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How to Play Scrabble Online

By the Tavernly team ·

How to play Scrabble online comes down to laying letter tiles on a 15 by 15 paper to make crossing words. You can play on the Scrabble site in a browser or in the Scrabble GO app. We make Quillery on Tavernly, a free browser alternative with its own art and word list.

The short answer

  • The Scrabble site: free in a browser.
  • Scrabble GO: free to download, with in-app purchases.
  • Quillery on Tavernly: no sign-up, friends by link, or bots.

Which way is right for you?

Pick by device, opponent and pace. The Scrabble site runs in a browser, Scrabble GO is an app, and Quillery on Tavernly adds a coach and invitations by link. We did not test the live service of the other two.

You want to... Best choice
Play free in a browser against the computer The Scrabble site
Play on an iPhone Scrabble GO
Play with a friend by link with no sign-up Quillery on Tavernly
Play at your own pace with real people Quillery on Tavernly
Learn while you play Quillery on Tavernly
Play against bots at three levels Quillery on Tavernly

The Scrabble site, free in your browser

The Scrabble site advertises free online play in a browser. Its home page also lists Word Summit and Scrabblegrams puzzles, a word finder and a dictionary. We did not test whether it asks you to create an account before you play.

You need: a browser.

  1. Open the site. Visit playscrabble.com.
  2. Choose your opponent. Select "Find a Match", "Play a Friend" or "Play the Computer".
  3. Start the game. Select "Start Game".

Scrabble GO, the app (free with in-app purchases)

Scrabble GO is listed for iPhone and iPad and needs iOS 15.0 or later. Its listing mentions advertising, online play against fans worldwide, and Adventures with solo word puzzles. We did not check Google Play or whether you need an account.

You need: a compatible iPhone or iPad and the app download.

  1. Open the listing. Find Scrabble GO.
  2. Download the app. The listing says free, with in-app purchases.
  3. Choose how to play. The listing offers friends and "Practice Mode" against the computer.

A Scrabble alternative: Quillery on Tavernly

A Scrabble alternative

Quillery on Tavernly: play it free in your browser.

Quillery on Tavernly takes 2 to 4 players, and a game lasts about 30 minutes. You need no sign-up. It has no app, accepts English words only, and has no challenge rule: the table checks every word before it accepts your play.

You need: a browser; players must be aged 13 or over.

Play against bots

  1. Set your opponents. Choose 1, 2 or 3 under "Opponents", then Easy, Medium or Hard under "Bots".
  2. Press "Play now". Bots take empty seats within five seconds.
The Quillery page offers four ways to start: Play against bots, With friends, At your pace and Learn by playing.
The Quillery page: bots, friends, your own pace, or a lesson.

With friends

  1. Open the friends setup. Press "Start now".
  2. Choose seats. Set "Seats at the table".
  3. Create your table. Press "Start a private table".
  4. Send the invite. Use "Share invite". Friends open the link in a browser.
  5. Begin play. Press "Start now: bots take the empty seats".
The waiting room of a private table, with a share link, one host seat and three empty seats that bots can take.
The waiting room of a private table. Share the link; bots take any seat that stays empty.

At your pace

  1. Press "Find players". You play with real people when you like, and a notification tells you when it is your turn.

Learn by playing

  1. Press "Learn by playing". It sits on the "Beginner" card.
  2. Lay your first word. The coach points you to the compass rose in the middle.
  3. Watch a stamp double a word. A stamped square multiplies the whole word.
  4. Learn the two ways to skip. Exchange and Pass score nothing.
  5. Play on. The coach suggests a play each turn. "Hide tips" turns that off.

What happens when a word is not in the list

We put an R under the P and pressed "Play for 4". The table said "Not in the word list: PR". The tile stayed on the paper and we lost no points. You change it and play again.

A Quillery board where the word PR is refused: the table says Not in the word list, and the tile stays on the paper.
A refused word: the table names it, your tile stays, and nothing is lost.

The rules in two minutes

You build crossing words on one shared paper, and every word you form must be in the word list. The game ends when the bag is empty and a player goes out, or when everyone passes. These steps cover the rules of Quillery on Tavernly.

