What happens if you use all 7 tiles in one turn in Scrabble?

If you use all 7 tiles in a single turn (called a Bingo), you get 50 bonus points on top of your word score. This is one of the most exciting plays in the game.

Can you challenge a word in Scrabble?

Yes. Any player can challenge a word. If the word is invalid (not in the agreed dictionary), the player who played it must take the tiles back and lose their turn. If the word is valid, the challenger loses their next turn. House rules vary.

What dictionary is used in official Scrabble?

In North America, the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (OSPD) or the Tournament Word List (TWL) is used. International play uses the Collins Scrabble Words list, which accepts more words.

Is it legal to pass your turn in Scrabble?

Yes. Instead of playing or swapping, you may pass your turn and score 0. If all players pass twice in a row consecutively, the game ends immediately.

How do you handle blank tiles in Scrabble?

Blank tiles are worth 0 points but act as any letter you declare when you play them. Once placed and declared, the blank tile's letter cannot be changed for the rest of the game.

Scrabble Rules — How to Play Scrabble

1 Game Overview

Scrabble is the world's most popular word game. Players take turns building words on a 15x15 grid, earning points based on the letters used and the bonus squares covered. The player with the highest score when all tiles are used (or no legal plays remain) wins.

The board has special bonus squares: Double Letter Score (DL), Triple Letter Score (TL), Double Word Score (DW), and Triple Word Score (TW). The center square is a DW square, and the first word must cover it.

2 What's in the Box

1 game board (15x15 grid with bonus squares)
100 letter tiles (including 2 blank tiles)
1 letter bag
4 tile racks
1 score pad
1 official Scrabble dictionary (recommended)

3 Setup

Place the board in the center. Put all tiles in the bag and mix them up.
Each player draws 7 tiles and stands them on their rack without showing others.
To determine who goes first, each player draws one tile - the player closest to A goes first (blanks go first). Return the tiles and redraw 7.

4 How to Play

The first player places a word on the board, with one tile covering the center star square. Score the word (including any bonus squares).
Draw new tiles from the bag to replenish to 7 tiles.
On your turn, you can: (a) place one or more tiles to form a word, (b) exchange tiles for new ones from the bag (lose your turn), or (c) pass your turn.

Placing Tiles

All tiles placed in one turn must be in the same row or column. They must connect to the existing tiles on the board (unless it's the first turn). Every new sequence of connected letters formed by your play must be a valid word.

Scoring

Add the face value of all letters in new words formed (all letters in the word, not just the ones you placed). Apply bonus squares for tiles you placed: DL doubles that letter's value; TL triples it; DW doubles the whole word; TW triples it. Multiple bonuses stack - a TL tile in a DW word means triple that letter, then double the whole word.

If you use all 7 tiles in one turn ("bingo"), score 50 bonus points.

Challenge Rule

If you think a word is invalid, you can challenge it. Look it up in the official dictionary. If invalid, the player takes back their tiles and loses their turn. If valid, the challenger loses their turn. (Or use a timer app.)

5 Winning

The game ends when all tiles are drawn and one player uses their last tile, or when all players pass consecutively. Unplayed tiles count against each player (their point value is subtracted). The player with the highest total score wins.

6 Strategy Tips

Learn two-letter words. Words like QI, ZA, JO, XI, AX, OX can score big points or unlock difficult spots. There are about 100 valid two-letter words.
Save S tiles. An S can make almost any word plural or verb present-tense. Adding S to a high-scoring word already on the board while making a new word scores double.
Use bonus squares wisely. Triple word squares are game-changers. Aim for them, and try to block opponents from reaching them.
Balance your rack. Having all vowels or all consonants is terrible. If your rack is unbalanced, exchange tiles rather than play a weak word.
Q without U: Know QI (energy in Chinese philosophy) and QOPH (a Hebrew letter) - they're lifesavers when you have Q and no U.
Hook words. Look for ways to add one letter to a word already on the board. "PLANE" can become "PLANES" or "BIPLANE."

🎲 House Rules

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