Comments on: Why I Suck At Scrabble http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/ Lollards in the high church of low culture Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:45:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Batman http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-276520 Batman Mon, 28 May 2007 22:34:46 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-276520 I Love Google. I've just discovered this picture which prooves there were indeed rules issued (well they were with this set). http://www.noizesolution.co.uk/images/Littlebighorn.jpg I'm now tempted to track one down to find out what the rules actually were. Boy, do I lead a sad life! I Love Google.
I’ve just discovered this picture which prooves there were indeed rules issued (well they were with this set).

http://www.noizesolution.co.uk/images/Littlebighorn.jpg

I’m now tempted to track one down to find out what the rules actually were.

Boy, do I lead a sad life!

]]> By: pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-276431 pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør Mon, 28 May 2007 15:49:27 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-276431 i remember it! and also that the version i saw had no rules -- but i thought mny little friend had lost them (we were both six) i remember it! and also that the version i saw had no rules — but i thought mny little friend had lost them (we were both six)

]]> By: Batman http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-276423 Batman Mon, 28 May 2007 15:31:18 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-276423 I remember getting a Waddingtons board game for xmas in the mid-sixties called The Battle of the Little Big Horn. It contained a fold-out board resembling a map of Little Big Horn divided into grids, about fifty 3 inch plastic soldiers and indians, two dice and absolutely no rules whatsoever. I knew that my cousin was getting the same game, so I ran around to his house to see if there were any rules of play with his copy. There weren't. So over the next few days we invented our own game with our own rules. Does anyone else remember this game? Did anyone ever get a rule book with their copy? I think it was rush released to cash in on the huge success of the movie "Custer of the West". I remember getting a Waddingtons board game for xmas in the mid-sixties called The Battle of the Little Big Horn. It contained a fold-out board resembling a map of Little Big Horn divided into grids, about fifty 3 inch plastic soldiers and indians, two dice and absolutely no rules whatsoever.
I knew that my cousin was getting the same game, so I ran around to his house to see if there were any rules of play with his copy.
There weren’t.
So over the next few days we invented our own game with our own rules.
Does anyone else remember this game?
Did anyone ever get a rule book with their copy?
I think it was rush released to cash in on the huge success of the movie “Custer of the West”.

]]> By: DV http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257501 DV Sat, 14 Apr 2007 18:00:25 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257501 I remember a friend having a copy of some travelling around the world game about collecting holiday souvenirs, sans rules, where we were able to make up rules for it that seemed to work. In retrospect, though, I suspect that the players were meant to start and return to London, rather than start and return to Easter Island. I remember a friend having a copy of some travelling around the world game about collecting holiday souvenirs, sans rules, where we were able to make up rules for it that seemed to work. In retrospect, though, I suspect that the players were meant to start and return to London, rather than start and return to Easter Island.

]]> By: Doctor Casino http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257344 Doctor Casino Sat, 14 Apr 2007 04:44:53 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257344 I do think there's something to this idea that games get less fun as they become more masterable....one reason Carcassonne always rates high to me is that there's really too <i>many</i> variables in play for you to intelligently game the points (which are all added up at the endgame and can easily shift massively from one player to another at unpredictable junctures). But somehow I've managed to avoid Scrabble becoming joyless even as I've learned a few (emphasis on few) of the esoteric things. The excitement of realizing you have a fabulous word in your tiles, and the frustration of discovering there's nowhere to put it, don't really change even as the word itself changes from QUIXOTIC to QWERTYS. I do think there’s something to this idea that games get less fun as they become more masterable….one reason Carcassonne always rates high to me is that there’s really too many variables in play for you to intelligently game the points (which are all added up at the endgame and can easily shift massively from one player to another at unpredictable junctures). But somehow I’ve managed to avoid Scrabble becoming joyless even as I’ve learned a few (emphasis on few) of the esoteric things. The excitement of realizing you have a fabulous word in your tiles, and the frustration of discovering there’s nowhere to put it, don’t really change even as the word itself changes from QUIXOTIC to QWERTYS.

]]> By: Sarah http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257218 Sarah Fri, 13 Apr 2007 16:34:29 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257218 IXIA off! IXIA off!

]]> By: Alan http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257187 Alan Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:31:27 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257187 of course i'm not getting that - i am not bonkers in the nut. of course i’m not getting that - i am not bonkers in the nut.

]]> By: Sarah http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257169 Sarah Fri, 13 Apr 2007 13:26:26 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257169 NB Alan is completely wrong and not at all getting that all the crazy two/three letter words are ALSO fun! NB Alan is completely wrong and not at all getting that all the crazy two/three letter words are ALSO fun!

]]> By: Sarah http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257168 Sarah Fri, 13 Apr 2007 13:26:07 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257168 I hope you know that this is making me very close to tipping off the Scrable wagon, unfortunately I don't have anyone to regularly play Scrabble with anymore SO I MIGHT HAVE TO PLAY ONLINE SCRABBLE argh. I hope you know that this is making me very close to tipping off the Scrable wagon, unfortunately I don’t have anyone to regularly play Scrabble with anymore SO I MIGHT HAVE TO PLAY ONLINE SCRABBLE argh.

]]> By: Tom http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257163 Tom Fri, 13 Apr 2007 13:07:06 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257163 B-b-but our VAST PUBLIC B-b-but our VAST PUBLIC

]]> By: Pete Baran http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257162 Pete Baran Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:56:48 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257162 We could just go to the pub and talk about it Tom? We could just go to the pub and talk about it Tom?