  1. Draw seven tiles. Your rack holds your tiles. The bag holds the tiles nobody has drawn. A blank takes any letter you choose, keeps it, and scores 0.
  2. Cover the middle square first. The paper is the board, and its middle square carries a compass rose. The first word needs 2 letters or more.
  3. Build in one line. Use one row or one column, with no empty gaps. Tiles already on the paper can fill a gap. After the first word, your tiles must touch the paper's tiles.
  4. Make every crossing word valid. A cross-word is a new run of 2 or more letters across your main word. Every word you form must be in the word list.
  5. Score the play. Add the tile values of each word, crossing words included. A stamp is a square that multiplies a letter or a word. It works only on the turn its square is first covered.
  6. Draw back to seven. If fewer tiles remain in the bag, take what is left.
  7. Exchange or pass. You may put back 1 to 7 tiles and draw the same number, but only when the bag holds at least 7. An exchange or a pass ends your turn for 0 points.
  8. End with an empty bag. The game ends when the bag is empty and a player puts down their last tile. That player gains the value of the tiles left on the other racks, and each other player loses the value of their own rack.
  9. Or end with passes. If every player passes twice in a row, the game ends and everyone loses the value of their own rack. An exchange does not count as a pass.
  10. Find the winner. The highest score wins. A tie goes to the higher score before the rack adjustment. If that is equal too, the players share the place.
Stamp What it does
2× letter Doubles the new tile's value
3× letter Triples the new tile's value
2× word Doubles the whole word
3× word Triples the whole word
Two word stamps in one word They combine: 2× with 3× makes 6×
All seven tiles Adds 50 points

We played PIXEL for 15 points: P 3 + I 1 + X 8 + E 1 + L 2. It ran across from row 8, column F, and touched no stamped square.

Tips for your first game

Two features catch mistakes before they cost you. The live score shows what a play is worth, and Recall takes your tiles back.

  • Read "Play for N". It shows your score before you send, with the line "if every word is in the list".
  • Use "Recall (C)". It brings your tiles back so you can try another arrangement.
  • Check the bag before you exchange. An exchange needs at least 7 tiles left in the bag.
  • Watch the timer. A turn lasts 120 seconds. When it runs out, the server plays the bot's best play for you, or passes if there is none.

Questions people ask

The Scrabble site and Scrabble GO answer the first five questions from their own pages. Our answers about Quillery on Tavernly come from playing it.

Can I play Scrabble online for free?

Yes. The Scrabble site advertises free online play, and Scrabble GO is free to download with in-app purchases. Its listing shows a Scrabble Club subscription and gem packs. Quillery on Tavernly is our free browser alternative with no sign-up.

Do I need to download anything?

Not for the Scrabble site or Quillery on Tavernly, which both run in a browser. Scrabble GO is an app, so you download it. Its listing covers iPhone and iPad.

Can I play alone against the computer?

Yes. The Scrabble site has "Play the Computer", and Scrabble GO lists "Practice Mode". On Quillery on Tavernly, press "Play now" on the bot card. You do not need to invite anyone.

Can I play with friends online?

Yes. The Scrabble site offers "Play a Friend", and Scrabble GO lists a friends mode. Quillery on Tavernly uses a private table with an invite link. Friends open it in a browser, and the waiting room shows who has joined.

Can I play on my phone?

Scrabble GO's listing covers iPhone and iPad. Quillery on Tavernly runs in a browser, but we did not test it on a phone, so we cannot say how the table feels there.

How many people can play?

Quillery on Tavernly takes 2 to 4 players. Choose the seats when you create a private table, or the number of opponents on the bot card. Bots fill any empty seat, so you can start without a full table.

What happens if I play a word that is not in the list?

On Quillery on Tavernly the table refuses the play and names the missing word. This includes a crossing word. Your tiles stay where you put them, so you can change them and try again. Nothing is deducted.

How does the game end?

On Quillery on Tavernly it ends when the bag is empty and a player puts down their last tile, or when every player passes twice in a row. The rack totals then change the final scores, as the rules above explain.

Sources

We did not test a phone, the account steps of the other options, or the lesson again for this guide.

Quillery is not affiliated with or endorsed by the owner of Scrabble. Scrabble is a trademark of its owner. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. If you want the physical game, here is Scrabble on Amazon.