Words With ScrabbleScrabble, Words With Friends, Lexulous

How to cheat at Lexulous

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watch a pro set up triple-word scores to achieve maximum points

Some people take scrabble very seriously… Set to “Hurray” by Kalan Porter

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Tips to Transform your Scrabble Game

Alright, so your mother-in-law, a PhD in English Literature, has challenged you, a lowly salesclerk at the local bookstore, to a “friendly” game of Scrabble. Sound like a hopeless case? Certainly not! More than just a rivalry of vocabularies, Scrabble is a game of strategy. Equipped with the right tricks, even a child could give your mother-in-law a run for her money!

This article will give you five proven tips guaranteed to transform your Scrabble game. Whether you are a novice to the game, or looking to increase your skill in order to compete in clubs or tournaments, a little practice with these techniques will bring instant results!

Tip #1: Two-by-Twos

Experienced Scrabble players agree that the first key to success is memorizing the list of acceptable two-letter word combinations. This sounds harder than it really is. There are only 96 two letter words, and you undoubtedly know 23 of them. (Some lists include 120 two-letter words, depending on which dictionary you refer to. The 1998 Chambers Dictionary, as well as the Chambers Official Scrabble Words qualifies 120 words, while the Merriam Webster Official Scrabble Players Dictionary includes only 96. A good word of thumb would be to decide at the outset of a game which dictionary you will be using. I’d focus on the list of 96 words, as they are universally accepted in almost all dictionaries.)

Why is this word list so valuable, considering you only use two tiles? Knowing the two letter words helps you to build parallel words, enabling you to count your letters twice for each word you form. This dramatically increases your score! This skill is absolutely essential when the board is “closed,” (meaning that there are no wide open spaces to build new words in), as well as at the end of the game, when you must empty out your rack.

Memorizing this list only takes minutes if you associate each letter with the number of words it forms, (for example, there are 16 “A” words, 5 “B” words, etc.). Going through the lists and becoming familiar with the lesser known words is usually all it takes to commit the list to memory. It’s nice to know there are a few words that don’t require vowels!

The 96 words are: aa, ab, ad, ae, ag, ah, ai, al, am, an, ar, as, at, aw, ax, ay, ba, be, bi, bo, by, de, do, ed, ef, eh, el, em, en, er, es, et, ex, fa, go, ha, he hi, ho, id, if, in, is, it, jo, ka, la, li, lo, ma, me, mi, mm, mo, mu, my, na, ne, no, nu, od, oe, of, oh, om, on, op, or, os, ow, ox, oy, pa, pe, pi, re, sh, si, so, ta, ti, to, uh, um, un, up, us, ut, we, wo, xi, xu, ya, ye, yo.

Tip #2: “Racking” up Points by Anagramming

The difference between an average and an advanced Scrabble player has to do with the number of options a player can find in a given rack. Don’t just find one word and give up—keep moving those tiles around. There may very well be a better option than the one you find initially. Even if you end up using the same tiles, one word may score a higher value than another based on the location of the bonus squares. In addition, you may opt for one word over another because it is harder for your opponent to build on. For instance, if you have a hunch that your opponent has an S you should avoid laying down a noun, as this would allow him/her to “hook” on, scoring points for both words!

Tip #3: Keep it Hot

This hint may seem obvious at first, although there’s a bit more to it than first meets the eye. As you formulate your options on the board, focus on the “hot spots,” or the squares which award you double and triple the value of your tile and/or word. Use these squares to even better advantage by building parallel words, allowing you to use the bonus square two times (once for the horizontal word, and again for the vertical.) This is where that list of two-letter words comes in handy, particularly the words that contain high-scoring letters like J, Q, X, and Z. For example, the word “ex” used in a parallel position where the X lands on a triple would score at least 26 points.

The other side of this equation is that you must be careful not to make these hot spots available for your opponent! However, if you have a great word that opens up a triple, don’t throw it out the window. Weigh up your score against what your opponent may likely get. You may still come out ahead. Who knows? Your opponent may even pass up the triple, giving you a shot!

Tip #4: The Q—boon or bane?

No doubt about it, the Q is one of the most difficult tiles to play; therefore, it demands attention. There are a few tricks that can help you turn the Q to your advantage.

First of all, it’s advisable to commit to memory a few Q words that don’t require a U. Yes, they exist, and they are worth a lot of points, besides! So, here is your second (and final, for now) list of words to memorize: qaid, qanat, qat, qindar, qintar, sheqel, tranq, qoph, qwerty, faqir.

The words “aid” and “at” are particularly helpful for those looking to dump a Q, and this goes for your opponent too! Take care not to lay down either word if you suspect your opponent of having the Q on his/her rack, particularly at the end of the game! (I know this from sad experience; this oversight cost me an important match!)

