Let's see if I can beat Scrabble Deluxe on highest level then

[ParadigmShifter]

Worked out how to set it up I think... no seeing the CPU thinking or the CPU rack. Level 8 is highest I think.

I go first... bad rack, can only see FROG for now... looks ok better than the ruder alternative (want to keep an I instead of an O)



Offer hints if you like but no cheating (using word finders or checking if a word is allowed before I play it please).

It usually beats me.

No particular placement issues with FROG obvs I would rather not play a vowel next to a double letter score.

EDIT: Other options - GIG, GOG (think that may be a word would be a better leave than GIG), FOUR (leaves 2 Gs, not good I think). EDIT: GROG gets rid of both Gs but keeps the F, think I'd rather have IG for a possible ING later than IF, although that's ok too. GROG or FROG is what I'm thinking, probably FROG. GIRO a possibility too I think but want to get rid of 2 out of FGG

[ParadigmShifter]

Went for FROG then. Bad letters from the bag



EDIT: CPU went for LAMES (is that even a word, I guess it is, LAME is a type of fabric I think?).



I can see I have a B for BLAMES and access to an easy double word score. EDIT: Meh can't see a word beginning with B that is 4 letters to hit the double word though

CPU wasted an S a bit I think... you don't want to play them willy-nilly, they are 2nd best tile (blank is best tile)

I think ABI is a word and I'm 99% certain AB and MI are too so probs gonna risk ABI/LA/AB/MI

EDIT:
Dammit





CPU comes back with NOUT and I still have a bad rack



TOP/PI/GI (karate suit) to improve my rack a bit. Have CUBING and BLAMES but that's not a bingo.



Now have ING, better

[ParadigmShifter]

CPU goes for DRUG and GID (don't know that one), still have CUBING (which is 32 I think, not too bad)



It's 34, gonna go for that, can't see anything better. It said "THAT WAS A GOOD PLAY" lol



New rack looks bad too though

CPU plays WAX for 26



I want to play my W and V as fast as possible. Triple word on the top is available too don't think I can use it

GUV for 14 then



Oh it challenged. Of course it is a word, guvnor

Rack looks better than it has for a while

[ParadigmShifter]

CPU plays TUND? and UT (my favourite musical note, it has the whole gamUT of musical possibilities)



Not a great score for CPU there.

I can risk SHAWL for a lot of points but that would rely on TUNDS being allowed Probably something better though?

CPU challenges SHAWL.. may still challenge TUNDS. Shawl is totally a word (type of clothing). It's worth 51 if it passes though so good enough score for an S



It didn't challenge TUNDS though, 51 to me



Rack looks ok. Still no blanks out

[ParadigmShifter]

CPU plays a blank for hardly any value and opens up both triples at the top, foolish. (ok, I didn't see WAXY scored so many points but even so opening up the triples not a good idea)

I think it just goes for the highest scoring word it can find and doesn't worry about strategy. It often adds an S on to a word when it should have kept it, for example.



I think I may win this game despite losing a turn for ABI and having a bad rack at the start

FACE is best I can see, need to take one of the triples (the C triple downwards has been available for ages anyway). CPU might be able to get a good score on the other one and the board is looking a it blocked now



Too many vowels now though

[ParadigmShifter]

CPU uses another blank cheaply (only 22?)... both gone now. Still no sign of JQZ



So take out the other triple



CPU plays IOTA reclaiming the lead



Bit of rack management playing CODE



CPU low score again but nudges ahead... could be all about who is left with the JQZ if they unplayable



2 can play at the OE game though



Great draw... apart from the Q, board is not open enough though really



QAT/SIT with Q tripled looks good though if CPU doesn't block it. Think I will win if it doesn't

[ParadigmShifter]

Nice long word from CPU... QAT/SIT is available gonna play that obvs



Doesn't like it... obvs a very good and often played scrabble word though





It's some sort of leaf you munch on to get a bit high. A bit of a high scoring word in this case.

It says "THAT WAS A GOOD PLAY" again

EDIT: Now I picked up the Z have to get rid of it or it could get dicey

[ParadigmShifter]

CPU got the J played a nice word (AJEE).



Pretty sure (99.99%) that ZEE is also a word though, it didn't think about that did it with the triple right there.

