Bring on the ZA!
I'm just back from my Scrabble road trip and ready to play some more laid-back, pub-style Scrabble tonight.
In last week's Scrabble in the City, music was the theme, which produced words such as: FRET, SOUND, DUB, RIFFS, GIGS, ALTO, and MI (as in DO RE MI). Michael's RIFFS won the popular vote, but everyone was a winner, as free iTunes Music Store songs were given out to all who played along and stuck around until the prize ceremony.
Come out tonight to Scrabble in the City and try out your word knowledge against other Scrabble players.
This marks the first Monday that we'll be using the new Scrabble word source. Say goodbye to EMF and hello to HOS, LES and POO. But try not to conjure images of those three together. These are some of the changes in the new Scrabble Official Club and Tournament Word List (OCTWL2), thanks to the hard work of the NSA Dictionary Committee. The new bible for us Word Nerds will undoubtedly alter the game in many new and exciting ways.
We've now got 44 new three-letter-words (and the one omission); 128 new four-letter-words; 303 new five-letter-words; over 540 new sixes; over 901 sevens; and over 1333 eights. But the biggest splash is the new two-letter-words.
There are just five new twos: FE, KI, OI, QI and ZA. Yes, that's za as in pizza. FE is a Hebrew letter (like PE). KI and QI are both the vital force that, in Chinese thought, is inherent in all things. And OI is an interjection meaning OY. Of these five new two-letter-words, only OI can't take a back S-hook. There's an excellent online resource, complete with definitions here.
I've already played a few games using my patchy knowledge of the new bible. But good news! With the addition of QI as an acceptable word, you're less likely to be stuck with it in the endgame. Overall, scores might average a little higher as boards become more volatile. Either that or we'll all be playing scared and defensive for a while. In any case, change is good and I'm psyched for a new challenge. Are you?
Join in on the fun and games at Kilgour's pub on Bloor Street (just east of Bathurst). We start at 7PM and go 'til close to midnight. Come for a game or come for a drink. Stay as long as you want. Meet other cool people. Throw down a few tiles as you knock back a drink or two. Play a theme word and win a cool prize.
Not everyone who plays with us on Monday nights is so competitive, so don't worry about how good you are or how many words you know. I provide a "cheat sheet" of all the 2- and 3-letter words to get you going, and there's a mostly casual, laid-back vibe at Scrabble in the City.
- WordFreak
In last week's Scrabble in the City, music was the theme, which produced words such as: FRET, SOUND, DUB, RIFFS, GIGS, ALTO, and MI (as in DO RE MI). Michael's RIFFS won the popular vote, but everyone was a winner, as free iTunes Music Store songs were given out to all who played along and stuck around until the prize ceremony.
Come out tonight to Scrabble in the City and try out your word knowledge against other Scrabble players.
This marks the first Monday that we'll be using the new Scrabble word source. Say goodbye to EMF and hello to HOS, LES and POO. But try not to conjure images of those three together. These are some of the changes in the new Scrabble Official Club and Tournament Word List (OCTWL2), thanks to the hard work of the NSA Dictionary Committee. The new bible for us Word Nerds will undoubtedly alter the game in many new and exciting ways.
We've now got 44 new three-letter-words (and the one omission); 128 new four-letter-words; 303 new five-letter-words; over 540 new sixes; over 901 sevens; and over 1333 eights. But the biggest splash is the new two-letter-words.
There are just five new twos: FE, KI, OI, QI and ZA. Yes, that's za as in pizza. FE is a Hebrew letter (like PE). KI and QI are both the vital force that, in Chinese thought, is inherent in all things. And OI is an interjection meaning OY. Of these five new two-letter-words, only OI can't take a back S-hook. There's an excellent online resource, complete with definitions here.
I've already played a few games using my patchy knowledge of the new bible. But good news! With the addition of QI as an acceptable word, you're less likely to be stuck with it in the endgame. Overall, scores might average a little higher as boards become more volatile. Either that or we'll all be playing scared and defensive for a while. In any case, change is good and I'm psyched for a new challenge. Are you?
Join in on the fun and games at Kilgour's pub on Bloor Street (just east of Bathurst). We start at 7PM and go 'til close to midnight. Come for a game or come for a drink. Stay as long as you want. Meet other cool people. Throw down a few tiles as you knock back a drink or two. Play a theme word and win a cool prize.
Not everyone who plays with us on Monday nights is so competitive, so don't worry about how good you are or how many words you know. I provide a "cheat sheet" of all the 2- and 3-letter words to get you going, and there's a mostly casual, laid-back vibe at Scrabble in the City.
- WordFreak