess tiles without having to concede a turn to replace them.
● Get a Scrabble dictionary: A regular dictionary is a great way to build up your vocabulary. However, you should pick up a specialized Scrabble dictionary to excel in the game. A Scrabble dictionary outlines all the potential words for each category of length. Begin with two-letter words first before progressing to longer words.
● Expand your vocabulary: Expanding your vocabulary is an easy way to gain an edge in Scrabble. Since the game is a war of words, you’d be better off with lots of ammunition. Again, it pays to have a Scrabble dictionary.
● Know your opponent’s tactics: Every Scrabble player has their own way of playing. Some players play the open board and attempt to overwhelm you with long, high-scoring words. Make it a point to lock the board up to stop them from razing the scoreboard. Others play defensively and try to lock the board up. Try to open the board up as much as possible and mess up their game plan, too.
● Play more often: We all know the saying, “Practice makes perfect.” To sharpen your Scrabble skills, regularly go up against both computer and human opponents. Playing more often will not only help you acquire new words, but also help you learn various tactics and hone your skills. Don’t be disheartened if you lose a few games because that’s part and parcel of learning Scrabble.
The Winning Formula
It’s not always easy to win a game of Scrabble. While it seems easy to make great plays, it can be much harder to do so in practice. You must spell a vast array of words correctly and think strategically to harness most of your letters whenever it’s your turn. Scrabble might seem easy in theory, but glancing at some strategies, tips, and tricks reveals the level of thought and planning required to master the game and collect the highest possible scores. We hope that these tips are a good starting point for you so you can improve your scores and become a Scrabble master!