Scrabble rules: how to play and how to score

Scrabble quick rules

The goal

You place words on the board, crossword style. Each letter is worth points, shown in its corner: rare letters are worth a lot, and some squares multiply points. The highest score at the end wins.

The tiles

To decide who starts, each player draws a tile: the letter closest to A goes first, a blank beats an A. Then everyone draws seven tiles for their rack. The two blanks score zero but stand for any letter, and keep it once played.

A turn

On your turn, you play a word, exchange tiles with the bag or pass. The first word has at least two letters, one on the center star. After that, every word connects to tiles on the board. You announce your score, then draw back up to seven tiles.

Playing a word

The tiles of a turn all go in one line, across or down. Any tile next to another must form a real word with it. You can extend a word, cross one or play a parallel word: you score every word formed or changed.

Premium squares

Double or Triple Letter multiplies the tile, Double or Triple Word the whole word: letters first, then the word. The center counts as Double Word. A square only works on the turn it is covered. All seven tiles in one turn: a 50-point bonus.

Permitted words

Words in a standard dictionary, word forms included; no proper nouns, abbreviations, or words with hyphens or apostrophes. A challenged, unacceptable word is taken back and its player loses their turn; a challenged but valid word costs the challenger 10 points.

The end of the game

The game ends when the bag is empty and a player has used all their tiles, when nobody can play, or when all players have passed twice in a row. Each player subtracts their tiles left; the player who went out adds everyone else’s.

Beginner traps

A premium square that’s already covered scores nothing more. A blank scores zero, even on a Triple Letter. The 50-point bonus is never doubled. And you never look up words in the dictionary during the game.

The cooperative side

The current French box has a double-sided board. On the cooperative side, you play together, without points: each word must complete an Objective card. Twenty objectives completed, everyone wins; stuck with no Help cards left, everyone loses.

How to score Scrabble

Turn scores

The total of the points announced each turn: the letters, multiplied by premium squares, plus 50 points for each time you play all seven tiles.

Failed challenges

10 points off for each valid word you challenged.

Tiles left on your rack

At the end, the value of the tiles on your rack is subtracted from your score.

Opponents’ tiles

The player who used all their tiles, with the bag empty, adds the value of the tiles left on all the other racks.

Worked example

Alex ends with 312 points from turns, one failed challenge (−10) and an E, a T and an O on the rack (3 points in all). Mia, who played her last tile, has 280 points from turns. Alex: 312 − 10 − 3 = 299. Mia: 280 + 3 = 283. Alex wins.

Common mistakes

• Doubling the 50-point bonus: it’s added after the word is doubled.
• Counting a premium square that an earlier word already covered.
• Forgetting to subtract your tiles left, or to add everyone else’s when you went out.
• Giving the blank a value: it scores zero, even on a letter square.

How to set up Scrabble

Setup takes about 2 minutes, whatever the player count.