The most useful Scrabble tips are to learn the two-letter words, play high-value letters on double and triple letter squares, keep a balanced rack of vowels and consonants, save the S and blank for big plays, and look for seven-letter words that earn the 50-point bonus. Points come from placement as much as from long words.
These tips apply to Scrabble and to other tile-based crossword games such as Words With Friends, which share the same basic ideas. Word lists and tile values differ a little between games and editions, so always check the dictionary your game uses.
Learn the short words
1. Learn the two-letter words
Two-letter words are the most useful words in the game. They let you place a tile alongside an existing word so that you score in two directions at once. Words such as QI, ZA (in some dictionaries), XI, XU, JO, OX and EX turn awkward tiles into points. See our list of two-letter words, then check which ones your game’s dictionary accepts.
2. Learn Q words that do not need a U
The Q is worth a lot but can get stuck on your rack. QI, QAT, QADI, QAID, QOPH, FAQIR, QANAT, TRANQ and SUQ are accepted in the main English word-game dictionaries and need no U. If you are still stuck with a Q late in the game, consider swapping it.
3. Know the high-scoring short words
Short words with J, Q, X and Z, such as JO, QI, ZAX, JINX and QUIZ, are worth learning because they fit into tight spaces and can be placed on premium squares.
Use the board
4. Put big letters on letter bonuses
A Z on a triple letter square is worth 30 points before anything else is counted. Where possible, place the X or Z on a premium square so it counts across and down at the same time.
5. Aim for word multipliers
Double and triple word squares multiply the whole word. A modest word across a triple word square can beat a long word in the middle of the board.
6. Use hooks
A hook is a letter added to the front or end of an existing word to make a new one, such as adding S to CAT or adding A to MAZE to make AMAZE. Playing a new word that hooks onto an old one scores both.
7. Play parallel
Laying a word alongside another one, forming several two-letter words at once, often scores more than a long word in open space. This is where knowing the two-letter words pays off.
8. Watch what you open up
Every move can create chances for your opponent. Think twice before placing a vowel next to an open triple word square.
Tile values at a glance
In standard English-language Scrabble, Q and Z are worth 10 points, J and X are worth 8, K is worth 5, and the two blanks are worth nothing. Common letters such as E, A, I, O, N, R, T, L, S and U are worth 1. The high-value letters are the ones to aim at premium squares; the 1-point letters are the ones that make bingos.
Manage your rack
9. Keep a balanced rack
A rack of about three vowels and four consonants gives you the most options. If you are left with five vowels, play a vowel-heavy word such as AUDIO to rebalance, even for fewer points.
10. Save the S and the blank
An S can turn an existing word into a plural and score both words; a blank can be any letter. Both are most valuable when they help you make a big play or a seven-letter word, so do not spend them for a few points.
11. Go for the bingo
Using all seven tiles in one move earns a 50-point bonus in Scrabble. Common letters such as E, R, S, T, A, I, N, L and D are the building blocks of bingos, and endings like -ING, -ER and -ED help a lot.
Rack: A E I N R S T
These seven letters make several bingos, including RETAINS, RETINAS, STAINER and NASTIER. Enter them in words from letters to see every word, from the seven-letter bingos down to the twos.
12. Swap when it is right to swap
Swapping costs you a turn but can save you several bad ones. If your rack is all vowels, all consonants, or full of duplicates, a swap is often the stronger move.
How to practise
Play your own rack in words from letters after a game to see what you missed, sorted by points. Use the word finder to practise filling patterns such as ?A?E, which is exactly the skill you need to fit words around tiles already on the board. Our word lists by length, first letter and last letter are handy for learning short words.
Questions and answers
What are the best Scrabble tips for beginners?
Learn the two-letter words, put high-value letters on bonus squares, keep a mix of vowels and consonants on your rack, and save your S and blank for big plays.
What Q words do not need a U?
QI, QAT, QADI, QAID, QOPH, FAQIR, QANAT, TRANQ and SUQ are accepted in the main English word-game dictionaries. Check your own game’s list.
How many points is a bingo?
In Scrabble, using all seven tiles from your rack in one move earns a 50-point bonus on top of the word score.
Should I swap tiles?
Swap when your rack is badly unbalanced, such as all vowels, or full of duplicates. Losing one turn is often better than several low-scoring ones.
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Scrabble® is a registered trademark of Hasbro, Inc. in the USA and Canada and of Mattel, Inc. elsewhere. Words With Friends® is a trademark of Zynga Inc. Unscramble Words 4U is an independent site and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of these companies. Word lists differ between games, so check the dictionary your game uses.