The classic green board and cream tiles of Scrabble — sounds like the perfect setup for a lazy weekend indoors, right? But for the pros, it’s less of idle play and more of a strategic battleground.

Invented in 1931 by architect Alfred Mosher Butts, Scrabble was born out of a love for anagrams and crossword puzzles. Initially known by names like Lexiko, It, and Criss Cross Words, it was rebranded in 1948 by game designer James Brunot, who spiced up its design  and gave it the catchy name we know today. Scrabble quickly gained traction, with the first tournaments held in 1973 in the United States. Today, the game is available in 28 languages and sells about 1.5 million units annually worldwide.

Enter the legends: Nigel Richards, a New Zealander living in Malaysia, who achieved an exceptional ranking score of 2,298 — the highest in history — and Canadian Adam Logan, who excelled in blitz Scrabble, which demands players to complete all their moves in a matter of minutes. 

Closer to home, Mr Toh Weibin, a Public Service Officer and Treasurer of the Scrabble Association (Singapore), holds the Guinness World Record for the highest score (850) ever recorded in a Scrabble tournament— thanks in part to the word 'BEAUXITE', which netted him 275 points.

Mr Toh recently took part in the Public Service STAR Games Scrabble Competition 2024 on 18 May at CSC @ Tessensohn, representing Housing and Development Board (HDB). The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) (2) emerged champions, followed by HDB (1) in second place, Singapore Polytechnic in third place and HDB (2) in fourth place.

E-Fusion caught up with Mr Toh and two other seasoned players — Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority Officer, Mr Shahiran bin Abdul Rahman, and SingHealth Deputy Director and President of Scrabble Association (Singapore), Mr Ricky Purnomo. The trio  shared their insights on the game's competitive edge: Is it all about a vast vocabulary, or does true victory in Scrabble require a genius-level strategy?

A game with an equal chance of winning

Mr Toh discovered his love for Scrabble at the age of 14 while playing with classmates. Unlike most teenagers who might flit from one interest to the next, Scrabble captivated him permanently. “I like the fact that every game is a new start with every player having an equal chance of winning – a chance for a beautiful game to be played, and a chance at an upset!” Toh explained, highlighting the game's fresh and equitable challenge with each play.

Mr Toh also dispelled a common misconception: “While most people think a strong English vocabulary is essential to playing Scrabble well, a large part of the game is really about mathematics and spatial awareness.” He elaborated on the skills needed beyond vocabulary: “Some of the strongest players in the world are not native English speakers. But you need to do the arithmetic to add up scores, assess probabilities and scenarios, and permute through combinations of letters. You also need to find the right places to play words.”

Initially, Mr Toh honed his skills through online Scrabble, which not only allowed him to observe and interact with the best players but also helped him refine his strategies. Nowadays, he thrives on the social aspects of the game, relishing the opportunity to meet new people across both local and international boards.

The Scrabble scene in Singapore is burgeoning, driven by the efforts of the Scrabble Association to foster a welcoming and supportive environment for newcomers. “The Scrabble community is diverse, age-wise,” Mr Toh observed. “We have youths who want to represent Singapore in international competitions, working adults who balance the commitment required to play the game competitively with the demands of their day job, and seniors who are just captivated by the mental challenge!”

Mr Toh’s goal is to expand the game's reach and mentor aspiring players. His advice to newcomers is both practical and philosophical: “It takes time and effort to master any skill. Take each experience as a learning point, and you’ll find that there is a lot to discover.”

A game that bonds

After a soccer injury left him sidelined, Mr Shahiran found himself at a Scrabble clinic nearly two decades ago, hosted at his workplace in the Singapore Prison Service. The game quickly captured his interest. “I got hooked immediately as I found the game challenging,” he recalled. “The coach said that for a first-timer, I had it in me to be a good player. The rest is history.”

His journey with Scrabble evolved from casual plays with his then-colleagues to serious practice sessions at home with players from other MHA teams, in preparation for competitions. “I remember having nine people at my last Hari Raya open house and after all the food and drinks, we practiced for the Public Service competition. It really sounded like a mahjong session when we were mixing up the tiles in the bag! By then, we had already played in and won top prizes in mini tournaments, which conditioned us to play in an intense game environment,” Mr Shahiran shared, reflecting on the camaraderie and competitive spirit that Scrabble fosters.

With years of experience, Mr Shahiran has grown into a bolder and more strategic player. His aspirations now reach beyond local contests — he aims to compete internationally, specifically eyeing tournaments in Thailand.

Looking ahead, Mr Shahiran remains ambitious and community-minded: “Hopefully, I’ll improve further and not lose any games in the Public Service Scrabble Competition 2025!” he projected optimistically. In addition, he's involved in promoting the game within his agency: “MHA has also earmarked a date in July for a Scrabble clinic, and I hope I can help encourage more MHA staff to pick up the game.”

A game that is growing

Singapore’s Scrabble community is a hidden gem, boasting one of the most vibrant and competitive scenes in the world, especially impressive given the nation's size.

“Our top division is full of players who are capable of doing well in any tournament in the world,” asserted Mr Purnomo, who started his tenure as President of the Scrabble Association in Singapore this year. “We also have a lot of youth players who are making their way up the local rankings, and some inspirational senior players who show that age is not a barrier to doing well in mind sports like Scrabble.” 

Mr Purnomo’s passion for Scrabble began during his student days at Nanyang Technological University. He immersed himself in the game by joining online overseas Scrabble communities and studying game analyses from expert players worldwide. One book, Everything Scrabble by American champion Joe Edley, laid the foundation for his playing strategy.

“I often play more of a high-risk strategy in my games, including playing words that I’m not so sure of,” he revealed. “It has often paid off, but does occasionally backfire on me.”

Echoing Mr Toh’s earlier sentiments, Purnomo believes that while a rich vocabulary helps, strategic play significantly influences outcomes in Scrabble. “Many top players have backgrounds in areas related to creative and inventive thinking, such as music or programming,” he noted, highlighting the diverse skill sets that contribute to Scrabble success.

Mr Purnomo is shifting his focus from playing to nurturing the local Scrabble community. He envisions establishing more Scrabble clubs across Singapore to facilitate easy meet-ups and social interactions among players. “I want this year’s National Scrabble Championship to be the biggest ever and to continue serving as the focal point of our local community,” he added, with the event scheduled for 5 and 6 October at the Geylang East Public Library.

His advice for budding Scrabble champions is straightforward yet profound: “Don’t be afraid to play stronger players, or to learn from their games. You’ll learn more from losing to them than winning against your peers.”

With these insights in mind, it's clear that Scrabble is far more than a mere word game. It’s a thrilling challenge of strategy and daring, where the combination of words, risk-taking and tactical thinking can transform simple letters into a powerful testament to intellectual prowess.

If you’re a budding Scrabble fan and finding it hard to get people to play with, why not check out and join the Scrabble Association Singapore, where you’ll find like-minded enthusiasts for a game or three.

Public Officers can join the annual STAR Games Scrabble, look out for the 2025 announcement here