Become a master of letter placement on a Scrabble board, and we shall crown you the “Scrabble Samurai.”
Cool title, right?
While long words make for excellent wordplays, they won’t necessarily earn you many points — unless it’s a bingo word (best achieved if you get wildcards).
Pro Scrabble players recommend shorter words (two words), which can easily earn you a comfortable 50 points.
The moves come easy for word game veterans — playing games like Scrabble and Words With Friends — because they can spot strategic moves fast.
But beginners may need help to build their vocabulary and avoid wasting their wildcards on low scores.
How do you shine on game night? The Word Finder for Scrabble and Words with Friends is an excellent way to go.
Don’t want a word finder? Traditional playing tricks and hacks, such as using a dictionary, remain the top element of a fun, interactive Scrabble game session.
Here are a few impressive Scrabble word finder moves you can pull on your next game night, just like a Scrabble solver pro.
All Scrabble players have seven letters on the rack — equal chance.
After you pick your seven tiles and find letters such as Q, Z, J, and X hiding amongst your set, as well as two blank tiles, make a move with these letters as quickly as you can.
They are a tough lot to crack, but expanding your vocabulary gives you a better chance at winning.
For example, the 17 official Q words make for a fun time:
Look for similar opportunities with your Z, X, K, and J tiles to win the word game.
Ensure that you capitalize on blank tiles and use Z to make mighty “pointy” new words. How? Look for an A hanging around, and place the Z tile next to it on the right — if you put it on any bonus squares, then even better!
Then, below your Z tile, place another A.
For example, your opponent might play the word “LEARN” on square B6 to B10 and earn 15 points. Here’s what to do:
Other short words include:
You can hitch a ride to the finish line of your Scrabble game by riding on your competitor’s words, using prefixes and suffixes as a sneaky tactic.
A few suffixes you might want to learn include:
And the prefixes you’ll want to watch out for are:
For example, an opponent might play the word “VERBAL.”
Add “NON” at the beginning; you create “NONVERBAL.” Better yet, add “LY” at the end to score “VERBALLY.”
Another is “JUMP,” which you can turn into “JUMPER” or “JUMPS.”
The trick is to build on what exists on the board.
Additionally, prefixes and suffixes present an easy chance to rid your rack of unwanted letters.
What if suffixes and prefixes are also a part of your opponent's bag of tricks? How do you change the Scrabble game tide?
Use hook words!
A hook word is where you add a letter or letters to your opponent's word to change its meaning while earning points on both the new word and the opponent’s word.
For example, you might spot the word “DRINK” across the Scrabble board, and “SMELL” near to it vertically.
Spin-off the words by placing an S tile on an open square, thus changing the words to “DRINKS” and “SMELLS.”
You earn from both words, and, if lucky, your S may also land on a bonus square, and you’re now kicking the game.
Similarly, you can play this move but with the hook letter going at the beginning. For example, “WEEPS” can turn into “SWEEPS.”
The trick lies in spotting these openings and using them before your opponent does.
Switching your tiles is a useful tactic, and you’re able to choose which ones to exchange from your rack, yet many Scrabble beginners overlook its high scoring potential.
You may score a zero for that round, but a better long term strategy is switching your letters for a different stack. Play the long game, because trading in tiles is likely to earn you enough points to cover that round’s loss.
Imagine — you’re in the middle of a tough game, and the odds seem against you as you draw seven vowels.
At this point, a Scrabble Word Finder might come in handy because it will suggest possible words for you. But, you could also trade in your letters.
Now, it’s no guarantee you will trade in your vowels for high score letters. A twist in fate and you could pick another set of vowels.
But you have a chance if you strategically utilize your letters, like with the hook strategy above.
How?With the I tile, you can turn “DEAL” into “IDEAL.” And, if luck is on your side again, you could then pick the S tile and hook it to create “IDEALS.”
Clever right?
The strategies build into each other.
No letter has to go to waste if you study the Scrabble board keenly. There is always a move.
Combine your two-letter word strategy with this trick, and you chop points from all directions.
You may not want to switch your current rack of tiles, and at this point, we suggest playing the parallel move with your low-score letters to rack up points.
Look for sweet open spots to place the vowels — aim for the bonus squares, which many players save to use on long words.
Try to make it three-letter words and score even more points.
The secret to high scoring words is knowing them first hand. Spend time with your Scrabble Dictionary to become a formidable opponent.
For example, words such as “HAECCEITY” mean the essence of individuality, while “SYZYGY” is the breathtaking alignment of celestial bodies. Can you imagine that play?
Another advantage to parallel playing is that you open up what seems like a dead-end game.
Moreover, for parents playing with their kids, combining two words and parallel play is an excellent way to help them learn the art of Scrabble.
Finally, as the game progresses, remember to keep a tally of the tiles left in the bag.
You can tell what letters the other players have on their racks from your own letter and the letters placed on the Scrabble board. With this knowledge, you can manipulate the word games and seal all open high scoring chances.
Furthermore, an eye on what tiles are remaining in the bag allows you to see smart placement opportunities for your next round.
Scrabble remains a classic part of offline game night, unlike Words With Friends which requires you and your opponents to be online.
To get the highest score in Scrabble, harness your language power, dig deep into your word knowledge, and win with a well thought-out strategy.
Although, luck has a part to play as well.
The traditional Scrabble methods above are not only for entertainment purposes, but can teach new words from watching others play.
Besides, to speed up the game, or if none of your friends will agree on which Scrabble dictionary to use, a Scrabble Word Finder is the way to level up play fair and square.
An online helper like our Scrabble Word Finder is fun, educational, and allows you to play more board game rounds.
A Scrabble “cheat tool” is the combination of the official Scrabble dictionary and our tips above, as well as many more, in setting the record straight that you are the master of games night.
