Challenging a Word in Scrabble

Scrabble Challenge Rules

Before playing their turn, a player can challenge the previous word played as invalid. If the challenger is correct and the word was invalid according to Scrabble rules, their opponent has to take the word off the board and put it back in their hand, losing all the points they earned for that play. They also lose that turn: no do-overs. However, if the challenger is incorrect and the word was valid, then the challenger loses their turn.

Remember, if you challenge a word, somebody is going to get 0 points for a turn. If you’re right, it’s them. If you’re wrong, it’s you. So...

Agree in Advance

Traditional Scrabble isn’t like Words With Friends. There is no computer automatically verifying every word you play. Proper nouns might sneak in here and there. Alternate spellings might crop up. It’s cool. This is a game, not brain surgery.

That said, Scrabble isn’t improv night either. There are rules, and the best way to avoid fights about them is to agree before you play. Pick a dictionary, like YourDictionary. Agree that what’s in there is legal, and what’s not isn’t. That passes any dispute to a third party that’s as neutral as only 1s and 0s can be. If ink and paper is your jam, grab an Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, or “OSPD” for my fellow nerds. It’s authoritative, plus it has all the fun two-letter words that make things enjoyably complicated.

Be Very, Very Sure

Scrabble challenges are one of those pleasant situations where the right thing to do as a player is also just the right thing to do. The “lose your turn if you’re wrong” rule disincentivizes rules-lawyer nonsense and keeps that one insufferable “friend” from challenging everything more than two syllables long. Remember, limited tiles means limited turns. If you call someone out and you’re wrong, that’s a turn where your opponent gets to score and you don’t. That could be the end of the game for you. Challenge carefully.

Be Fair But Firm

On the whole, we at WordFinder lean on the warm-and-fuzzy side of challenging or other aggressive moves in an otherwise nonaggressive game. Such is our fluffy, hippie nature. That said, don’t tolerate nonsense because it’s nice — in games or life. When you know there’s something wrong, say so. Nobody likes their hand getting full of useless Xs and Js, but if your opponent is older than five, they don’t get to lay down HAXAJAXAFROMIOUS.

That’s the best use of a challenge: when you suspect someone’s deliberately messing with you. Don’t let other players treat careful, respectful play like a weakness. If you’re confident in a challenge, call them out.

Take Your Medicine

Above all, as far as Scrabble challenges go, when you decide on a dictionary, check the text and - gasp! - it doesn’t go your way, just take it. Don’t argue. First, you look silly, trying to pick a fight with a book or a user-friendly and aesthetically charming website. Second, that’s the game. That’s every game.

You can sulk off like a punk, or you can grimace, shrug, sit back down and play like a hero. Also, remember Scrabble punishes bad challenges just as hard as bad words. Everything we just said goes double for folks trying to call cheats that never happened.

Word Game Club is not Fight Club. We don’t have that kind of muscle tone, and we like having people talk about us — seriously, come hang out, we have cookies. But we do have a First Rule, and that First Rule is “we’re here to have fun.” Competition magnifies the fun, up to the point that the game stops and the argument starts. That’s no fun at all.

Challenges bring that into sharp relief. They’re a perfectly valid play, but if they’re not handled correctly, they’re also a good way to get a bunch of friends shouting at each other.

Challenge Accepted

So, challenge sparingly. Not never! But be certain of your challenge, be kind when you deliver it, and take the consequences gracefully when you’re wrong. It’ll make you a better player, and a better gamer too.

You should never put up with blatant cheating, but you should also take advantage of tricks and tools that might help you win. If you just can’t unscramble your hand, use our Scrabble helper, or browse our lists of playable words of every word length and letter of the alphabet you need.

Matt Salter has been a professional writer for over 10 years. He is a gaming and technology expert, and world-class word nerd.