Even better, playing against artificial intelligence (i.e. Again, you should " not refer to online dictionaries or word finders" while playing against any unknowns, but if you agree upon dictionary use beforehand, then it's perfectly fine. If you're playing with the sole intention of improving through practice, then using these options are perfectly fine, as long as you respect your opponent. So, now for my slightly hypocritical reasoning behind " it depends on why you're playing." If you're playing a game against someone you know, a friend, a family member, whatever, then " it depends on who you're playing," as long as you both agree on the rules beforehand. If you're playing a game against a random opponent, then the unsaid rule is to not refer to online dictionaries or word finders. It's not how the game was originally intended to be played, which makes it unchallenging, to say the least. My personal opinion is that this is indeed cheating. So, since all of these games are branded with the Hasbro logo, does this mean that they condone cheating now? Not only that, but you can play an invalid word on the board (multiple times) without penalty, which means you can simply try, try and try again, until you hit a valid.ĭoesn't this seem to break those official SCRABBLE rules, which state to " Consult the dictionary for challenges only"? I guess that's why there aren't any options for challenges. On some of these versions, you can simply look up a word to see if it's valid. Each of these versions has that built-in dictionary, which you can use to find legal words while playing a virtual game.
Hasbro's SCRABBLE application, developed by EA, is available for the Apple iPhone, iPod, iPod Touch, iPad, Facebook, Pogo, PSP, Nintendo DS and iGoogle. Not to mention that some of these SCRABBLE games actually have an available dictionary built right in. Only one turn is lost on any challenge.īut with online gameplay and mobile devices, consulting a dictionary without your opponent's knowledge is not only possible, it's easy. If any word is unacceptable, then the entire play is unacceptable. All words made in one play are challenged simultaneously. Consult the dictionary for challenges only. If the play challenged is acceptable, the challenger loses his or her next turn. If the play challenged is unacceptable, the challenged player takes back his or her tiles and loses that turn. Any play may be challenged before the next player starts a turn. The official rules, printed right inside the box of the classic version, specifically state that using a dictionary is not allowed, unless for challenges:Ĩ. The answer: It depends on who you're playing and why you're playing. So, it was either quit cold turkey or jump on the bandwagon, and I don't want to hear the music stop just yet.īut with online SCRABBLE becoming more popular than the classic, hands-on board game, cheating is also becoming more popular.
The virtual world of SCRABBLE is great for instant gratification, for a quick fix, for challenging one's self, but it will never replace the atmosphere of friends, brewskies and stiff competition.Īlas, all of my friends are converting to online SCRABBLE, because of busy schedules, expensive gas prices, or fascinations with their new electronic gadgets. It's gone virtual, and in order to satisfy my craving, I had adapt. Today, SCRABBLE is a different being and it lives in the belly of electronic devices. Divulging to my friends, my opponents, the definition of an odd word, the details of an awkward term, or the sound of an onomatopoeic spelling.Īlthough I do get my fix at least once a week, usually during a game night with friends, it's not enough. A chilled Hoegaarden in one hand as I concomitantly and strategically place my letters onto the board. The lightness of my wooden rack, weighed down with endless possibilities that challenge my mind. Digging in the crinkled gray bag, feeling the smoothness of the wooden tiles, wondering what they'll test me with today. The instant gratification of unfolding the board into the sweet spot of the table, smoothing it out into the perfect receptacle for a heated battle of wits. That idiosyncratic smell of cardboard, cheap wood and plastic that rushes out when I remove the box's cover.
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