Scrabble Anyone? by Guest Columnist LP Graziani

When Laura asked me to be a guest writer on her blog, I was hesitant since I am not a linguist or a writer. I struggled to think of a topic that would interest her readers. Then I ran across a word I thought would be good for playing Scrabble and it hit me, I could write about Scrabble strategy.

I have always enjoyed playing Scrabble but it wasn’t until I started playing regularly with my sister and brother-in-law, who are avid Scrabble players, that my competitive nature took over. Basically, I hated always losing. So I started to research Scrabble techniques and applied some of what I learned to our games. I actually started winning. So, I’ve decided to share one of the techniques.

In Scrabble one way to increase your score is to “layer” your words or run a word parallel to an existing word on the board. Being familiar with some lesser known two-letter words helps to increase your score since you can layer more of the word you are putting down. Here are some of my frequently used two letter words. Using the X, K, M and J helps to optimize your score.

1. Oy – used to express dismay or pain
2. Yo - used to call attention or to express affirmation
3. Xi - a Greek Letter
4. Qi - the vital force that in Chinese thought is inherent in all things
5. Aa - rough, cindery lava
6. Ae - one
7. Oe - a whirlwind off the Faeroe islands
8. Ka - the spiritual self of a human being in Egyptian religion
9. Jo - a sweetheart
10. Mu - a Greek letter

Are there any two-letter words you’ve used when playing scrabble?
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Thank you Lori.

If anyone else is interested in contributing, I would welcome articles from any of my readers. It is not necessary to be a linguist or a writer, just to have an interest in language and words and in sharing your observations.

An additional note on Scrabble - The book "Word Freak" by Stefan Fatsis is about competitive Scrabble. It is a fun, fascinating and educational read. Check it out if you haven't read it yet.