These rules describe our version of Scrabble. The Classic tab opens a separate game with its own word list and controls.
What is on the table?
- A board of 15 rows and 15 columns.
- Seven tiles on each rack, drawn from a bag of 100 tiles, including two blanks.
- Four bonus-square types: 2L, 3L, 2W and 3W. The centre star is 2W.
Our premium-square arrangement differs from the standard commercial board. Read the labels before comparing scores with another version.
Place the opening word through the star
Use at least two letters in a straight line across or down. The opening must cover the centre star. CAT scores 10 there with ordinary C, A and T tiles.
Connect every later move
New tiles must share one row or column. Existing tiles may fill gaps between them. Your move must connect to the existing board, and every new word across or down must be accepted.
After CAT, you can add S to make CATS, or cross its A with B and R to make BAR. You cannot place an unrelated word in another corner.
Use the controls
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Play | Commits a valid move and draws replacement tiles. |
| Recall | Returns unsubmitted tiles to your rack. |
| Shuffle | Reorders your rack without using a turn. |
| Hint | Places a suggested move for inspection. Press Play to commit it. |
| Pass | Uses your turn without placing tiles. |
| Swap | Exchanges selected rack tiles and uses a turn. The bag must contain at least seven tiles. |
Tap a rack tile, then a square, or drag the tile. For keyboard play, focus the board with Tab, move with the arrow keys and type. Left and right select across; up and down select down. Space changes direction. Enter submits, Backspace removes the last unsubmitted tile and Escape recalls the move.
Blanks and bonuses
Choose a letter when placing a blank. It stays worth zero. Letter bonuses affect newly placed tiles; word bonuses multiply the complete word. A used square does not apply again. Using all seven rack tiles in one turn adds 50.
See a blank-tile example or check the scoring table.
When a match ends
A full match ends when the bag is empty and a player uses their last tile, or after six consecutive passes or exchanges. Each player loses the value left on their rack. A player who goes out also receives the other rack's value.
In 10-turn match, each side gets ten turns. Passes and exchanges count. Remaining rack tiles do not reduce the final score.
Play with another person
Pass & play uses one device. The rack is covered between turns. Each player reveals it when ready. Changing between a computer match and two-player play starts a new match.
Which words count?
The game and Word Finder share an English word list. It includes uncommon words and is not an official tournament dictionary. Easy, Medium and Hard change the computer's choices; placement and scoring rules stay the same.