The Rules we play by...

These are the basic rules we use for our annual Scrabble FUNdraiser. Please ask for clarification or examples before we begin. 


  1. At any point before we begin the final round, bonus points can be "purchased" for $50 (250 points) or $100 (500 points) to add to the team's final score. 
  2. Each team uses a Scrabble Board and attempts to form as many words as possible to maximize its score. The first word to be placed on the board will be announced at the beginning of the round. This starting word's point value is DOUBLED as the starting square counts as a double word premium square.
  3. There is one 30-minute round and three 20-minute rounds, with 15 minute breaks in between.
  4. At the beginning of each round, all letters are face up on the table. As teams build from the first word, each word must connect to the previous word.
  5. Teams do not earn extra points for creating 7 letter words. However, 8-12 letter words are allowed.  13+ letter words will not be counted.
  6. All letters played must form complete words, even if they touch other, previously played, tiles. The team gets full credit for all words formed or modified in this manner.
  7. Words must appear in one of the major industry-recognized dictionaries. Peeks at the Scrabble dictionary are available.
  8. Words always capitalized, abbreviations, proper nouns, acronyms and words requiring a hyphen or apostrophe may NOT be used. 
  9. Teams do NOT earn any extra points for using all of your tiles during a round. 
  10. Words may be used more than once. 
  11. Teams may not use additional Scrabble boards for setting up words.
  12. Premium letter squares (e.g. double letter) are counted first to find the point value of the word. Then premium word squares (e.g. triple word) are applied to find the total value of the word. Premiums are only counted with the first use. Later words that use letters already played on premium squares count as face value only.
  13. If the word covers more than one premium word square, the point value of the word is multiplied by the product of all premium word squares to get the total value of the word. Example: The word “break” is being played across (2) double word premium squares. Normally this word is worth 13 points alone, but since it is being doubled twice, it scores a grand total of 52 points. 13x2=26 and 26x2=52.
  14. One person on the team will record the words and point values, as they are placed on the board by their teammates. 
  15. If a word is challenged, the team must be able to find the word in the dictionary. 
  16. No apps, no googling, just brains! Spelling is critical, after all, we are the Literacy Council!  
  17. The team with the highest point total earned over the whole event is the winner.
  18. All decisions of the judges are final.


Reference: Milton Bradley Company, Scrabble Crossword Game Guide Booklet, 1989.