32

I won a game by getting lots of points doing it ;) but was contested and I could see their point.

Here are two examples:

PLACES
     OTHER

or

    BRILLIANT
SCORE

I can see from the official rules something similar is allowed:

 PASTE
BIT

The difference here is that BIT, PI and AT are created. So there is more than one parallel word created.

But are the examples I give only one parallel word is created, is this ok?

davesmiths
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    Sounds like you were playing with some noobies. This is pretty basic Scrabble strategy. There's a great documentary about high-level Scrabble play called Word Wars if you're interested in learning more about the game. – Our_Benefactors Sep 14 '18 at 19:27
  • I just watched the trailer... I think I'm going to have to see this now ;) – davesmiths Sep 19 '18 at 10:15

1 Answers1

59

The play you describe is both legal and generally easier to do than the multi-cross play you cite as a rules example.

The general rules relevant here are that, first, all the letters for a single play must be in a single line, either vertical or horizontal, and second, that all tiles adjacent to another tile (vertically or horizontally) must be part of a permissible words in each direction of adjacency. Finally, at least one tile of any new play must be adjacent to a tile already played (except the first play of a new game, for which one tile must be on the pink star center square).

Zeiss Ikon
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  • If BRILLIANT has been played, can a player put the letter E under B, and O under T, and no other letters? That satisfies all the conditions you set out. – Acccumulation Aug 04 '20 at 05:20
  • @Acccumulation no, the tiles you play must form a single word. – Jontia Aug 05 '20 at 09:18