Opening Moves: Practice Session
What would you play on your opening move from each of
the racks below?
Give yourself five minutes for each one then click on
the rack and check our analysis at the bottom of the page.
Back to - Strategy - Opening
1. A-A-E-I-M-O-U
MIAOU for 20 points is best at H4 or D8 - leaving E-A. EUOI (a
Bacchic cry of frenzy) or AMIA (a freshwater fish) both leave three vowels on
your rack.
Back to Rack 1
2. C-C-O-R-T-H-W
CROTCH turns over six tiles and scores 32. Play it at H4 or 8D to
guard against an extension to the triple with CROTCHETY or CROTCHETS. CRWTH (an
ancient stringed instrument) for 34 is a close second choice - leaving C-O on
your rack.
Back to Rack 2
3. Q-U-E-E-E-I-T-Y
EQUITY (H4 or 8d) for 56. QUITE takes extenders to the Triple Word
Square MESQUITE, MEZQUITE
(a spiny shrub). QUIET can be extended to DISQUIET.
Back to Rack 3
4. A-E-I-N-R-T-V
Exchange the V - leaving RETINA and a good chance of a bonus next
move.
Back to Rack 4
5. A-A-E-S-S-S-S
ASS (leaving E-A-S-S) would be my play ahead of SEAS. SASS (to talk
impudently) allows an -S hook (H4 or D8) to ASS next time.
Back to Rack 5
6. A-B-C-R-R-R-S
BRR leaves C-A-R-S - a promising letter combination. CARBS (short for
carburettors) - or CRABS - for 24 points is next best. CRABS takes an S-hook for
SCRABS so CARBS is better defensively.
Back to Rack 6
7. I-Q-U-U-U-L-S
Best move is ULU (an Eskimo knife) at H7 or 8G setting up SUQ (an
Eastern market place) and ULUS or SUQ and SULU (a Fijian sarong) for 36 next
move.
Back to Rack 7
8. B-G-E-N-O-M-Y
BOGYMEN for 86 - next best MYOGEN (a substance found in muscle
tissue) for 32.
Back to Rack 8
9. A-A-I-I-I-L-N
AALII (a tropical tree) is the choice here turning over five tiles.
ILIA (a plural of ILIUM - a bone of the pelvis) - leaving A-I-N on the rack - is
next best.
Back to Rack 9
10. A-D-E-I-L-N-R
ALDRIN (a hydrocarbon used as an insecticide) at H4 or D8 - not
exposing the Double Letter Squares and retaining a valuable E. ALINED (variation
of ALIGNED) is next best - RAINED, DENIAL or NAILED allow hooks and spend the E.
Back to Rack 10
11. ?-?-A-E-Q-O-Z
I’d happily spend a blank with ZOOEA
(larval stage of a crab) for 46 from H4 or D8 leaving Q plus a blank. ZOEAE
ZOEAS or ZOEAL
are also playable but ZOOEA takes E L
and S hooks and yields a spot for my blank next move.
Back to Rack 11
12. ?-?-J-N-S-S-Y
Once again use one blank for JAYS or JOYS - with the bonus-prone
leave of Blank-N-S.
Back to Rack 12
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