Reviews (41)

you're wrong
Scrabble is not about words, and someone of your rating should know that.

book is very helpful
Ising this dictionary has helped me to become a better player.

The "official" word on what's acceptable
The official scrabble dictionary (OSD) serves its purpose: it is the authority when settling disputes. The make quality is that of your average mass market paperback, and so is the price. The definitions, on the other hand, are really perfunctory (but what do you expect?). Some words in the dictionary, like Za, Ka, and Ai, are surprising because they're not found in the commonly owned dictionaries. This makes playing with the OSD a different game, one in which it pays to memorize these little words.
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Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages - Games    2. Games    3. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    4. Games/Puzzles    5. Reference    6. Word & Word Search    7. Board games    8. Dictionaries   

Editorial Review

This book opens with an introduction to the game, follows up with instruction on advanced play, and ends with valuable information for those preparing for tournament-level competition. But there's far more to this tome than the how-to material. It's also a reference manual with such valuable information as a list of crucial but uncommon two-letter words (do you know what a "Li" is?) and a number of words that require a Q but no U. Exercise puzzles are included so you can practice what you learn. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Very Useful Scrabble Book
*****
A very useful instruction manual and a pleasure to read
Imagine that you are playing in the 1993 World Scrabble championship.The normal rules have been adjusted so that if one incorrectly challenges an opponent's word, there is no penalty.You are to play and it is the first move of the game.And your seven letters are AGORRTT.What do you do?
Sound Principles with an Unsound Wordlist
The advice in this book ranges from the unexceptional to the outstanding, and I'm confident you can concentrate on what will really help you.I would advise that you not wait to master everything in the beginner section before at least skimming the more advanced material, inasmuch as some of that will benefit you right from the start.As with almost any activity, Scrabble is much more enjoyable when you understand some simple principles that make it easier, and this book will propel you in that direction.
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Subjects:  1. Board    2. Games    3. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    4. Games/Puzzles    5. Reference    6. Scrabble (Game)    7. Word & Word Search    8. Board games    9. Games / Reference    10. Puzzles & quizzes   

Editorial Review

If you're using the 1991 edition or the 1978 original, you're woefully behind the Scrabble-playing times. With more than 100,000 2- to 8-letter words, there are some interesting additions ("aargh," "aarrgh," and "aarrghh" are all legitimate now), while words they consider offensive are no longer kosher. Why subscribe to the Scrabble dictionary's changeable lexicon? Well, it ends the argument of whose dictionary to use, but the main reason is that it's the winner's dictionary, and why play Scrabble if not to win? Memorize those 2- and 3-letter words, and your Scrabble game becomes lethal. ... Read more

Reviews (62)

This book has been replaced by 4th edition!
Do NOT get this book -- which contains only the THIRD EDITION of the allowable Scrabble words.If you want the FOURTH EDITION, which is current up through its publication in late 2005, use this number to search Amazon's catalog: 0877796343 which will take you to the Fourth Edition, Large Print.For some reason, you can't find it by using words like "Scrabble Large Print" to find that edition -- you have to use the ISBN number.
Large print scrabble dictionary
This dictionary is excellent to read and has definations that the smaller version does not have.

This book is out of date
I don't know why Amazon is still pushing the 3rd edition 4 months after the release of the 4th edition, which is much superior!The 4th edition is available on Amazon as well, but you have to look elsewhere for the large print (Walmart online has it). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Board    2. Dictionaries    3. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    4. Reference    5. Word & Word Search    6. Board games    7. Puzzles & quizzes    8. Reference works   

Reviews (9)

Extremely helpful
I found this book extremely helpful.While it doesn't have every word that can be used, it does have so many words it will have your head spinning!Not every 2 & 3 letter words are in here but it's only the 1998 edition.

