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WORDLIST.OSW
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1996-10-03
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THE OSW - A SUCCESSOR TO THE OSPD (tm)?
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The OSW (Official Scrabble Words) is the reference word list of acceptable
Scrabble (tm) words used in most countries outside of North America. As
expected, most words acceptable in play are common to both the OSPD3 (tm) and
the OSW, but there remain quite a number of words listed in one, but not the
other. This makes it difficult for American players competing abroad and for
foreign ones playing here.
The OSW contains about 22% more total words than the OSPD3 (tm). Among other
differences, the word qi, acceptable in OSW-using domains, considerably
alters the stategy of game play. It is an open question whether having more
words to use makes the game more interesting.
Many feel that it is past time to have a single standard dictionary for
English language Scrabble (tm) play everywhere. This would remove the local
advantage that players have against foreigners and remove an extraneous
factor from competition. Moreover, this would be a step toward making the
player associations independent of the manufacturers of the game equipment
who hold legal licenses to the printed versions of the official dictionaries
and have the option of restricting their use. The recent controversy about
the expurgation of the OSPD3 (tm) points out how commercial interests may not
coincide with the best interests of the players.
There has been some discussion of using a "SOWPODS", a combined OSPD (tm) and
OSW for play world wide. The adoption of any dictionary to replace the OSPD
(tm) in North American play would require a consensus of tournament-level
players, as well as acceptance by the playing community at large, something
not likely to happen any time soon (most non-tournament players regard the
SOWPODS as an "elitist" proposal and of no interest to them). For more
SOWPODS info, see Bob Jackman's SOWPODS page on the Web, at:
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~rjackman/
I personally advocate a combined single standard dictionary for all Scrabble
(tm) play everywhere. It should be in the Public Domain, owned by no one,
available for free and unrestricted use by all. Its contents would be
determined by a consensus of the entire English language Scrabble (tm)
community, not by corporate committees. It would be available in electronic
form, so that anyone so desiring could also print it out in hard copy and
distribute it in that form at will, and so that adjudication can be
computerized. It would not be copyrighted or trademarked, and no rights
would be reserved. I have made a step in that direction by releasing into
the Public Domain the OSPD3-compatible master word list from my WORDY
Scrabble (tm) word study package (see WORDY.AD).
Further discussion on this topic is invited.
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M\Cooper
PO Box 237
St. David, AZ 85630-0237
------------------------------------------------
E-mail: thegrendel@theriver.com
Web: http://personal.riverusers.com/~thegrendel/
Scrabble and OSPD are trademarks of the Milton Bradley Co., Inc., a
subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc.
WORDY is not a trademark.