Just as in chess, systems exist in Scrabble for notating various kinds of words and plays.

Individual Word Notation

  • * is used to denote a word not found in the OSPD or OSW (a "phoney") Example: OG*.
  • $ is used to denote a word found only in the American word list (either the OSPD or the OWL).
  • # is used to denote words found only in OSW, the British word list.

Words are written in all caps, except for letters represented by a blank. Racks are written in alphabetical order, with blanks (written as question marks) coming at the end—e.g., a rack of PREYIN and a blank --> EINPRY?).

Board Notation

Just as in chess, various squares are referenced by a letter and number combination. To wit:

  
   a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o
   -----------------------------
 1|=     '       =       '     =|
 2|  -       "       "       -  |
 3|    -       '   '       -    |
 4|'     -       '       -     '|
 5|        -           -        |
 6|  "       "       "       "  |
 7|    '       '   '       '    |
 8|=     '       P R E Y I N g =|
 9|    '       ' I '       '    |
10|  "       "   C   "       "  |
11|        -     K     -        |
12|'     -       S       -     '|
13|    -       '   '       -    |
14|  -       "       "       -  |
15|=     '       =       '     =|
   ----------------------------- 

So above, we have PREYINg 8H (the 8 comes first since the word reads from left to right) and PICKS H8 (the h comes first since the word reads from top to bottom). When citing a specific play, write the word first, then the position, then how much that play scored; so if PICKS above was played second, then you would write PICKS H8 14.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.