A great idea... but...
This book is a good idea badly executed.The two major flaws are that (1) it is nearly impossible to look things up in it because of a lack of header/footers to tell what section you are in, and (2) it is woefully out-of-date with even the two-letter words being incorrect.I found this out the hard way playing "da" a few too many times. Not helpful
I found this book to be close to useless--extremely hard to figure out how it's supposed to be organized, close to impossible to find anything. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Board    2. Games    3. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    4. Games/Puzzles    5. Glossaries, vocabularies, etc    6. Puzzles    7. Reference    8. Scrabble (Game)    9. Word & Word Search    10. Puzzles & quizzes    11. Reference / General   

Reviews (9)

EFL Teachers - a good resource
I teach English as a foreign language, and this dictionary is great for helping children play more effectively and to understand root words and how they evolve into other words.

pulp it
this book is outdated by a factor of 2 (two) dictionary revisions. As many as 8000 words are not included, and to complete the pie, there's (ewwww!) TYPOS! Yep, errata, misprints, however you wanna call it. This book is essentially garbage.

SCRABBLE WORD BUILDING BOOK
Only had this book a short time, but do find it very useful. Especially in conjunction with the scrabble dictionary. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Board    2. Crosswords - Dictionaries    3. Games    4. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    5. Games/Puzzles    6. General    7. Reference    8. Education / Reference   

Reviews (2)

Review of Scrabblegrams
This book contains many more Scrabblegrams and for anyone who enjoys this type of Scrabble play the games are excellent.I only hope that they put out a book called "Another Big Book of Scrabblegrams"!

From the Board Games Editor at BellaOnline.com
A ScrabbleGram is a simple word puzzle which gives you a "rack" of seven letters.Your job?To find the longest word playable on the rack.Often the best words are 7-letter words, but sometimes the longest ones are only 5 or 6 letters long.
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Subjects:  1. Games    2. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    3. Games/Puzzles    4. Word & Word Search    5. GAMES (bks) - Games TRD PB    6. Games / Word   

Subjects:  1. Board    2. Calendar    3. Calendars & Diaries    4. Non-Classifiable    5. Games / Board   

Editorial Review

Like a cross between a linguistic spy and a lexicographic Olympic athlete, journalist Stefan Fatsis gave himself a year to penetrate the highest echelons of international Scrabble competition. Read more

Reviews (93)

Fascinating "inside look"
Let me preface my comments by saying that I love these types of books:the "inside looks" into a world with which I'm unfamiliar.I've played scrabble less than five times in my life, and yet Fatsis has kept me interested, enthralled even, for the duration of the book.
Interesting.
Stefan Fatsis, Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession ni the World of Competitive Scrabble Players (Houghton Mifflin, 2001)
disappointing
I really, really wanted to like this book and actually gave two copies as presents before I'd even read it myself.Sadly though, I'm still slogging through it and it is tough going.Though I'm not even in the realms of the blue-hairs, I do love Scrabble and thought I'd be interested in the in-and-outs but am finding his style of writing tedious and annoying at best.I like when he talks about other players or the history of the game but find myself falling asleep when he talks about his tournament games and attempts to memorize words.I'd recommend this book only for those so obsessed with the game that they'd care enough to know all the four letter possibilities and why SATINE is such a perfect word.For the rest of you (us), use what free-time you have to just enjoy the game. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Board    2. Board Games    3. Games    4. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    5. Games/Puzzles    6. Personal Memoirs    7. Popular Culture    8. Puzzles    9. Scrabble (Game)    10. Tournaments    11. Word & Word Search    12. Games / Board   

Reviews (4)

Scrabble Puzzle Book Review
This book is excellent as it contains many ways to improve and versify your Scrabble skills.There are many new games and approaches, which can range from novice to challenging.It contains many new words and methods of setting up the board during play, and if one really examines the games, one will certainly improve their Scrabble skills.As well, there are many games provided that will take hours to decipher and play.

great book
This is very useful for those of us who like playing word games, especially the page of two letter words.

