20 Wörter, die Sie lernen sollten, wenn Sie Scrabble spielen

Feb 22 2012
Scrabble-Fans können sich lange Listen mit ungewöhnlichen Wörtern merken, um zu gewinnen. Aber Gelegenheitsspieler können ihre Spiele verbessern, indem sie nur eine Handvoll nützlicher Einträge lernen. Welche Wörter sollten Sie in Ihrem Scrabble-Arsenal behalten?
Wenn Sie nur ein paar nützliche Wörter lernen, haben Sie in Scrabble vielleicht einen Vorteil gegenüber Ihren Freunden.

Sie können sagen, dass es Ihnen egal ist, ob Sie bei Scrabble gewinnen oder verlieren, aber Sie könnten sehr wohl in der Minderheit sein. Sogar der ehemalige Präsident Barack Obama , einer der profiliertesten Scrabble - Enthusiasten der Vereinigten Staaten, rühmt sich nicht, mit seinen Siegen zu prahlen. „Es ist sein Lieblingsspiel“, sagte der Kommunikationsdirektor des Weißen Hauses, Robert Gibbs, in einem Interview aus dem Jahr 2008, über das The Independent berichtete. "Er wird mit seiner Familie und besonders mit seiner Schwester spielen. Und der Gewinner bekommt für lange, lange Zeit das Recht, anzugeben" [Quelle: McSmith].

Und Obama ist nicht der einzige berühmte Scrabble - Anhänger. Präsident Richard Nixon war ein begeisterter Spieler. So auch Schauspieler Mel Gibson, der das Spiel spielt, während er am Filmset wartet. Der Autor Vladimir Nabokov, berühmt für seinen Roman „Lolita“, war ein begabter Spieler. Sogar Königin Elizabeth II soll sich an einem königlichen Scrabble-Spiel erfreuen [Quelle: McSmith ].

Nicht schlecht für einen Zeitvertreib, der während der Weltwirtschaftskrise erfunden wurde. 1931 erfand der arbeitslose Architekt Alfred Mosher Butts ein Spiel, das er zuerst Lexiko und dann Criss Cross Words nannte. Er hat mehrere Jahre getüftelt, bevor er sich auf die Regeln festgelegt hat, die mittlerweile allen Scrabble-Spielern bekannt sind: Man zeichnet sieben Buchstaben und versucht, Wörter auf einem Brett mit einem 15-mal-15-Raster zu bilden. Jeder Buchstabe erzielt bestimmte Punkte, die ungefähr damit übereinstimmen, wie schwierig es ist, den Buchstaben in ein Wort einzufügen. Wenn ein Gegner ein ungewöhnliches Wort herausfordert, sollte es besser im Wörterbuch stehen, oder Sie müssen es entfernen und verlieren einen Zug.

Das Spiel von Butts hatte zunächst keinen großen Erfolg. Aber in den 1940er Jahren übernahm ein anderer Spielexperte, James Brunot, das Ruder. Er benannte das Spiel in Scrabble um und bis 1952 war es zu einer Sensation geworden [Quelle: NPR ].

Scrabble-Fans, wie die oben erwähnten, können sich lange Listen ungewöhnlicher Wörter merken, um ihr Angeberrecht zu gewinnen. Aber Gelegenheitsspieler können ihre Spiele verbessern, indem sie nur eine Handvoll nützlicher Einträge lernen. Sie können Ihre Freunde beeindrucken – und sogar schlagen –, indem Sie sie mit Highscore-Wörtern blitzen lassen oder indem Sie gemeinsame, aber strategische Wörter einschleichen, die unerwünschte Buchstaben loswerden. Denken Sie daran, die doppelten und dreifachen Quadrate zu verwenden, um Ihre Punktzahl bei fast jedem Wort zu nutzen. Und halten Sie immer nach dem Ausschau, was die Spieler „Bingo“ nennen, die 50 Extrapunkte, die Sie erhalten, wenn Sie alle Ihre Kacheln in einem Spiel verwenden.

Schauen wir uns nun 20 Wörter an, die jeder Scrabble-Spieler kennen sollte.

Inhalt
  1. ZA
  2. Muzjiks
  3. HORST
  4. CAZIKEN
  5. FAQIR
  6. JOUSTED
  7. QUICHOTRIE
  8. JUKEBOX
  9. ZAX
  10. WARTESCHLANGE
  11. CHUTZPAH
  12. XI
  13. SYZYGIE
  14. WAGYU
  15. YO
  16. ZYMURGY
  17. BEZIQUE
  18. FLAPJACK
  19. QANAT
  20. AA

20: SA

Herausforderung! Das könnte Ihr erster Instinkt sein, wenn Sie denken, dass dies auf keinen Fall ein Wort ist. Aber "za" wird jetzt als Slang für Pizza akzeptiert und erscheint in der offiziellen Turnier- und Club-Wortliste, der letzten Autorität für akzeptable Wörter in den USA und Kanada. Es ist nicht viel anzusehen, aber "za" hat es in sich: Mit 10 Punkten für das "z" bringt es Ihnen insgesamt mindestens 11 ein. Treffen Sie ein dreifaches Buchstabenquadrat und Sie können 31 Punkte erzielen. Fügen Sie Peperoni hinzu und Sie haben eine Mahlzeit.

