Scrabble tips: score more with the tiles you have

Scrabble rewards vocabulary, but also tile awareness and board sense. These tips apply to the standard English game. Always check the rules and the word list used where you play, because they differ between countries and between apps.

Know the tile values

In the standard English tile set, letters are worth the following points.

• 1 point: A, E, I, O, U, L, N, S, T, R
• 2 points: D, G
• 3 points: B, C, M, P
• 4 points: F, H, V, W, Y
• 5 points: K
• 8 points: J, X
• 10 points: Q, Z
• 0 points: the two blank tiles

Place high tiles on premium squares

A letter on a double or triple letter square is multiplied before the word score is added, and a word square then multiplies the whole word. A J or X on a triple letter square scores far more than the same tile placed plainly. Better still, place an X so that it forms two words at once, such as in a two-letter word that crosses a longer word, so the tile scores twice.

Aim for a bingo

Using all seven of your tiles in one turn earns a 50-point bonus. That is often worth more than several average turns together. To make bingos more likely, keep a balanced rack: a mix of vowels and consonants, and favour tiles such as E, R, S, T, A and I, which combine into many long words. Plan around common endings like -ING, -ED and -ER. Paste your rack into the unscrambler after the game, with a ? for any blank, to see which long words you missed.

Learn the short words

Knowing the valid two- and three-letter words lets you play tiles in tight spots, make parallel plays, and score multiple words at once. See the two-letter words and three-letter words lists, and the lists of words with Q but no U, words with Z, and words with J and X for your most awkward tiles.

Swap when your rack is poor

A rack with five vowels or no vowels rarely scores well. Swapping tiles costs you a turn, but it can be better than playing a low-scoring word that leaves a bad rack behind. A good play often scores less than the maximum but keeps the better tiles for next time.

Watch what you open up

Every word you place creates new lines for your opponent. Putting a word next to a triple word square gives them a chance at a big score. Think about the hooks, the letters that can be added to the front or back of your word, before you play.

Which word list?

Official tournament lists exist for different regions, and a word that is valid in one may not be valid in another. This site currently uses the free ENABLE list, so use it for practice and learning, and check disputed words against the list your game uses. Word lists explained has more.