Editing Scrabble (section)

==Rules==
Before the game, a word list or dictionary is selected in order to adjudicate any [[Challenge (Scrabble)|challenges]] during the game. In tournament play, the word list is specified in advance, typically the [[NASPA Word List]], the ''[[Official Scrabble Players Dictionary]]'', or [[Collins Scrabble Words]]. All 100 tiles are placed into an opaque bag. One player is selected to go first; a commonly used method is for each player to draw one tile from the bag, and whoever draws a letter alphabetically closest to A goes first (blanks supersede A). Each player then draws seven tiles and places them on their rack, hidden from other players.
[[File:Scrabble 2015.jpg|right|thumb|A game of ''Scrabble'' in [[French language|French]]]]

===Gameplay===
On every turn, the player at turn can perform one of the following options:
* Pass, forfeiting the turn and scoring zero.
* Exchange one or more tiles for an equal number from the bag, scoring zero. This can only be done if 7 or more tiles remain in the bag.
* Play at least one tile on the board, adding the value of all words formed to the player's cumulative score.

The first play of the game must consist of at least two tiles and cover the center square (H8). Any play thereafter must use at least one of the player's tiles to form a "main word" (containing all of the player's played tiles in a straight line) reading left-to-right or top-to-bottom. Diagonal plays are not allowed. At least one tile must be adjacent (horizontally or vertically) to a tile already on the board. If the play includes a blank tile, the player must designate the letter the blank represents; that letter remains unchanged for the rest of the game unless the play is challenged off. The player announces the [[#Scoring|score]] for that play, and then draws tiles from the bag equal to the number of tiles played, so that there are seven tiles on their rack. If there are not enough tiles, the player draws any remaining tiles instead. If the game is played using a [[Chess clock|clock]], the player starts the opponent's clock after announcing the score and before drawing tiles. Players may [[Tile tracking|keep track of tiles]] played during the game.

If a player has made a play and not yet drawn a tile, any other player may choose to challenge any or all words formed by the play. The challenged word(s) are then searched in the agreed-upon word list or dictionary. If at least one challenged word is unacceptable, the play is removed from the board, and the player scores zero for that turn. If all challenged words are acceptable, the challenger loses their turn. In tournament play, players are not entitled to know which word(s) are invalid or the definitions of any challenged words. Penalties for unsuccessfully challenging an acceptable play vary in club and tournament play and are described in greater detail below.

====End of game====
[[File:PocketScrabble.JPG|thumb|A game of magnetic Pocket ''Scrabble'' approaching its end, when players have fewer than seven tiles remaining]]

The game ends when either:
* One player has played every tile on their rack ("playing out") and no tiles remain in the bag (regardless of the tiles on the opponent's rack).
* At least six successive scoreless turns have occurred and either player decides to end the game. This typically occurs at the end of the game when neither player can form a valid play. (For several years, a game could not end with a cumulative score of 0–0, but that is no longer the case, and such games have since occurred a number of times in tournament play, the winner being the player with the lower total point value on their rack and thus a score less negative than the opponent's.<ref>{{cross-tables player-tournament|pid=560|pname=Marlon Hill|tid=6898|tname=Albany, NY July 2010}}</ref>)
* In tournament play, when either player exceeds 10 minutes of overtime.

At the end of the game, each player's score is reduced by the sum of the values of their unplayed tiles; if a player plays out, the sum of all other players' unplayed tiles is added to that player's score. This rule differs slightly in most tournaments; a player who plays out adds twice this sum, and the opponent's score is unchanged.

