As I noted in last week’s Scrabble post, keeping a u on your rack before the q is played is one way to decrease the chances that you will be left holding the q, a deduction of ten points. From the “Two-Letter Words, Q-Z” blog post, you know that qi (the central life force in Chinese culture) is one u-less option–and one that’s fairly easy to play since there are nine i’s in the game. Learning additional q words without u’s, such as the ones listed below, will increase your word power and provide you with more options for playing the q.
- qibla(s): the direction of the Kaaba shrine in Mecca toward which all Muslims turn in ritual prayer. Also qiblah, kibla, and kiblah
- qigong(s): a Chinese system of physical exercises.
- qindar, pl. dars or darka: a monetary unit of Albania. Also qintar(s).
- qiviut: the wool of a musk ox.
- qoph(s): the nineteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Also koph.
Next Up
Wordplay Day! To prepare for class, revisit the Dictionary and World Builder pages on the Scrabble website, and review the blog posts devoted to Scrabble tips, including this one.
Jane Lucas 