Could all come down to this really I guess



IN YOUR FACE SCRABBLE DELUXE lol



(THAT WAS A GOOD PLAY)

[ParadigmShifter]

It knows it is beaten now I think (ROW/RE/EE) in bottom left



I've got too many I's can probably change and still win, not worked out what letters are left in the bag, it doesn't tell you



I think I can probably do anything just make sure I don't give away a bingo or anything and still win

It challenges DI in top left I know it is a word I will still check it though



Lol it's valid but it doesn't know what it means



A plural of DEUS (a god) apparently.

It also doesn't make it very clear exactly where it played... YE on the top. Not good enough



So if I can play this V (you shouldn't be allowed to change when there are less than 7 tiles in bag, so not going to see if it knows about that rule) I should win for sure



Play it safe then, DIVA in top left

[ParadigmShifter]

Thought for a while about that. I think that means it has 5 tiles on his rack, doesn't tell you that either which is a bit rubbish you can look at that IRL and see how many tiles they have left

I'm still going to win though.

Still playing safe. Pretty sure ZION is not allowed cos proper noun



It pulls a ZIMB out the bag though wasn't expecting that... I think it needed to go out there (would have won if it did?)



ID/IN for me... think he will go out now won't matter



IDS/RANAS is played

[ParadigmShifter]

So I play LAIR just to go out



ME HAS WON!

315-300

So the answer to the question posed in the OP is yes, I can beat Scrabble Deluxe on the highest level, despite not drawing any blanks, making no bingos, and losing a turn for an illegal word played

ME = chuffed.

Good game though CPU you did your best (some of your blank plays and S plays were a bit questionable though). And opening up ZEE on the triple near the end was what did it for you finally (thought I had won before that though!). Was a bit worried when it played ZIMB and I was a bit worried wondering if the K had been played (thankfully it had) when I opened up a triple near the end for a possible INK play - there's only 1 K though I should have checked it had been played before I did that - was lucky it had been played already).

GG CPU

EDIT: CUBING, SHAWL, QAT and ZEE (although it was a sitter, couldn't miss an open goal like that) were my best plays.

[Sol_HSA]

This was a surprisingly riveting read. GG.

[ParadigmShifter]

Thanks, it plays a good game, much better than the Psion version (that's good if you aren't an intermediate player though).

I think a rematch is going to be on the cards once I get some beers in

Wasn't any audience participation but I only started playing at stupid o'clock on a Friday night (well Saturday morning) so I didn't expect much.

Might change the rules for participation a bit.

As long as you don't use an anagram solver, scrabble word finder or the like, and don't check your words BEFORE I consider playing them, it's ok to post suggestions as to words I should consider playing. I won't always play the highest scoring play though since what you leave on the rack can be more important than getting the highest score. Also opening up multiplier squares/playing vowels next to double/triple squares can be a bad idea. If I think the word doesn't sound like it is playable I probably won't play it either.

I only check my words it challenges after I have placed them on the board. SOWPODS dictionary is what I will be using, which it the UK standard and has more words than the US one e.g. TUND and TUNDS would not have been allowed in US Scrabble but CPU played TUND so it must be using a variant of SOWPODS list too. CPU doesn't give you an opportunity to challenge its words anyway but I had to risk that TUND took an S

I'm also not going to look at the word list in SJOE since that includes all valid 4 letter scrabble words. (Also based on SOWPODS).

If you want to cheat and use any of the above you can post in a spoiler which I won't read until the end of the game.

Spoiler

Like so, the eye crossed out icon above makes the spoiler tag for you or you can use spoiler and /spoiler in square brackets to open or close a spoiler

If you do that and the spoiler is no longer valid I suppose I can read it early if you let me know? (e.g. I can no longer play the suggested word since the letters have gone).

There's also a QL version but it doesn't seem to be available on this site and I have no idea where to get a QL emulator from

I'll also look up the definitions of any weird words that the CPU or I play since that is always useful. I know most of the 2 letter words allowed but I am a bit rusty, haven't played seriously for a while, and not reviewed the list for ages either.

I might track what tiles are left in the bag this time since it doesn't do that for you. I can just use my Scrabble set and set the letters played aside when I see them being played by the CPU.

Hoping for at least 1 bingo in the rematch. I'm not convinced I will be able to win again, last game was close.

I'll also try and leave at least 10 minutes after me posting a rack and actually playing a word.

[ParadigmShifter]

Game 2 is afoot. I lead 1-0



Doesn't look like a good rack... will go and get some beers then have a think.

EDIT: Got beer.

I can only see ONCE and CONE or GONE or GENE. GENE looks best since it gets rid of 2 Es, still keeps the C though (COE).