===Scoring===
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+ Premium square colors
! scope="col" style="width:80px;"| Square !! scope="col" style="width:80px;"| Original version !! scope="col" style="width:80px;"| Mattel version (2020-) !! scope="col" style="width:80px;"| Mattel version (2012–2020) !! scope="col" style="width:80px;"| Hasbro Version (2008–2014)
|-
| Double letter (DLS)
| style="background:skyblue;" | Light blue
| style="background:#15183c;" | {{White|Dark blue}}
| style="background:skyblue;" | Light blue
| style="background:#09f;"| {{white|Bright blue}}
|-
| Triple letter (TLS)
| style="background:royalblue;" | {{white|Blue}}
| style="background:#c22e5a;" | {{White|Hot pink}}
| style="background:royalblue;" | {{white|Blue}}
| style="background:#290;"| {{white|Green}}
|-
| Double word (DWS)
| style="background:pink;" | Pink
| style="background:#e6c700;" | Yellow
| style="background:#e6c700;" | Yellow
| style="background:#f00;"| {{white|Red}}
|-
| Triple word (TWS)
| style="background:firebrick;" | {{white|Red}}
| style="background:#68b63e;" | {{white|Light green}}
| style="background:firebrick;" | {{white|Red}}
| style="background:#f90;"| {{white|Orange}}
|}

The score for a play is determined as follows:
* The value of each tile is indicated with a point value (between 1 and 10, with blanks worth zero points), and the score of every new word formed is equal to the sum of the point values of the letters in that word. If a play covers any premium squares (such as DLS or TWS squares), the point value of the corresponding letter or word is multiplied by 2 or 3 respectively. The center star is also a DWS square.
* Premium squares only apply when newly placed tiles cover them. Any subsequent plays do not count these premium squares. A play that covers a DWS or TWS multiplies the value of the entire word(s) by 2 or 3, including tiles already on the board.
* If a newly placed word covers both letter and word premium squares, the letter premium(s) is/are calculated first, followed by the word premium(s).
* If a player makes a play where the main word covers two DWS squares, the value of that word is doubled, then redoubled (i.e. 4× the word value). Similarly, if the main word covers two TWS squares, the value of that word is tripled, then re-tripled (9× the word value). Such plays are often referred to as "double-doubles" and "triple-triples" respectively.
* If a player plays all seven of their tiles on their turn (known as a "[[bingo (Scrabble)|bingo]]" in North America and as a "bonus" elsewhere), a 50-point bonus is added to the score of the play.

Scoreless turns can occur when a player passes, exchanges tiles, loses a challenge, or otherwise makes an illegal move. A scoreless turn can also occur if a play consists of only blank tiles, but this is extremely unlikely in actual play.

====Scoring example====
See the example board at right. 
[[File:Scrabble-scoring-example.png|thumb|Example of a Scrabble game using Quackle, an open-source program. The plays QUITE, MES(QUITE), INFaNCY, and RECO(UN)TS score 48, 57, 88, and 40 points, respectively.]]

Suppose Player 1 plays QUITE 8D, with the Q on a DLS and the E on the center star. Because the center star is a DWS, the score for this play is <math>(2 \times 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1) \times 2 = 48</math> points.

Player 2 extends the play to form the word MES(QUITE) 8A with the M on the TWS at 8A. The score for this play is <math>(3 + 1 + 1 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1) \times 3 = 57</math> points. The Q is not doubled, as the Q was not played on this turn.

Player 1 plays INFaNCY 9D with a blank A, forming five 2-letter words, QI, UN, IF, TA, and EN. Because several additional words were formed, each new word is scored separately. The score for this play, without the 50-point bonus, is

<math>(1+1+4+2\times 0 + 1 + 2 \times 3 + 4) + (10+1) + (1+1) + (1+4) + (1+2\times 0) + (1+1) = 38</math> points. Because all 7 tiles were played on this turn, a 50-point bonus is added, and the score for this play is <math>38+50=88</math> points.

Player 2 plays RECO(UN)TS E4 through the word UN. Because this word covers two DWS squares, the score for this word is quadrupled, and the score for the play is <math>(1+1+3+1+1+1+1+1) \times 2 \times 2 = 40</math> points. Player 1 is ahead 136–97.

