by Hla Min
Updated : Aug 2025
Video Broadcast on January 6, 2021
Introduction
- Crossword Puzzle
Various levels of complexity - Lexicon
Card Game - Anagram
Making new words and phrases from the given word
e.g. North, South, East and West can be transformed into Thorn, Shout, Seat and Stew - Jumbled Words
Feature of a newspaper column - Scrabble
Scrabble
- Scrabble is a board game.
- A game can be played by two to four players.
- There are a specified number of tiles.
- Each tile holds a letter worth one to ten points, or a “blank” (similar to a “joker” or a “wild card” in card games).
Rules
- The word must appear in the official set of dictionaries (e.g. Chamber’s Dictionary, Jone’s Pronouncing Dictionary).
- A player can challenge the validity of a word.
He or she will forfeit a turn if the challenge is unsuccessful. - A bonus of 50 points is given for a word formed with all seven tiles. e.g. MAJESTY
- In some contests, adding “s” to a singular to make it plural is disallowed.
Scrabble Tournaments
In our younger days, Scrabble tournaments were held by
- Guardian Newspaper
P. (Paul) Aung Khin (Editor, “Dawlay’s Circle”) was a host.
There was a “Tiger” Scrabble team with U Tin Shwe, U Ba U and their friend.
One of the Tigers joined Saya Des Rodgers to play Doubles. - RIT Scrabble Club
Saya Des and Saya U Khin were hosts. - YMCA
Known for the Chess Champions (e.g. Saya Dawson).
Hosted Scrabble tournaments.
Saya Des Rodgers won several trophies. Most of the English sayas (e.g. U Khin) and sayamas (e.g. Daw Toni) played Scrabble along with the students such as Ko Myo Tun (Bobby) and Ko Khin Maung Win (Roland). Civil Engineering sayas (e.g. U Tin Win) also frequent the English Department for Scrabble sessions and tournaments.
Saya U Khin has Chamber’s Dictionary and Jone’s Pronouncing Dictionary on his desk for use in the challenges.
Update of RIT Scrabble Players
- Saya Des moved to UK and then Canada.
- Saya U Khin moved to Taiwan.
- Sayama Toni joined her husband U Nyi Than (who retired as Ambassador).
After his demise, Sayama moved back to Yangon.
She attends and/or host gatherings (sumptuous food and Scrabble) in Yangon. - Bobby is now Ashin Pannagavesaka (Former Dhamma Librarian, Pa Auk Tawya monastery in Mawlamyine).
Bobby mentioned that Paul requested him to be a judge at the Guardian Scrabble tournaments, so he could not participate. - Roland retired after working for an Embassy in Yangon.
HlaMin 