Words of Mass Destruction: Part II

Finesse in Scrabble is governed by the single, overarching imperative of score. At its pith, finesse translates into force and is unequivocally embodied by the most august of the power tiles: the Q and the Z. Like rare gems, these singular tiles and their alluring applications in the English vernacular give way to a fascination bordering on obsession. However, these gems are not polished smooth surfaces which serve simply to adorn the board; they are rough, scabrous creations, equally apt to spearhead a massive score as they are to blight the entire board with their presence. The Z and the Q are both boon and blessing and are not to be trifled with.

But maybe that's just the poet in me.

The Q, at first glance, with its symbiotic relationship with the U surely cannot be a weapon. The average person would assume that the U would hamstring the Q and reduce it to such bulky words as QUEUE, QUICHE and QUILT. These words in themselves are capable of clinching sizable scores, but when one discovers that the Q can exist without the U, its full potential is realized. Words such as QI, QAT, QADI, QOPH and FAQIR create a whole new dimension of Q. The number of short Q words is more than one would think, and the repertoire of short Q words is present in the mind of every Scrabble veteran.

Words of Mass Destruction: Part 1

Scrabble is a multifaceted pursuit but at its crux it is a chirocracy: ruled by force. To establish autarchic dominance over Scrabble one must become adept at those adamantine weapons of war: the power tiles. An acute knowledge of the J, Q, X and the Z is integral to developing one's game. The lesser of the titans are the J and the X which, though not as cumbersome as their 10 point kin, are nonetheless efficacious when used by the most green of novices. In the hands of a seasoned player they are deadly, if not fatal to an adversary.

The J is the more versatile of the two and the myriad combinations it engenders render the J a Colossus on the board. Several demotic words such as JAY, JAW, JUNK, JUKE and JINX can be used to great effect, which bodes well for the average player. However, when one has finesse enough to play words such as JUCO, HADJ, JEHU, JAUK and JEUX, the potential of the J can be fully realized. Larger and longer J words may translate into correspondingly massive scores.

The X is the more exotic, abstruse tile yet this endows it with the ability to be even more damaging than the J. It lends its wiles to the player with the most knowledge of how to use it and thus, in the right hands can be used several times to enhance ones score. The tyro will recognize the common conjugations such as BOXY, AXON, APEX, ONYX and WAXY. However, those are but a fraction of the X's power which encompasses words such as OXO, COXA, IBEX, ORYX and XYST. The X's vast range rivals J's but the X is the tool of the veteran. The 3-letter, 4-letter and 5-letter X words are assassin's tools.