===Acceptable words===
{{Category see also|Scrabble lexica}}
All words of length 2 to 15 letters that appear in the agreed-upon [[dictionary]] or lexicon are acceptable words in ''Scrabble'', as are all their [[inflection|inflected]] forms and plurals. Words that contain apostrophes, are hyphenated or capitalized (such as [[proper noun]]s) are generally not allowed unless they also appear as acceptable entries; for example, words such as [[wikt:heres|HERES]], [[wikt:jack|JACK]] and [[wikt:texas|TEXAS]], while typically containing an apostrophe or considered a proper noun, have unrelated meanings and are therefore acceptable in major Scrabble lexicons. Acronyms and abbreviations are generally not allowed unless they have separate entries (such as [[AWOL]], [[RADAR]], [[Scuba diving|SCUBA]], and [[WYSIWYG]]<ref>{{cite web |title=WYSIWYG SCRABBLE Word Finder |url=https://scrabble.merriam.com/finder/wysiwyg |website=SCRABBLE Word Finder |access-date=14 November 2023}}</ref>). Variant spellings, slang or offensive terms, archaic or obsolete terms, and specialized jargon words are acceptable if they meet all other criteria for acceptability, but archaic spellings (e.g., NEEDE or MAKETH) are generally not acceptable words. Foreign words are generally not allowed in English-language ''Scrabble'' unless they have been incorporated into the English language, such as the words [[Qi|QI]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kwan |first1=Michael |title=The Power of Qi: A Scrabble Word That'll Center Your Game |url=https://wordfinder.yourdictionary.com/blog/the-power-of-qi-a-scrabble-word-thatll-center-your-game/ |website=Word Finder by Your Dictionary |date=April 27, 2021 |access-date=14 November 2023}}</ref> KILIM, and PATISSERIE.

Vulgar and offensive words are generally excluded from the ''[[Official Scrabble Players Dictionary]]'' but allowed in club and tournament play. The [[North American Scrabble Players Association]] removed slurs from its lexicon in 2020, after conducting a poll of its members.<ref>{{cite news |title=Scrabble branded 'woke' as long list of words BANNED over 'social unrest' |url=https://7news.com.au/entertainment/games/scrabble-bans-long-list-of-words-players-are-no-longer-allowed-to-use--c-2593627 |work=7NEWS |date=14 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Mattel removed 400 derogatory terms from its official word list in 2021, in response to the [[Black Lives Matter]] movement, with the company's head of games saying: "Can you imagine any other game where you can score points and win by using a racial epithet? It’s long overdue."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Malvern |first1=Jack |title=War of words over Scrabble slurs |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/war-of-words-scrabble-slurs-m2r7jb3ws |date=23 May 2023 |language=en}}</ref> This does not exclude players from playing these words, as it is within the rules of the game to play unacceptable words (at the risk of losing a challenge).

There are two popular competition word lists for English-language Scrabble:
* [[NASPA Word List]] (NWL, also known as OTCWL, OWL, or TWL)
* [[Collins Scrabble Words]] (CSW, also called "Collins" or "SOWPODS")
The first predominates in the U.S., Canada, and Thailand, and the second in English Scrabble in the rest of the world. There is also a large community of competitive Collins players in North America, with its own NASPA rating system.

====NWL and OSPD====
Today's [[NASPA Word List]] (NWL), published by [[NASPA Games]], descends from the ''Official Tournament and Club Word List'' (a non-bowdlerized version of the ''Official Scrabble Players Dictionary'') and its companion ''Long Words List'' for longer words. The current version of NWL is NWL2023,<ref>{{cite web |title=NWL2023 - NASPAWiki |url=https://scrabbleplayers.org/w/NWL2023 |access-date=26 July 2024}}</ref> effective February 2024, and the ''[[Official Scrabble Players Dictionary]]'', published by [[Merriam-Webster]], is currently in its seventh edition of 2022. NWL includes all current OSPD words, plus several hundred [[Profanity|offensive words]] and [[Generic trademark|genericized trademarks]] such as KLEENEX; as of 2020, it no longer includes words judged to be personally applicable offensive slurs.

