A promising young Scrabble player was just ejected from a national five-day tournament in Florida after he was caught cheating. You may be wondering: how can you cheat at Scrabble? He didn’t add words to the dictionary. He didn’t use an electronic word finder during gameplay. But he did hide blank tiles in his sleeves and surreptitiously pull them out when he needed some help.
The executive director of the National Scrabble Association, John D. Williams, Jr. has told multiple news outlets that the Scrabble world is typically good at “self-policing,” but this breach is being taken very seriously.
(Want to increase your Scrabble scores? Memorize these high-scoring words now.)
What do elite Scrabble players win? The top champion at the national tournament takes home $10,000.
Amateur home Scrabble players often play with modified rules like swapping out blank tiles, returning letters when you have more than three of the same one, etc. Do you play with any of these modifications?
Would you ever cheat at Scrabble? Have you ever played with someone who tried to bend the rules?
Well, this was a misleading article. I’m disappointed now.
PLAYER DRAWS A BLANK AND LOSES GAME…!
(heheheheh)
How came he thought that it was possible to cheat that way? Weren’t that supposed only 2 blanks available? When he added one, it would certainly easy to be discovered
-pardon my bad English
P.S.
You think that only happens in Scrabble–?
The high-techs of the REGEXP (regular expression) world, think that & nbsp; “non-breaking-space” (\240) is a non,-blank: (/\s/) does not match them…! (You shouldn’t expect that, should you…?!)
I don’t know how you can cheat in scrabble, its a word game. You got to be real stupid to cheat at a game like that. If you lose at scrabble by cheating, you have no class. U DESERVED TO LOSE. CHEATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I play with my sister all the time and I have resorted to playing with a dictionary beside for any out of the way words she comes up with. 60% of the game is me proving that iceberg is spelt i-c-e-b-e-r-g and not i-y-s-b-u-r-g. She is smart, she just hates losing that’s all.
Our family’s house rules allow us to utilize the official Scrabble dictionary when trying to think of words. Some might consider this cheating, but you might be surprised how hard it is to find a good word even when you’re allowed to look in the dictionary. Also, this helps all the players increase our vocabulary, so it helps all of us.
SECOND ONE TO COMMENT YA HA YA HA YA HE SNORT!!!!!!!!
i used 2 do that. lol…
No, I don’t play with any of those modifications. There are only a couple rare occasions when I did cheat. On video games I would cheat because it would usually make the game funner for me (having unlimited health etc.). Also, I did cheat on some high school exams because I was young and didn’t want to put all the time in necessary.
My dad doesn’t know how to cheat…
Nor do I
when I try to make up word, dad notices but he never cheats
good dad
He cheated so he loses 
too bad so sad.
He loses the game because he cheated. It’s not fair on the other player
scrabble is for the lonely:(………
Hear Hear JesusLovesLiteracy,
I only have two comments to add, the first in the form of a curse.
A pox on the official Scrabble dictionary, the Good Book to only a heathen, a heathen of evidently such great desperate enthusiasm…
A pox to it and its wretchedness for Good, a pox to it in the name of our Sweet Oh Good God Almighty Lord!
May the Sweet Tender Lord strike such vengeance as necessary, such necessary vengeance will striketh of the Sweetest most Purgative of Lords!
The second piece of advice: never trust an Ostrich.
On that cautionary note, be on the look-out for such a character, one which may have been recently released into the wild.
This wild ostrich creature fits the description of Ostrich-Man, of middle-eastern, asian, african, eastern-western european descent.
Reports suggest he is also indigenous, especially to these territories (and also particularly to other areas).
This Ostrich may be easily identifiable, for he reputedly suffers from the (mentally) debilitating Leg Length Discrepancy Syndrome.
Such evidence indicates the Sweetest of Lords may already have begun His Handiwork.
May we pray to our Sweet Lord for the nectar of mercy, mercy and severe justice,
OstrichWatch
Dear JesusLoveMe and Angelica Fairy,
I agree.
Though may I sent a cautionary warning against using the official Scrabble Dictionary the supposed Good Book, a dark art the substance of this present declaration of emergency.
I am afraid an major proponent for the Scrabble Dictionary, a proponent of such great desperate enthusiasm, may be on the rampant.
I advise you to be on the look-out for such a character, one who goes by the name of Ostrich, who may have been recently released into the wild.
This wild ostrich creature fits the description of Ostrich-Man, of middle-eastern, asian, african, eastern-western european descent.
Reports suggest he is also indigenous, especially to these territories (also particularly to other areas).
This Ostrich may be easily identifiable, for he reputedly suffers from the (mentally) debilitating Leg Length Discrepancy Syndrome.
Such evidence indicates the Sweetest of Lords may already have begun His Handiwork.
May we pray to the Sweet Lord for the nectar of mercy, mercy and severe justice,
OstrichWatch
12th comment!