Whatever you do, don’t hold on to Qs for more than a turn or two, hoping to draw a U. (This also goes for holding onto Us in case of drawing a Q.) Try to get it off your rack as soon as possible, as you lessen your chance of playing a good move when you’re only using six of your tiles. And if the game is close to the end you may want to consider trading it if there aren’t any options on the board. You certainly DO NOT want to get stuck with an unplayed Q at the end of the game, as it automatically adds 20 points to your opponent’s score.

Tip #5: Plan for BINGOs

Our last tip can be quite satisfying once it is mastered. It has to do with creating BINGO words (words which use all seven tiles) and is remarkably easy, once you know how to do it. Start by sorting your rack according to common word endings and save these letter combinations. One of the most valuable sets is “ING.” This takes care of three of your letters, and it’s much easier to form a four or five letter verb that works with “ING.” Voila! You have a BINGO! Some other common endings you want to watch for are -ed, -er, -ier, -iest, and -ies. I’ve even used -ation to good advantage. Un- and re- are good letters to set aside for word beginnings. Laying down your first BINGO is almost a rite of passage in the Scrabble world.

Now you are prepared to take on that grandiloquent mother-in-law; put that palaverous brother in his place. With practice, you may soon be able to join the ranks of the real Scrabble champions.

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Scrabble Crossword Game

• Word-forming board game
• Score as many points as you can by forming words from the letters on the tiles
• Bonus squares on the board give double or triple letter word points
• Use all 7 tiles in your hand and score 50 bonus points
• Perfect for Family Game Night events.

The classic crossword game played by millions around the world! Use your seven letters to build crosswords and use bonus spaces to add to your score! Genuine wooden letter tiles and racks. CHOCKING HAZARD – CONTAINS SMALL PARTS – NOT FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3After all these years, it’s still hard to get a triple word score, the tiles are still made of wood, and there’s only one “X” in the whole box. The game of Scrabble has sparked feuds and a near-cult following. All the fuss is over a spelling game

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Scrabble Diamond Anniversary Edition

• The raised-grid style of the board guarantees that your words won’t slip or slide out of place
• Organize your tiles on a curved tile rack that provides an optimum view of each letter
• Store the game pieces in two built-in side trays
• All new colors and a rotating game board with recessed spaces

Hasbro 4015XXXX Scrabble – Deluxe (EA)Sixty has never looked so good! This Diamond Anniversary Edition Scrabble features sleek black and silver tiles, a rotating board splashed with color, curved letter racks of smoky red plastic, and much more. With two built-in side trays for storing game pieces and a raised grid that keeps your letters in place, this anniversary edition of Scrabble will please all players ages eight and above. .caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif;

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List Price: $ 65.99

Price: $ 31.99

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Words With Friends: App Pushes It’s Way to the Top 100 List

Have you ever enjoyed Scrabble? There are many imposters to the incredibly popular game, but few have managed to bring a good port to the iPhone. However, it seems as though even Scrabble themselves cannot compete with the almighty Words With Friends. We consider Words With Friends to be the greatest word game app available for the iPhone due to its incredible features, as well as the cleanliness of the graphics and interface.

Opening the app allows the user to type in their email address, to choose a username, and begin playing online. One of the best things about the app is the ability to challenge friends to a game, as well as anyone on the planet that has the app. This application is one of the most popular apps in the App Store, and with good reason. Thousands of users have given this app five-star reviews, as can be seen in the review section of the App Store. If you see a group of people on their iPhones, chances are they are playing Words With Friends together. This Scrabble port is great for anyone from someone looking to kill some time, or someone looking to spend a few hours on the game. Either way, you do not have to be an expert gamer to enjoy this game. All levels of users can have fun with this app.

Words With Friends is a whole lot of fun, and allows the user to remember why they enjoyed Scrabble so much in the first place. Its current features and the polished graphics make the game one that everyone should have.

However, the game is not without its downsides. Some features are left to be desired. There is no built-in dictionary to check your words, so the user is left to guess if a word is correct. If a word is not correct, the game will display an error message. In addition, there is no way to track how well you are doing against other players of the game. This feature would be welcome for people who are extremely competitive, and want to get the absolute best score possible.

Although the game has a few downsides, it is easy to overlook these because the game is so high quality in all other areas. The game is an extremely great price at .99. However, if you are unsure about spending money on the app, a light version is available with ads. This is one of the greatest applications available on the App Store, and is a fair price. Still, there is no reason to not try the lite version, as it is free.

If you are looking for a fun game to play with your friends, or just a way to pass the time, Words With Friends has all of the features you need to make your iPhone gaming experience fun. The sheer amount of positive reviews on the app store show that this app is one of the greatest ever made, and is here to stay. Thousands of users of this game cannot be wrong. Words With Friends is an application that no iPhone or iPod Touch user should be without. Make one of the best download decisions you have ever made, and download the application today.