The NWL and OSPD are compiled using a number of major college-level dictionaries, principally those published by Merriam-Webster. If a word appears, at least historically, in any one of the dictionaries, it is included in the NWL and the OSPD. If the word has only an offensive meaning, it is included only in the NWL. The key difference between the OSPD and the NWL is that the OSPD is marketed for "home and school" use, without words which their source dictionaries judged offensive, rendering the ''Official Scrabble Players Dictionary'' less fit for official ''Scrabble'' play. The OSPD is available in bookstores, while the NWL is available only through [[North American Scrabble Players Association|NASPA]].

====''Collins Scrabble Words''====
In all other English-speaking countries, the competition word list is ''Collins Scrabble Words'' 2021 edition, known as CSW21 (Versions of this lexicon before 2007 were known as [[SOWPODS]]). Historically, this list has contained all OTCWL words plus words sourced from the [[Chambers Dictionary|Chambers]] and [[Collins English Dictionary|Collins English]] dictionaries, but recent editorial decisions have caused greater discrepancies between CSW and NWL. CSW is commonly used to adjudicate major tournaments outside North America.

Tournaments are also played using CSW in North America, particularly since Hasbro ceased to control tournament play in 2009. [[North American Scrabble Players Association|NASPA]], the [https://wordgameplayers.org/ Word Game Players Organization], and [https://www.cocoscrabble.org/ Collins Coalition] (CoCo) all sanction CSW tournaments, using separate [[Elo rating system|Elo]] rating systems.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scrabbleplayers.org/w/SOWPODS|title=SOWPODS - NASPAWiki|publisher=North American Scrabble Players Association}}</ref>

===Challenges===
{{Main|Challenge (Scrabble)}}
The penalty for a successfully challenged play is nearly universal: the offending player removes the tiles played and forfeits their turn. (In some online games, an option known as "void" may be used, wherein unacceptable words are automatically rejected by the program. The player is then required to make another play, with no penalty applied.)

The penalty for an unsuccessful challenge (where all words challenged in the play are deemed valid) varies considerably, including:

* "Double Challenge", in which an unsuccessfully challenging player must forfeit the next turn. This penalty governs North American (NASPA-sanctioned) OWL tournament play,<ref name=":0" /> and is the standard for North American, Israeli, and Thai clubs. Because loss of a turn generally constitutes the greatest risk for an unsuccessful challenge, it provides the greatest incentive for a player to "bluff", or play a "phony" – a plausible word that they know or suspect to be unacceptable, hoping their opponent will not challenge it. Or a player can put down a legal word that appears to be a phony hoping the other player will incorrectly challenge it and lose their turn.
* "Single Challenge"/"Free Challenge", in which no penalty whatsoever is applied to a player who unsuccessfully challenges. This is the default rule in Ireland and the United Kingdom, as well as for many tournaments in Australia, although these countries do sanction occasional tournaments using other challenge rules.
* Modified "Single Challenge", in which an unsuccessful challenge does not result in the loss of the challenging player's turn, but is penalized by the loss of a specified number of points. The most common penalty is 5 points. The rule has been adopted in Singapore (since 2000), Malaysia (since 2002), South Africa (since 2003), New Zealand (since 2004), and Kenya, as well as in contemporary [[World Scrabble Championship]]s (since 2001) and North American (NASPA-sanctioned) Collins tournaments, and particularly prestigious Australian tournaments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.scrabble.org.au/ratings/selective/2018AMSC.html|title=Australian Masters and State Team Challenge|website=www.scrabble.org.au|access-date=2018-05-01|archive-date=May 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180502064327/http://www.scrabble.org.au/ratings/selective/2018AMSC.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Some countries and tournaments (including Sweden) use a 10-point penalty instead. In most game situations, this penalty is much lower than that of the "double challenge" rule. Consequently, such tournaments encourage greater willingness to challenge and discourage playing dubious words.

Under tournament rules, a player may request to "hold" the opponent's play to consider whether to challenge it, provided that the opponent has not yet drawn replacement tiles. The holding player's clock still runs, and the opponent cannot draw replacement tiles for 15 seconds or until the hold is released but may draw tiles afterward (which must be kept separate). If a player successfully challenges, the opponent must reveal any replacement tiles before returning them to the bag.