Can't see anything using the C and the G apart from COG that leaves EEEN though, not good.

CEE I think is ok, NEE definitely is, ECO I think is ok as well (might be prefix only but I doubt it). CEE and NEE would leave me having to play an E next to a double letter, opening up EX/XI and the like shenanigans.

Or I could change (probably everything except EN). Even playing a C next to a double letter is a risk since I am 95% certain CH is allowed.

Think I am going to play ONCE, that scores most points (12), leaves GEE which is OK I guess. O in the centre square

[Mpk]

tund
in British English
VERB (transitive)
archaic, school slang
to beat or hit (someone or something)

In case anyone else was wondering.

[ParadigmShifter]

I played ONCE for 12.

New rack



Hmm

CPU plays COW for 16



HENGE joining onto end of ONCE is ok (18 leaves ERR). Could also play across the middle of CONE: HEnGE/GO/EW (I think EW is fine) for 21 I think, terrible leave of RNR though. I'll keep looking for something better

EDIT: HERE onto end of CONE looks better still, only scores 14 but has the excellent rack leave NGER. Although ERR isn't a bad leave either

OK, I decided to go for the points since ERR isn't a bad leave. Gets challenged



I assume you all know what a henge is

New rack



CPU plays HE/EA/EA for 16.

EA: (UK dialect or archaic) A river or watercourse.

which is only valid in US/International not US dictionary :p



EDIT: I'm thinking ERGO and WE leaving NRE looks ok for 15. I also have GONER (leaves RE) but I can't see any decent spots for it at the moment. Could put it before ONCE making NONCE which is a term used in computer cryptography and has another meaning too. That scores 15 too I think ERGO probs better then.

Ooh also spotted GENRE/HEN/EAR for 21 leaves OR, but it does leave an E next to a triple letter score... which is bad if CPU has an X and can make 2 words with it.

I think the CPU would need XI or XU to do that though since I don't think anything joins onto end of EAR which helps the X.

If CPU has XI or XU though that scores at least 50

Right, so I decided it's only 6 points, leaves a worse rack, and the worst could happen if I am unlucky, so ERGO it is. ERGOT is a word as well.



New rack needs some work

CPU plays GAMED for 22, opens up the triple, risky



I immediately see RETUNED for 24 don't think I can make a bingo that scores 9x on both triples though lol.

Might need a big think though

[sn3j]

Note / At / Me ?

[ParadigmShifter]

Note / At / Me ?

That only scores 18 and still leaves triple lane wide open... think I have to use one of the triples to minimise the damage on the CPUs next turn. Also the rack leave is poor UERE. RETUNED just keeps an E. Don't think I've got a bingo through the D.

I've also got ENTERED for 24 but that leaves U not E... might be ok if I knew I was going to pick up a Q (even an X) next rack though lol.

And TENURED is good as well I think

EDIT: Risky bingo... RETUrNEE/NA/EM/EE. I don't think NA is valid though sadly. Whoops, that doesn't fit below COW anyway lol

[sn3j]

Endure ?

or: Deer (Rendeer would be cooler though)

[ParadigmShifter]

I decided to go with RETUNED. ENDURE scores 3 less and I'd rather have an E instead of a U on rack. ENDURE leave of TE is good though as well.

RETUNED is challenged.

Of course it is valid, computer just doesn't know about it. (valid in SOWPODS and US).

Well I did pick up a Q immediately afterwards lol. And I've played the U where I can't play the Q next to it



Also, 69 points

CPU plays MO/ON/EN for 14. MO = just a MO(ment), EN = unit of measure in typesetting, half an EM



Don't think I can play the Q this turn at all might be able to get something decent with the Y

EDIT: Can play QI/IO in middle or QI/OI, that only scores 20 for Q though. Might hang on to it for another turn, probably want to keep QI in hand though since there are 2 spots I can play it.

EAT and TELLY off EA right hand side looks OK and keeps QI. Scores 16. That also probably means the CPU has to open up the board a bit as well

YET and THE (onto HE top right area) triples the Y for 19 points leave is QILL though may pick up a U though, may not I think keeping just QI and playing at least 1 L is a better idea though

LEY onto HE making HEY scores 21... leaves QILT not bad either

I like that better so I play it



Rack is still bad

CPU plays VIVO and OO for 16 that was a rough rack both Vs



VIVO
music (in combination)
with life and vigour
allegro vivo

OO: just the interjection I think

I can play QI right now for 31, that blocks the board a lot though. No 2 letter words have V in them IIRC so I can't score both ways with the Q there.

