How to Score 1830 in a Single Turn!

Admittedly this Scrabble example is highly contrived. Such a situation it very unlikely to occur in a real game, and if it were to do so your chances of spotting the winning move are slim to say the least. Nonetheless, it explains how high scores of several hundred are possible.

In making the word BENZOXYCAMPHORS, six other words are also created. These each score as shown below:

• BRACKETED: 18 on Triple Word Score = 54
• ZOOLOGIST: 19 with Z on Double Letter Score = 29
• XEROTIC: 13 (not 16, because C is a blank)
• CHAT: 9 on Triple Word Score = 27
• HOVERS: 12 with H on Double Letter Score = 16
• SQUIRES: 16 on Triple Word Score = 48

• BENZOXYCAMPHORS: Z and H on Double Letter Score, and also on three Triple Word Score squares = 59 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 1593
• Bonus 50 points for using all 7 tiles in one turn.

The total score, then, is 54 + 29 + 13 + 27 + 16 + 48 + 1593 + 50 = 1830.

This high-scoring Scrabble puzzle solution was created by Scrabble fanatics Matthew Westcott, Gary Woodward and others.

Can you do better?

Editor's Note: Since the publication of this page, we have been informed of a higher-scoring solution in which 1962 points are achieved. Click here for details.

Remember, you are restricted by the number of tiles of each letter available, and by the size of the Scrabble board. You must also bare in mind that to be a valid Scrabble game, the words must be connected to the central (starting) square of the board in such a way that the point can be reached by legal play. Some of the techniques used to increase the score are discussed below:

• Ideally you need a 15-letter word running along one side of the scrabble board, as this means it will cover three Triple Word Score squares – in effect multiplying the score by 27.
• Try to leave all the premium scoring (coloured) squares uncovered so that you can benefit from them in the final move. Notice how, in the example above, none of the five premium scoring squares on the top row is covered.
• The score will be higher if you have the highest scoring tiles in the player's rack. In the example above, the letters which are played in the move are mostly high scoring (Z=10, for example).
• Placing high-scoring letters at the intersections of words means that they will be counted twice. The Z above is counted both for ZOOLOGIST and BENZOXYCAMPHORS.
• Do not waste Double/Triple Letter Score squares by covering them with a low value letter tile.
• If you need to use blanks, remember that where you choose to place them will have an effect on the score. Try to put them in words which are not changed by the addition of the new letters.
• Don't forget that if all 7 tiles from the rack are used in one go there is a 50 point bonus.

Good luck! If you do find a higher-scoring example, we'd love to hear from you.

Find out how you can get 1962 points in one turn.

Unfortunately, not all of the words used in the 1830-point solution above, or the 1962-point solution, are in the Official Scrabble Players' Dictionary. The record for the most number of points won in a single turn using only words from Official Scrabble Players' Dictionary is 1682. Click here for details.

Do you know anyone else who would enjoy this? Email this page to a friend.
Also: Sign up for our free web site updates here.