I don’t think cheating on multiple high school exams should be taken lightly. Being young isn’t an excuse.
misleading title…
i can’t believe the player got that far without being discovered…
I agree with precious.YOU DESERVE TO LOSE CHEATER. If you win by cheating you don’t win at all. I used to cheat but then I realized that and stopped. It’s common sense really.
LOL. He is not suppose to cheat.
lolest, wil try dat, to beat an uncle of myn…..
No, I don’t play with any of those modifications. There are only a couple rare occasions when I did cheat. On video games I would cheat because it would usually make the game funner for me (having unlimited health etc.). Also, I did cheat on some high school exams because I was young and didn’t want to put all the time in necessary.
Read more at http://hotword.dictionary.com/scrabble-cheater/comment-page-1/#k8LRxyLOXhrLDwtE.99
You don’t have to hide blanks in your sleeve, you can just turn a tile upside down.
wat the hell!!! i thought this was gonna show me how to cheat not tell me who cheats!!!! very disappointed with you dictionary dot com
Yes, I don’t cheat at scrabble or any word games but I do cheat in games to make it more fun for me (this is my opinion so don’t decide to do it) but I do use a dictionary during a game of scrabble
What’s a game without some..um..cheating! 
…and I kant spel iether!
I like scrabble. Sometimes it gets hard to play a word. But that is the exciting part! FYI, if you want to increase you vocab skills, try doing the daily crossword puzzle. There’s a challenge.
Other than being ejected from the competition; what other penalties have been imposed, if any? Plus, I would have liked to have know his age. LOL
What the heck are you thinking, guy who cheated????? This is the most sad thing I have ever seen!!!!!!
We’ll. I don’t play. Scrabble. 
I am just wondering, how did that poor guy used the blank tiles?
I cant believe he tried to cheat – he would get caught, unless he hoped he would draw the blanks later and swap them for his letters?
Soon they will have scrabble pieces marked like poker decks.
Impossible to pull off if observers were attentive. Error would have been discovered the moment the third blank hit the board or other player’s rack. The tile count on his rack would have also given him away. We don’t blay with a “grab bag”. The draw tiles are face down on the table for all to see you touch, then pick up. (like dominos)
To the Ostrich person: Your continued comments have attracted the attention of the Ostrich. I suggest you look out, it is tracking YOU.
I’ve had that happen against me in an Amateur Scrabble Tournament, but the Judge didn’t pick it up, and I went on to lose. I complained but the Judge said I had no evidence. Bum.
I have never cheated but was accused many times specially by sore losers. So one time, I tried to use one site I found on google just to see how easy it was to cheat. I discovered that it was way too difficult to search words just to create more points and it’s no fun at all. It’s an exhausting task.
How sad. WHO CHEATS AT SCRABBLE!?!?!?!?!
i have a game similar to scrabble called 3D Words. I find it very fun and educative.
In 1948 Mr. James Brunot changed the name of the game “Croswords” to “Scrabble,” a real word which means “to scratch frantically”.
I used to cheat at scrabble by picking tiles on a glass table *accidentaly bends down to tie shoe* GOTCHA!
Cheating in scrabble is not unfair.. Several sites offer for such cheats. Like scrabblecheat, scrabble solver and http://www.scrabblecheats.com/
Such cheats are acceptable but those ones mentioned in article are prohibited and unfair.
I love hoe the grammar error comes right after the big, smart word.
When I reach into the bag I’ll often feel around to see if I can get a blank peice by sense of touch. The tiles I have have a lowered relief of the print.
cheater..
Synchophant was last word I looked up. I knew it meant something like a pansy yes-man but wanted to know more.
I am a huge fan of Scrabble and Words With Friends. I have been playing for years. A great site to use if you get stuck is http://wordfinder.yourdictionary.com/. It not only helps you find a word, but it includes the point value.
How did he think he could pull that off? there are only a seet number of tiles in the game. Especially with blanks it would be highly noticable. The only cheating I’ve done in scrabble is playfully changing the tiles up and waiting until the other person notices to laugh at them. (kind of immature, I know, but it IS funny) The only bending of the rules that we ever do are allowing slang words for the less experienced players to mak it more fair.
I love this game.
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My family generally sticks to the rules when playing Scrabble. The only modifications are: the availability of the Scrabble dictionary (to double check obscure words, and for help with ‘q’ words), and if you have terrible letters, we only switch out the whole hand. We all have fun, and can be sure of the words that we’re playing.
Also, I’m with many of the ones who previously commented on the cheater: it was a dumb, cheap, and amateurish trick. He should be ashamed of himself.
Scrabble is very nice indoor game, i love it and i always played with my friends. It increases the vocabulary.
FIRST ONE TO COMMENT!!
HAHA CHEATER !! YOU LOSE..