Review of Lexulous by www.AppVee.com – Download this app click.linksynergy.com

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The Resurgence Of Scrabble

The Scrabble Board Game has been experiencing phenomenal growth in popularity in recent years.

Invented and designed by Alfred Butts during the great depression and originally known as “Criss-Cross Words”, Scrabble was renamed into the board game we know today in 1948.

Today, Scrabble is not merely just a board game. It is an internationally competitive “mind sport” with an active competitive circuit, Scrabble Clubs, National Associations and World Championships.

Growth of Scrabble Clubs across the globe continues each year and the standard of competition grows along with it. As a mind sport, Scrabble is quickly approaching the level of intellectual challenge and respect that is held by other mind-sports such as Chess.

The growing popularity of Scrabble today defies the myriad of similar rival word-based board games that have emerged over the past two decades.

Successful Scrabble players know that there is far more to this game than just spelling and vocabulary skills. Scrabble is a mind sport, requiring mathematical skills, analytical and strategic skills, and a mild dose of luck.

To the recreational Scrabble player who enjoys a game with the family over the kitchen table, the luck (or bad luck) of drawing the best (or worst) collection of tiles out of the bag is a major component of whether a player wins or loses. The more advanced and competitive the player, the less luck plays a part. Strategic skills largely eliminate the luck component.

There are several reasons why Scrabble is growing in popularity year by year.

In earlier eras, there were problems with different dictionaries allowing or disallowing various words. Today, Official Scrabble Dictionaries have been almost totally standardized internationally for English language play. There are now just two slightly differing sets of official words – one for North America and another for the rest of the world.

Internet web-based and IRC-based versions of Scrabble make 24 hour play against all levels of competitors from novice to world class a reality.

The Scrabble Clubs themselves generate publicity in their communities, offering not just competition, but also a social scene for the less serious yet still enthusiastic recreational player.

Inter-club tournaments, Nation Championships and World Championships draw major media attention.

Even ESPN has trialed televising Scrabble competitions and is believed to be keen on expanding their coverage of Scrabble as a competitive mind sport.

In several countries, Scrabble Clubs and associations are working actively with Government Education Departments to introduce “School Scrabble” – combining the academic and the sporting aspects of Scrabble into the school curriculum.

The internet is playing a role in the growing popularity of Scrabble with numerous websites available for playing Scrabble online. Educational resources and advice from Scrabble experts is also readily available online.

The future growth of Scrabble internationally appears assured. Given that the International Olympic Committee is now considering a number of mind-sports, such as Bridge, for possible inclusion in future Olympic Games, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that at some future point in time Scrabble itself may become an Olympic sport.

One guy. One wig. One game of Scrabble. Want to see more of The Fuplers (FOO-plers)? Please subscribe Learn more about making The Fuplers here: mattkoval.com mattkoval.com http facebook.com

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Scrabble: Not Just A Word Game

Scrabble is commonly cited as being the world’s most popular word game. Truly, Scrabble is a popular board game played throughout the world on kitchen tables and in a thriving international tournament scene. Is it, however, accurate to describe Scrabble as a word game?

At face value, a bag of one hundred letter tiles with each player having racks of seven letters at a time from which to form words and place on the board, it may appear to be a word game. On a closer examination, one must question that common assumption.

If Scrabble was truly a word game, one could expect that the most expert players would be those players with the best linguistic skills. These would include authors, journalists, language professors and similar professions. The reality tells a different story. These occupations are a rarity amongst Scrabble players at the top of the international competitive ranks.

If you were to survey the participants at any of the biennial World Scrabble Championships, you would discover a very significant proportion of these elite level Scrabble players come from mathematics, actuarial, accounting, architectural and engineering occupations. These professions reflect the strategic skills, the critical and strategic thinking skills and the mathematical and statistical skills that marks the difference between a winner and loser in Scrabble, or the difference between a masters level competitor and an intermediate or novice player.

Vocabulary is far less important than one might initially imagine in a Scrabble game. Whilst obviously vocabulary plays an important, in fact essential, role in the game, vocabulary alone won’t win many Scrabble games. You could liken it a little to war. In a battle, one side may have a majority of the weapons and even a larger army, though without a solid strategic battle plan the war is all but over before it even begins. Without a strong battle plan, the biggest army with the most weapons will not defeat their opposition.

On the Scrabble board, strategic decisions are made with every move. You may have a great word ready to play, but which is the best position on the board to play it? There will often be multiple positions where a word could be played. Rapid mental calculations need to be made as to which position will produce the highest score. Even then, it may not always be wise to play in the highest scoring position if, for example, it opens up a triple-triple bonus scoring opportunity to your opponent. Settling for a different position on the board for a lower score may sometimes be the better strategic decision.