If I had QIIUTS I could play QIVIUTS doubled twice for a massive score, but I don't

QIVIUT
NOUN
the soft wool of the undercoat of the arctic musk ox

Pretty sure that takes an S. I've seen it played many times before

I'm thinking I should just take the 31 for QI now since I don't think that spot will be there next turn. BPTILE is bad as well but I can start playing that off once I've got the points in the bag. I have a T to make ERGOT so I'll probably have something to play next turn so blocking the board while ahead on points is probably a good idea

... so that's what I do

This game does not know QI, the most commonly played scrabble word either lol QI = life force, energy



Rack


CPU plays BULLY for 32



I can play BY/BE or MY/ME on top left triple for 19 but there must be something better than that.

Like LIMPET and ERGOT for 21 I think (actually 20), leaves me with just a B on rack than. Don't think I can play BLIMP anywhere good

ERGOT/TIME/MOM/ENE might be good... not sure about ENE though, it scores more than LIMPET/ERGOT if ENE is ok... terrible leave of BLP though

I think LIMPET is better than BE or ME on top right triple, so I play it

It challenges LIMPET, I assume everyone knows what that is. It also challenges ERGOT, which is a fungus that grows on rye, grain and bread

New rack:



At least it has an S. Gonna want to play Z pretty fast I think.

32 for the CPUs play



INIA: Any South American freshwater dolphin of genus (Inia), with a hairy snout.
LI: a Chinese unit of length, approximately equal to 590 yards
MI: The musical note

[sn3j]

you could use blp for bloop nvm, too late

[ParadigmShifter]

you could use blp for bloop nvm, too late

Yeah I was looking there earlier as well.

Let's see if ENE was ok... Yup

ENE
n 1: the compass point midway between northeast and east [syn:
{east northeast}, {ENE}]

I would have thought that was capitalised always myself, allowed in SOWPODS though

So missed a few points there and CPU got a good 32 which I allowed it to :/

And CPU blocked where I was going to try BUMF, not sure about that either lol Not gonna check it that might come up later.

Might be able to play ZOO or something later in the OO spot... would want to go both ways from the Z though need to pick up an A or an O for ZA or ZO though.

Still no blanks out and my rack is terrible

[sn3j]

Ene is also the name of a tribe on Fireland I think. Happens in crosswords (German though).
I was mistaken, it's the name of a river in Peru, Ona is the name of the tribe. Sorry.

[ParadigmShifter]

So I think I want to hang onto FUZ + S cos I know FUZE(s) is good, seen this very program play that against me before.

There's only 3 E's left in bag though but there are still 2 blanks missing. XJ only big scoring tiles left and there's the K (=5) still in the bag too.

So wanna play with BII I think if poss (or keep one I). BI/BY on the top right triple looks like a good play with that plan in mind. That scores 19 I think.

That looks like the plan



It challenges BI, not sure if that was added to SOWPODS fairly recently (within last 10 or 15 years anyway), also allowed in US scrabs - a bisexual person.

I pick up the E I was looking for, want to play FUZE(s) if I can. If I can't play the Z quickly or for a massive score I will lose this game I think.

CPU be tripping balls, it wastes one of the blanks to play OOF and score the F twice. Its poor blank usage really lets it down. It didn't even take back the lead with the blank play. It probably has the other one but can't find a bingo?

EDIT: Psion Scrabble is EVEN WORSE at playing blanks IIRC.



I can play FUZE under BULLY to make BE which scores ok... 34 I reckon. Might be somewhere better to play FUZE or FUZES.

I don't think ELI is a word to join FUZE up on the bottom centre.

I can also play FUZES underneath where the blank was played to make OE (that was played in previous game) and OOFS, Z is tripled then instead of doubled. That scores 45 I think. That's looking like the plan to me... I think I'd want to play the S to score OOFS rather than save it as well to stop the CPU playing an S there to get value from the Z. Scoring 45 looks like a winning lead here unless CPU gets a bingo or makes a lot of points if it has the J.

[5MinuteRetro]

I’d not heard of Scrabble Deluxe for the Spectrum. I wonder why it’s in black and white when the original had plenty of (and useful) colour? I’m sure some Googling would tell me but I’m currently warming myself by our fire pit in the garden and I can’t be bothered trying to figure it out on my iPhone.