19: MUZJIKS

Muzjiks sind russische Bauern – oder so wurden sie unter dem Zaren genannt (ein weiteres praktisches Wort, das man kennen sollte). In Scrabble gibt Ihnen "Muzjiks" das höchstmögliche Eröffnungsspiel. Setzen Sie das "z" auf das Doppelbuchstabenquadrat für eine Anfangspunktzahl von 39. Alle Eröffnungsspiele erzielen ein Doppelwort - das macht 78. Fügen Sie 50 für ein Bingo hinzu , die Verwendung aller sieben Buchstaben in Ihrem Rack. Mit insgesamt 128 haben Sie einen grandiosen Start hingelegt.

18: AERIE

Ein Horst ist ein Adlerhorst, der sich auf einer Klippe oder einem anderen hohen Ort befindet. In Scrabble ist das Wort eine praktische Möglichkeit, vier Vokale auf einen Schlag loszuwerden. Sie erzielen nur fünf Punkte, aber es ist besser, Ihre Kacheln gegen neue einzutauschen und dabei eine Runde zu verlieren.

17: CAZIKEN

Dr. Karl Khoshnaw set the 1982 record for the highest single word score with "caziques."

When Spanish explorers first reached the West Indies, they found tribes of Indians who described their chiefs using this word. The conquistadors applied the word, which can also be spelled "caciques," to all native chiefs. It also refers to a tropical bird similar to an oriole. In a game in England in 1982, Dr. Karl Khoshnaw set the record for the highest single word score in Scrabble competition. He played "caziques" across two triple word squares for a total score of 392.

16: FAQIR

"Q" is the best of letters and the worst of letters. It gives you 10 points when you use it, but drags down your score if you end the game holding it. Thinking of "q" words is always a challenge. That's why it's a good idea to keep "faqir" in mind.

Faqirs were originally monks in the Sufi sect of Islam, who took vows of poverty. (The word came from the Arabic for "poor man.") The term is now used to refer to any Muslim or Hindu holy man. On the Scrabble board, "faqir" earns you a generous 17 points. And it's an ideal way to use a "q" if you don't have its usual partner, the letter "u."

15: JOUSTED

This fairly accessible word can help you defeat your Scrabble opponents.

Once upon a time, when knights jousted, they had great fun trying to knock each other off their horses with lances. In 2006, two journeyman Scrabble buffs jousted with each other in a game in Lexington, Mass., that involved record high scores.

The loser, Wayne Yorra, opened with a bingo using the word "jousted." He hit the double letter square with the "j" for an initial score of 23. Doubled, it was 46, plus 50 points for using all his tiles, and Yorra was off to a galloping start with a score of 106.

14: QUIXOTRY

In that same record-setting 2006 game mentioned on the previous page, which took place in a church basement, winner Michael Cresta stunned Scrabble fans with the permitted word "quixotry." It means a visionary scheme, action or thought and is derived from the fictional character Don Quixote, whose visions led him to joust with windmills.

Cresta, a carpenter by trade, stretched the word between two triple word squares. With a double letter square under the "x," he initially scored 35. Two triples multiplies that by nine for 315. Add 50 for the bingo, and Cresta ended with a score of 365, a North American record for a single word. The two men went on to set two more records: Cresta's final score of 830 was the most points in a game by one player. Combined with Yorra's 490, the players set a record for most total points at 1,320.

13: JUKEBOX

Long before the iPod playlist, there was the coin-operated phonograph. Jukeboxes brought popular music to the world for decades and grew into colorful, bubbling neon shrines to pop and rock. The word comes from a Gullah term meaning wicked; it originally referred to a juke house, a brothel.

In Scrabble , you need to keep in mind that high-scoring words don't have to be obscure. This common word gives you at least 27 points. As an opening bingo , it's worth a solid 85, which is music to any player's ears.

12: ZAX

This word evolved from "sax," a single-edge sword of ancient Scandinavia, and came to describe a tool for cutting and punching nail holes in roofing slates. It also refers to the craftsman who uses the tool. It gives the highest possible scrabble score for a three-letter word: 19. Hit a double or triple letter square, and you'll do even better. The bonus: You dump two problematic letters at once.

11: QUEUE

"Queue" may refer to a line of people, among other things.

George Washington had one. So does your printer. "Queue" can refer to either a braid of hair hanging down a person's back, or a line of people, print jobs or anything else. It comes from the Latin word coda, which means tail.

In Scrabble , "queue" earns a minimum score of 14, nothing to sneer at. Even better, it clears your rack of a bunch of awkward vowels. And, of course, you lose the "q," a letter you don't want to be saddled with at the game's end.