Improving your game
You can pick up some good tips on how to beat your opponents from two-time National Scrabble Champion Joe Edley along with some challenging puzzles in this modest Scrabble puzzle book.I particularly recommend the material on pages 194-202 where Edley suggests that you develop the habit of asking yourself questions before making a play.
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Subjects:  1. Board    2. Games    3. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    4. Games/Puzzles    5. Puzzles    6. Scrabble (Game)    7. Word & Word Search    8. Games / General   

Subjects:  1. Games/Puzzles    2. Hobbies, Quizzes & Games    3. Puzzles & quizzes   

Reviews (2)

Utter waste of paper! Save your money.
Do not be fooled by the reference to Word Freak, a wonderful but different book describing scrabble personalities.
Winsome Words
The subtitle "Winning Words for Word Freaks" seeks to build on the bestseller "Word Freaks" by Stefan Fatsis, but is a bit misleading.Better would have been "Winsome Lists for Word Game Lovers".It is not necessary to attain expert proficiency in order to enjoy word games more.Sometimes just a little proficiency makes the difference between not enjoying and enjoying a word game.The bulk of the book at the end is for reference.The lists that will make a real difference to you are found towards the beginning:Complete lists of short words with difficult-to-use letters such as Q and J; words with their hooks (single-letter additions that form words); words with many vowels; and much, much more.These lists can help with crosswords, Boggle, or any word game, but the emphasis is on Scrabble.There's even a cleverly constructed game in which a hypothetical player comes back from a deficit of more than 700 points.
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Subjects:  1. Board    2. Games    3. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    4. Games/Puzzles    5. Glossaries, vocabularies, etc    6. Scrabble (Game)    7. Word & Word Search    8. Games / Board    9. Indoor games    10. Literary & Linguistic Reference Works    11. Puzzles & quizzes    12. STUDY NOTES - SparkNotes   

Subjects:  1. Board    2. Games    3. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    4. Games/Puzzles    5. General    6. Word & Word Search    7. Games / General   

Subjects:  1. Games/Puzzles    2. Board games   

Reviews (5)

The Perfect Resource for Improving Play
Bob's Bible is a perfect resource for improving play.It offers useful lists to extricate a player from tight spots (i.e. the vowelless rack or vowel-heavy rack).It lists both the short and 6-8 letter JQXZ words.Plus, every entry includes the front and back hooks as well as the anagrams of that word which allows the player to see how that word will fit into play or how his opponent might hook onto that word during play.This book has broadened my potential and energized my game. I feel I've found the secret formula for successful play!
Yes, you can still find this essential Scrabble Bible!
Why someone would rate a book that they haven't seen is incomprehensible. The only ratings below 5 stars for this book are from people who are frustrated because they haven't been able obtain it.
not shipping
I cannot really review this book.I just want to warn people thinking to order from this site, that the delivery estimate of 1-3 weeks is false.I orderered in Februrary (it is now May 18th), and it has still not shipped. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anagrams    2. Games    3. Games / Reference    4. Games / Word    5. Reference    6. Scrabble (Game)    7. Word    8. Word Games    9. Word Lists    10. Crossword puzzles    11. Glossaries, vocabularies, etc   

Subjects:  1. Board games    2. Games/Puzzles    3. Puzzles & quizzes   

Subjects:  1. Games/Puzzles    2. Hobbies, Quizzes & Games    3. Puzzles & quizzes   

Reviews (2)

ultimate book-ultimate game
I received this book from a friend when it was first published. Having been a devotee of Scrabble for many years, I was amazed at how much I was able to learn from this book. Straight talk on strategy, word lists worth memorizing, combinations to save/dump, all without the pomposity of the author that accompanies many books. This one reveals a host of secrets that eluded me for years. Simply the best how-to book on the subject

Ultimate Guide to Winning Scrabble
A fellow Scrabble player saw this book (which I have owned since 1987)andsaid she MUST have a copy! It has the best info for Scrabblers, bothnovices and old-timers, even including the complete list of acceptabletwo-letter words.I would like to give her a copy as a gift and hope it isavailable ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games/Puzzles    2. Scrabble (Game)    3. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Games/Puzzles    2. Board games    3. Dictionaries   

Subjects:  1. Board games    2. Reference    3. Puzzles & quizzes    4. Dictionaries