]]> By: Tom http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257160 Tom Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:43:36 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257160 I wish we had a radio show to discuss these things!! I wish we had a radio show to discuss these things!!

]]> By: alext http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257155 alext Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:31:54 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257155 see also Diplomacy, although I have a huge soft spot for Diplomacy. see also Diplomacy, although I have a huge soft spot for Diplomacy.

]]> By: alext http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257154 alext Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:31:35 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257154 Risk!! Any alternative rules for this must be better than the totally tedious actual rules. Risk!! Any alternative rules for this must be better than the totally tedious actual rules.

]]> By: Alan http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257152 Alan Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:28:57 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257152 With chess there is precious little joy except in the proliferation of strategies. making horsey noises and going 'take that, oof, arg, my queen i am hit, ect' is about all there is :-( scrabble has making words fun shot through it, which is eroded as it becomes more a mechanical process of maximising points and reducing plays. With chess there is precious little joy except in the proliferation of strategies. making horsey noises and going ‘take that, oof, arg, my queen i am hit, ect’ is about all there is :-(

scrabble has making words fun shot through it, which is eroded as it becomes more a mechanical process of maximising points and reducing plays.

]]> By: pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257150 pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:23:13 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257150 haha i love the big snit: "stop shakin yr eyes! you're always shakin yr eyes!" also: "CARROST" haha i love the big snit:
“stop shakin yr eyes! you’re always shakin yr eyes!”

also: “CARROST”

]]> By: Lena http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257147 Lena Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:14:43 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257147 Whenever I think of Scrabble, I think of this NFB classic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBeLt2S35G4 Whenever I think of Scrabble, I think of this NFB classic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBeLt2S35G4

]]> By: Tom http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257138 Tom Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:03:45 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257138 Alan OTM about Scrabble. I was aware of the 50pt bonus BUT I thought you could only get it at the start of the game! I am the Lex of Scrabble. Alan OTM about Scrabble.

I was aware of the 50pt bonus BUT I thought you could only get it at the start of the game!

I am the Lex of Scrabble.

]]> By: pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257137 pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:01:53 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257137 <a href="http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0004-3648%281985%2946%3A3%3C203%3ATIGOSA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-9&size=LARGE" rel="nofollow">BUDDHIST SNAKES AND LADDERS</a> BUDDHIST SNAKES AND LADDERS

]]> By: pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257134 pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:57:55 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257134 omigod i just remembered BUDDHIST SNAKES AND LADDERS which i played once when i wz at college it was like snakes and ladders except snake = you did bad things in life and returned as a lowlier being, while ladder = the opposite, and ONCE YOU GOT TO THE BLESSED REALM you could no longer fall back to earthly lowliness but still had to go on going up and down ladders for an another trillion cycles of time until you BECAME THE BUDDHA ("must throw six") I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP: the board was utterly beautiful and vast w.teenytiny squares and the game was totally boring and annoying like S&L always is omigod i just remembered BUDDHIST SNAKES AND LADDERS which i played once when i wz at college

it was like snakes and ladders except snake = you did bad things in life and returned as a lowlier being, while ladder = the opposite, and ONCE YOU GOT TO THE BLESSED REALM you could no longer fall back to earthly lowliness but still had to go on going up and down ladders for an another trillion cycles of time until you BECAME THE BUDDHA (”must throw six”)

I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP: the board was utterly beautiful and vast w.teenytiny squares and the game was totally boring and annoying like S&L always is

]]> By: pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257132 pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:52:39 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257132 alan that is true of chess also! "i have studied all the p-n3 games deeply" "then fvck you and haha for DEEP BLUE you losah, i vote we play BUCKAROO again" alan that is true of chess also!

“i have studied all the p-n3 games deeply”
“then fvck you and haha for DEEP BLUE you losah, i vote we play BUCKAROO again”

]]> By: Andrew Farrell http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257130 Andrew Farrell Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:48:21 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257130 Haha changing your tiles happens at least once in every game with me in it. I am Oxidize man! Haha changing your tiles happens at least once in every game with me in it. I am Oxidize man!

]]> By: Alan http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257129 Alan Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:47:35 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257129 Scrabble is one of those odd games where when you or your oppenents get good at it, it becomes sort of joyless. (sudoku has this too). there is more fun in playing without knowing the list of 2 and 3 letter words and without players running words into each other using those 2 and 3 letter words. Scrabble is one of those odd games where when you or your oppenents get good at it, it becomes sort of joyless. (sudoku has this too). there is more fun in playing without knowing the list of 2 and 3 letter words and without players running words into each other using those 2 and 3 letter words.

]]> By: Alan http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257126 Alan Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:45:07 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257126 cos the 50pt bonus happens EVERY game at a very memorable point. exchanging tiles only happens rarely with ppl who have read the rules. cos the 50pt bonus happens EVERY game at a very memorable point. exchanging tiles only happens rarely with ppl who have read the rules.

]]> By: Sarah http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257125 Sarah Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:42:43 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/04/why-i-suck-at-scrabble/#comment-257125 But you WERE aware of the 50 point bonus for going all out, so obviously at some point you were exposed to a ruleset, and if you know that rule, why wouldn't you know you can change tiles?! But you WERE aware of the 50 point bonus for going all out, so obviously at some point you were exposed to a ruleset, and if you know that rule, why wouldn’t you know you can change tiles?!

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