Reader here!
Yesterday, I posted a video chatting about my love for board games in general, and one in particular…
That’s right. I loooooove Scrabble!
A lot of games are fun, but I find have too many rules to keep straight.
Not Scrabble. Unless a word is a proper name, place or contraction, if you can find it in a dictionary, you’re good to go!
Simple and straightforward.
Scrabble has been a favourite among my family for as long as I remember.
I remember going to see my Papa and Grandma Procknow in Lucky Lake, and more often than not, when there was a big family gathering, the Scrabble board would come out, with Grandma and my Great Auntie Evelyn holding court.
So much fun! And when the eventual arguments came about the legality of a word, out would come the dictionary to settle the issue.
Pretty much every time I go home to the farm, Mom, Dad and I (and whoever else might be home) will play a game or two of Scrabble, and maybe some Yahtzee, too!
This past Christmas, I even got my Mom the update Scrabble dictionary.
Yeah, it’s the definition of a family favourite.
There are many reasons that I think Scrabble is hands down the greatest board game ever created.
There’s just something about the challenge of trying to come up with the highest scoring word possible using the random tiles you’re dealt that is so addicting. It’s a game that requires not only a strong vocabulary, but also strategic thinking and quick decision making. It’s awesome when after staring at a rack full of letters, looking at what’s on the board, and trying to figure out what to do, the words just suddenly pop out at you
I love how Scrabble can be enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you’re a seasoned pro who knows all the two-letter words that will help you maximize your points, or a newbie who is just learning the ropes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in this classic game. I used to play with older relatives like my grandparents, and now, I play with my parents, brothers, nieces and nephew. It gets them thinking, and we can all have fun together!
And let’s not forget about the satisfaction that comes with successfully playing a high-scoring word on a triple word score tile, or blocking your opponent from doing the same. That’s always fun, but we like to help each other out and find ways to max out the points. Our family is definitely not as cutthroat as others when it comes to game night!
But, the feeling of accomplishment when you win a game of Scrabble is like no other.
But ultimately, Scrabble is a great way to bond with friends and family. It’s the perfect game to play on a cozy winter’s night in, or during a weekend get-together. It’s a fun and engaging way to spend quality time with your loved ones, while also challenging your mind and keeping you on your toes.
It’s a game that’s been often imitated, with other fun word-based games, like Boggle and Word with Friends, but Scrabble has never been duplicated!
Oh, and as a brief aside, after wondering forever, I found an answer to a maddening Scrabble-related question…
Why do the tiles for these five letters only appear once?
One of the most fascinating aspects of Scrabble is the origins of the letter distribution. When creating the game back in 1938, Alfred Butts analyzed the front page of The New York Times to determine the frequency of each letter in the English language, which is why there are more common letters like E and A and fewer letters like Q and Z in the game.
But what if I want to spell the words “pizza” or “jazz?”
Well, I guess I’m S-C-R-E-W-E-D!
It’s a quirky game, but all the same, Scrabble is just the best!
