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• The word game Scrabble is one of the most internationally popular board games in the world and can also be played online. The object is to form words in a crossword-type format from the seven letter tiles each player is allotted per turn. Each tile is assigned a certain number of points based on how difficult it is to place its associated letter into a word (i.e. 'Z' and 'Q' have the highest point value at 10, while many letters such as 'A' and 'R' only account for one point).

  Each word put into play must be found in an agreed-upon dictionary, and proper names cannot be used. Players can challenge each other's words, and there are many opportunities for double and triple word and letter scores.

  The National Scrabble Association is one of many organizations that sponsor Scrabble tournaments, including the best-known American tournament, the United States Scrabble Open.

• Fast Facts

  1. Creator: Alfred Mosher Butts
  2. Invented: 1938
  3. Ages: 8 and up
  4. Players: 2 to 4
  5. Game board: 15x15 grid
  6. In 1 of every 3 American homes
  7. Sold in 121 countries
  8. Available in 29 languages
  9. American/Canadian trademark holder: Hasbro
  10. Trademark holder elsewhere: Mattel
  11. Inspired NBC game show hosted by Chuck Woolery
  12. "Scrabble" is an actual word meaning "to scratch frantically"
  13. The highest scoring English language word in Scrabble is "Quartzy," which can yield 165 points!

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• Funny Scrabble Facts

  1. 1: In 1996 a woman was charged with assault when she struck her husband over the head with a Scrabble board.
  2. 2: A resident in an old people’s home was thrown out when she admitted she didn’t play Scrabble.
  3. 3: A five year old boy phoned Leicester police to complain that his sister was cheating at Scrabble.
  4. 4: In 1985 Lt., Cdr. Waghorn and Lance Corporal Gill played Scrabble continuously for 5 days when trapped in a crevasse in Antarctica.
  5. 5: A gold plated 'Scrabble' game is available from the Franklin Mint.

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