Lots of Ifs, Ands or Butts about It...

...SCRABBLE^®, that is. For anyone who's played this popular word game, you probably know all too well how important those *if*s or *and*s can be when it comes down to using your last few tiles. As for my reference to "Butts" - well, that's not a misspelling. It happens to be the last name of the original creator of the game - Alfred Mosher Butts.

Mr. Butts was an out of work architect living in Poughkeepsie, NY when he decided to invent a new board game. After much intense research and analysis (and some inspiration from the New York Times crossword puzzles), he tried to find a game manufacturer to produce his game, originally called Lexico. After numerous rejections, he met James Brunot, a game-loving entrepreneur and together they worked to refine the game and its name into the SCRABBLE^® so many people the world over have come to know and love.

At least one edition of SCRABBLE^® can be found in one out of 3 American homes on the average, but this game has also become an international phenomenon. Competitive SCRABBLE^® game play has become almost as popular as chess and bridge. Each year, a National SCRABBLE^® Championship is held in a major US city, and every other year the World SCRABBLE^® Championship is now hosted by Mattel. In addition, the National SCRABBLE^® Association sanctions over 200 clubs and more than 180 tournaments in the US and Canada.

Of course those little lettered tiles have become popular for more than just playing this word game. Jewelry pendants made from repurposed tiles come in virtually any theme or design you could imagine - like these beauties from crystalbouquet on Etsy!


And of course, creative ingenuity doesn't stop at jewelry pendants on Etsy. rbdesign offers this fun and useful Scrabble Coaster Set in a set of four tiles backed with cork - perfect for those beverages you'll serve at your next SCRABBLE^® game night!

The repurposing of SCRABBLE^® games doesn't end with the tiles, either! IMOTIME offers this great Scrabble TIME repurposed SCRABBLE^® gameboard clock. Now you'll always know when it's time to play your favorite word game! Perfect for your rec room or as a gift for your favorite Scrabble afficianado!

I've loved to play SCRABBLE^® for as long as I've been able to spell, and it was a game that was always a part of family game night in my family. If by chance you've never played, I'd highly recommend trying it - it's a great way to exercise your brain, teach your kids some new vocabulary (or learn it from them!) and most of all, just have some fun! If of course you've tried it and just aren't into it as a game, then this shopping journey will hopefully have inspired you to explore other ways of enjoying SCRABBLE^®!

Have a great Tuesday!