Likewise, the strategic player considers the balance between vowels and consonants in the rack. It is often the wise choice to play a small scoring word and maintain a well balanced rack than to go for a higher scoring word that leaves you with no vowels at all for your next move.

The strategic player will also consider the statistical probabilities of drawing good tiles from the Scrabble letter bag. Playing away a single tile from your rack in the hope of picking up the Q is generally unwise due to the low probability of actually picking out that Q. The same play for the purposes of picking up a far more common letter that you need to form your next bonus word, such as an E, can more often be rewarding.

To further reinforce the case that Scrabble isn’t primarily a word game, a look at some of the recent victors in international tournaments tells a vivid story. A growing trend is for competitors from countries such as Thailand and Malaysia, where English is not even the primary language, to walk away with the tournament trophies. What these competitors may lack in terms of every day English language vocabulary, they more than compensate with their strategic, mathematical, statistical and logic skills.

Comparison of Social Networking Sites

Social Networking sites have taken the internet by storm. No longer just for keeping track of high school and college classmates, social networking has gone mainstream. I knew when I signed up for Facebook and saw that not only my younger cousins, but also my Aunts and Uncles in their 60’s had profiles, that social networking had grown up.

If you define a social networking site as a web site with public profiles, a friend or contact list, and the ability for contacts to view and follow the contact list of their buddies, then the first social networking site was Six Degrees in 1997. Social sites hit the big time in 2002, and 2003 with Friendster and MySpace. Friendster became very popular and is seen as one of the biggest success stories, and failures of internet marketing, as its user share diminished with the popularity of MySpace and Facebook.

Starting as a professional network in 2003, LinkedIn is a job related social networking site. I call it MySpace for grownups. Plaxo, which started as a contact management application, has added more commenting and other features that make it into a full fledged social networking site. There are even social networking sites for your dogs and cats – Dogster and Catster allow pet owners to create profiles for their animals. With the rapid growth of web, more and more networking sites are opened with innovative concepts, like Acobay in late 2008, which allows you to connect with people who have purchased the same products you own or are considering buying.

Sites such as Facebook have extended the traditional three elements of social networking (profiles, networks, and messages) to include features such as access from mobile devices, and applications that enhance the user experience on the site. Until legal problems pulled the application, Scrabulous had fantastic success on Facebook, and was responsible for some of Facebook’s success in reaching a wider audience. Facebook’s iPhone application is one of the most popular applications for download in the Apple App Store. The ability to take a picture on your iPhone and instantly and simply upload it to your Facebook profile is one of the most gee-whiz features of Facebook.

LinkedIn has become an integral part of maintaining a professional network. Since the economic downturn, it is more important than ever to keep in touch with people who work in the same industry and have similar backgrounds. LinkedIn, with its emphasis on current and previous co-workers and college contacts is a great way to develop and keep up with your network. LinkedIn gives people the ability to make professional recommendations for their coworkers, managers, and subordinates. LinkedIn lets you list your job skills and prospective employers and recruiters will use the site to search for job candidates.

Each social networking site has its own culture. MySpace has a strong youth feel to it, and many bands and artists have fan pages there. The ability to customize your profile with music and flashy graphics makes MySpace a favorite for younger set. Facebook seems to be growing in popularity and I am personally astounded at the number of my friends, relatives, and co-workers on there. I am jealous of iPhone owners ability to run the mobile application. LinkedIn is my favorite site as a job searcher. I have collected quite a few professional recommendations from my prior co-workers, and at least one recruiter has contacted me based on searching my LinkedIn profile.

Which social networking site or sites an individual signs up for will depend on a few factors. The biggest is probably who of your “real life” friends and relatives are on which site and who is trying to convince you to sign up. If your best friends keeps showing you cool stuff from their MySpace profile you may sign up and be their friend. If you find out all your cousins are on Facebook, you might be tempted to sign up for that. Whichever sites you sign up for, resist the temptation to release your inner child. Treat information listed on social sites as if it were accessible publicly so you will not regret posting anything later.

This is a gameplay video of Lexulous on Ovi Store. The versionshown here is running on a Nokia N97 smartphone. Lexulous is the unofficial Scrabble clone on Facebook formerly known as Scrabulous. For the latest unofficial news, reviews and previews about Ovi Store games and N-Gage games, please visit www.ovigaming.com You can access the Ovi Store on most Nokia phones and smartphones, either by going to store.ovi.com on the phone’s web browser or by installing the Ovi Store application on the phone. If you have an Ovi Store icon in your phone’s menu system then the Ovi Store app is already installed and you can access the store by clicking on the icon.

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