In October of 2006, Michael Cresta set a new world record for the highest scoring Scrabble word: QUIXOTRY, 365 points. During the same game, Cresta reached a record breaking 830 total points by one player in a single game. When combined with the total score of his opponent, Wayne Yorra, the game also reached a record 1,320 points in a single game!

How is it possible to earn 365 points on a single word? QUIXOTRY was a once in a lifetime play. To begin, the Q and X are two of the highest scoring Scrabble tiles. QUIXOTRY is also an eight letter word, created by using all seven of the players tiles, earning him a 50 point bonus. Finally, the word was played on not one, but two triple-word bonus squares!

In Scrabble, having a word that spans across two triple-word bonus squares is known as a triple-triple. Triple-triples are rather rare. They can only be made with an eight letter word (known as a bingo) and are worth nine times the word's total score, plus the 50 point bonus for using all of the player's tiles in a single word.

There were two triple-triples played in this record breaking game and both of them were played by Michael Cresta. Before laying down the 365 point QUIXOTRY, Cresta earned 239 points for FLATFISH, a word that was challeged and found in the Official Scrabble Dictionary.

What do these two fairly obscure triple-triples words actually mean?

QUIXOTRY - n. quixotic action or thought

FLATFISH - n. any of an order (Heterosomata) of marine typically bottom-dwelling bony fishes (as the halibuts, flounders, turbots, and soles) that as adults swim on one side of the laterally compressed body and have both eyes on the upper side

While triple-triples may be hard to come by in a casual Scrabble game, there are some tips that can help you find some high scoring words:

1. Always look for open bonus squares before placing a word. Perhaps a word could be played in more than one place. Sometimes the same letters can be rearranged to form a different word that will let you put a higher scored tile on a double-letter bonus.

2. Don't be afraid to trade in tiles. On any turn you can trade in all or some of your tiles for new ones. You will not be able to play a word that round, but it may put you in a better position for the rest of the game.

3. Be aware of the tiles you are leaving on your rack. It's easy to focus on the word you are making, but don't forget to consider what tiles you are keeping for your next turn. It might be better to play a smaller word and save some of the tiles to build a higher scoring word in a following turn.

4. Group the letters on your rack that go together. Try grouping common prefixes and suffixes, such as "pre", "un", "ing", "er", and "ed". Put prefixes on the left and suffixes on the right. To keep a fresh perspective, don't be afraid to shift the tiles around and put them back as needed.

5. Check the letter distribution (printed on the side of the gameboard) to see which letters have been played. Don't waste time waiting for a certain letter to show up if all of those letters have already been played.

With some practice, strategy, and luck, you can impress your future opponents with some high scoring Scrabble words. You may even someday break the current world record.

Learn more about this author, Susan Quilty.
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