The Official SCRABBLE Players Dictionary, A "QUICKIE" Makes For a Good Score
Written: Jan 04 '07 (Updated Feb 12 '08)
Product Rating:
Pros: Easy to use
Cons: Doesn't contain all words but, reasons are given in the text of this review.
The Bottom Line: This is an easy to use companion for any SCRABBLE players young and old. It is quite complete and short definitions allow more words to a page with easier viewing.
popsrocks's Full Review: Merriam Webster - The official scrabble players di...
Every Christmas season my wife and I make time to sit by the fireplace with the tree lights on, have a drink with refreshments and play SCRABBLE with music in the background. There was a time when I would win most games. Those days are over. It has become more competitive yet we play in a relaxed atmosphere. We don't have time limits because we use the other persons time to thumb through books or check out Christmas presents received. We have however begun to challenge each other more often yet, when we are not in such a serious mood, will allow reference to a dictionary "before" placing a word.
We previously used the sheet with two letter words the deluxe SCRABBLE set came with or any regular dictionary at hand. Recently Santa left the Official SCRABBLE Players Dictionary by Merriam Webster in my Christmas stocking.
Different from a Regular Dictionary
This paperback book is much like a regular dictionary with words in alphabetical order filling nearly 700 pages. This fourth edition printed in 2006 has been "fully revised" according to the text on the back cover.
The book features over 100,000 words that are two-eight letters long. Because only seven tiles are in play longer words are not used as often. This book notes it has 4,000 new entries "that are acceptable under the rules of the SCRABBLE Crossword Game".
Though there are some definitions of words, they are quite short and concise of perhaps three or four words. Some have no definition at all. Also missing is pronunciation, and etymologies.
Any ordinary words that are not acceptable in the SCRABBLE game are not included in the book. That would include proper names and words that need to have an apostrophe or hyphen. Abbreviated words and foreign words are also omitted.
I did read that the National SCRABBLE Association recommends Merrium-Websters Colliegate Dictionary for additional words such as those over eight letters and words not included. Because this book was also designed for children and adults, some words that adults may legally use in the game have been omitted to have the book more family friendly.
Parts of Speech and More
Each word has its part of speech included as are inflected forms of the word. A quick look next to a word may also include an -S or -ES or perhaps an -ED when applicable giving the understanding of a words other usage.
The back cover states that the book includes spelling variants such as 'colour' and 'centre' for game players in Canada. Yikes. For some reason I use 'colour' all the time. Perhaps I should move to Canada.
Last Thoughts
My copy of the SCRABBLE dictionary has a couple of pages that have poor print quality (looks like a press problem)but aside from that the book is easy to read with all the words in bold type and in even rows in the left hand columns. Because there are no extended definitions and the words are limited to eight letters the words are easier to find and many more are on each page than would be in a regular dictionary.
Right now my wife and I are even one game apiece this holiday season. Our games may last over a few evenings. Fortunately this book stores nicely in the round tray of the Deluxe SCRABBLE set we own so storage is easy and the Official SCRABBLE Players Dictionary is always at hand whenever we play the game. I'll interject that the Deluxe SCRABBLE set is the best way to play the game. It rotates and also has little compartments that hold each letter on the board in place.
I also enjoy just picking up the book and checking out words I don't know, especially those that use high scoring letters like Q, X and Z.
Good new words I found are
ZEKn pl. -S an inmate in a Soviet labor camp
XYLYLn pl. -S a universal radical
and imagine the points using all letters on a triple score with a word like
QUICKIEn pl. -S something done quickly
Now that's what I would like to get when playing with my wife one of these nights. That would make for an excellent score.
This new edition of the The Official SCRABBLE Players Dictionary is a fine companion for all SCRABBLE players young and old.
A newly revised and updated edition of the book that millions of Scrabble players call their bible. Authorized by the makers of Scrabble Brand crosswo...More at Barnes & Noble.com
A newly revised and updated edition of the book that millions of Scrabble players call their bible. Authorized by the makers of Scrabble Brand crosswo...More at Barnes & Noble.com
A newly revised and updated edition of the book that millions of Scrabble players call their bible. Authorized by the makers of Scrabble Brand crosswo...More at Barnes & Noble.com
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