10: CHUTZPAH

The writer Leo Rosten said chutzpah was when a man murders his parents, then throws himself on the mercy of the court as an orphan. The word reaches us from Hebrew through Yiddish. It can mean either extreme self-confidence or shameless impudence.

You'll score at least 27 points with chutzpah anywhere on the board. Fit it into either the upper right or lower right corner going across, and you'll do better -- much better. That puts the "z" on the double letter square, giving you an initial 37. It also lets you hit two triple word squares, which multiplies your score by nine. Add 50 for a bingo . You'll wind up with a phenomenal 383 points and a major boost to your self-confidence.

9: XI

"Xi" may be short, but it's point-worthy.

Xi is the 14th letter of the Greek alphabet, falling between nu and omicron. In English, it's pronounced something like "sigh."

You may let out a sigh of relief when you make this play in Scrabble , because it clears your rack of the "x," which will subtract eight points from your score if you're stuck with it in the final tally. So keep "xi" in mind. It's rare that you can't find a place to squeeze this little word in, dispose of the "x," and pick up nine points in the process.

8: SYZYGY

There's no way to pronounce this word, which describes an alignment of three heavenly bodies, without sounding like you've had too much to drink . But it's a cool and impressive word to keep in mind for Scrabble.

To begin with, you'll score at least 21 points for "syzygy." Of course, you'll need to use a blank, because there are only two "y" tiles in Scrabble . But you can amp up your score if you bring the word into alignment with one of the corners. Hit the double letter square with the "z" and end on a triple word square, and you'll have a total of 93. A great move when you're short of vowels.

7: WAGYU

If you live outside of North America, this word is a good one to have in your arsenal.

This Japanese breed of cattle provides gourmets with Kobe beef, which sells for $100 a pound and up. The lucky beeves are given a ration of beer and a massage every day.

In 2011, "wagyu" was added to the Scrabble word list for play outside the U.S. and Canada. That fact points out a great divide in the Scrabble world. In North America, the Scrabble brand is controlled by Hasbro, which rules on the words that are permissible in tournaments. In the rest of the world, Scrabble is marketed and overseen by Mattel. Different official word lists apply. For casual games, players can choose an ordinary dictionary as the last word in what words can be used.

With the combination AYWUG on your rack, you might be left scratching your head. But remember "wagyu," and you'll score at least 12 points initially, with a chance for more with double letter squares -- if you live outside North America.

6: YO

"Yo, my man!" This exclamation is used to get somebody's attention. Sounds contemporary, but surprisingly, "yo" goes back to the Late Middle English of 1400. Soldiers in World War II used it to mean "present" in a roll call. Sylvester Stallone, in the Rocky movies, used it a lot, too. "Yo, Adrian!"

In Scrabble, it's a clever way to dump a pesky "y." It may only score you five points, but that can make a difference in a tight game.

5: ZYMURGY

This consonant-heavy word can earn you up to 120 points.

This is the branch of chemistry that deals with fermentation, as in winemaking or the brewing of beer . You might refer to your next kegger as an experiment in zymurgy.

It's a high-octane word for Scrabble as well. For an opening bingo, put the "z" on the double letter square and you'll brew up a score of 120. It can be terrific way to score points when you're short on vowels.

4: BEZIQUE

Bezique was Winston Churchill's favorite card game. It's a high-scoring, trick-taking and melding contest that employs a deck of 64 cards. Its more popular offspring is Pinochle.

In Scrabble , the word "Bezique" can be a winner. You'll score a minimum of 27 points when you play it anywhere on the board. But use it as an opening bingo with the "q" on a double letter square and you'll score 124, one of the highest possible openings.

3: FLAPJACK

Remembering this breakfast food can score you nearly 400 points.

In America, this is another word for pancake. Cowboys washed them down with bad coffee for breakfast. But in Britain, a flapjack is a chewy sweet made from oats.

You might overlook flapjack as a mundane word, but it can be a high Scrabble scorer. Hit a double letter square with the "j" and you'll score 34. Stretch it between two triple word squares and you'll end up with a sweet 356.

2: QANAT

A qanat is a tunnel used in arid regions for irrigation . It was invented in Iran, then called Persia, about 2,500 years ago and is still used today. It taps into underground water and uses the slope of the land to bring that water to where it's needed without pumping.

A rack containing these letters can be maddening. Two "a's" and no "u" to go with the "q." But don't despair. Qanat clears most of your letters and rids you of "q," scoring you at least 14 points in the process.

1: AA

Solidified lava comes in two forms. Aa is rough like cinders. Pahoehoe, formed from hotter lava, is smooth. Both words are Hawaiian.

The game is winding down. This could be your last play. You can fit the word in almost anywhere there's another "a." It's only worth two points, but if they allow you to edge out your opponent, you'll be bragging about those two points for a while.

Lots More Information

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