This year, I invented a game at camp called Extreme Scrabble. Fortunately, it can also be played from home. Extreme Scrabble follows the rules of regular Scrabble where the players seek to build words in a crossword formation based on the letters that they receive. As certain letter score higher than others, it is advantageous to aim for unique letters that are not used as frequently. The two games differ through the collection of letters. While Scrabble allows the participant the opportunity to draw letters at the end of their turn, Extreme Scrabble requires the participant to run around site and find the letters off of the signs that label certain spaces. A sign cannot be used more than once and no more than one letter can be taken from any given sign. This requires the participant to visit more than one sign in order to spell a word. Signs must also serve as a label for an item, writing taken from directions on anything factory manufactured does not count. At camp, there is a double word bonus if a team is able to spell the name of a staff member who is on staff this year. This promotes creative words rather than the words “The”. Unfortunately this also means that my name “Talus” is only worth ten points even with the double word bonus. This game can be won in more than one way; a team can use their speed to race around site and quickly gather letters, or they can plan to make a high scoring word which will make their letter finding time worthwhile. Try playing both ways and enjoy the start of the school year.
