When playing a game of Scrabble, your opponent might play a word that you think is illegal. If so, you will want to "challenge" the word to prevent your opponent from gaining points with it. Here's how to challenge a word in Scrabble!
Before the Game
- Agree on a reference source to use when checking whether a word is legal. Many Scrabble players use a large dictionary. You can use an official Scrabble dictionary, the OED, or an online dictionary, but be sure all players agree on the source.
- Agree on the penalty for failed challenges. There are three standard options: Double Challenge, Single Challenge, and Fixed-Penalty Challenge.
During the Game
- When your opponent plays a word you want to challenge, you must stop play and declare that you challenge the word. Once the replacement tiles are drawn and the next turn starts, you can't go back to challenge earlier words.
- Check the previously agreed-upon source to see if the word is a legal play. If not, your challenge is successful. In this case, your opponent removes the played letters from the board and returns them to his rack, losing his turn. Play passes to the next player.
- If the challenged word is legal, then your challenge fails. The word stays on the board, and your opponent scores points as normal. Depending on what rules you have agreed upon, you might suffer a penalty for a failed challenge.
Challenge Penalty Rules
- Double Challenge: If your challenge fails, you lose your next turn. If you have forgotten to agree on a challenge penalty before the game, this is the standard rule for North America. (However, it is always best to confirm that everyone is playing by the same rules before the game starts.)
- Single Challenge: In this variant, there is no penalty for failed challenges. Although standard in the U.K., this variant has received criticism due to the fact that it offers Scrabble players no reason not to challenge every single word.
- Fixed-Penalty Challenge: A middle ground between the other two options, this variant assigns a flat penalty of 5 (or, if players prefer, 10) points for a failed challenge. Each time your challenge fails, you lose 5 points. The penalty is large enough to prevent players from challenging every word, but small enough that suspect words will still be challenged.