News

Details: Written by HG; Category: News; Published: 27 August 2025; Hits: 18

Fiona recently attended the Mind Sports Olympiad held in London.

Here is her report

I attended the Scrabble tournament that is part of the Mind Sports Olympiad - an annual event that runs over a fortnight and features all sorts of board games and mental puzzles. It has quite a different feel to many events in that you often get novices turning up, and people wander in and out of the room to see what's going on! My first game was against a much higher rated player - I opened with a bonus and hung on to the lead until the very last move when he bonused out on the triple word score!

My second game I also played a bonus on my first move, but it went downhill after that, playing two phonies to lose a game I really felt I should have won!

My third game was undoubtedly my best, again opening with a bonus - NAIVETE - which I was relieved stayed on after a challenge! I went on to get a nine-timer EN(D)ORSES for 131 points, and a further bonus of MUTI(N)EER to win with a very respectable 514 points.

After that, I played two new players - new but definitely not novices! I did win both those games, but both were hard-fought! After that I played David Shenkin who I have never yet managed to beat, and that was true again, then the last game of the day which I made lots of silly mistakes, having overlid, unlodge and wakey challenged off the board. I was particularly cross with myself with unlodge, as, as soon as I played it I realised it was an anagram of LOUNGED which is of course a real word! Despite the frustrations, I very much enjoyed the day and playing people I hadn't played before.

Sounds like a great day - well played Fiona!

Details: Written by HG; Category: News; Published: 07 August 2025; Hits: 84

Over the weekend of August 2^nd/3^rd there were two one day tournaments in Oxford.

Graham and Helen attended the first – a 7 game 3 division tournament. Helen and Graham were placed in the A division in positions 15 and 17 out of 20. Many of the top players had played in World Championships. A very strong division.

With 7 games to play and a field of 19 other players, both Helen and Graham thought they would avoid each other – sadly not – as they met in round 3. This picture was taken by the tournament organiser Rob Blundell.

Graham came out on top and went on to win a further 2 games. One game finished 477-475 in Graham’s favour, another he won with a score of 532 including the 9 timer UPSETTER.

Helen’s games were a lot lower scoring; she, too, ended on 3 wins from 7 games after winning the final two games of the day. Apart from a drubbing from Graham, almost all of her other games were close, win or lose. Some interesting words played were EEJIT and FACTORY, and also extending the word ACHE in both directions to make ACHED, then PREACHED.

On day 2, Graham and Helen were joined by Fiona. Sunday’s tournament was a 7 game round robin and Graham and Helen were in Division B. Fiona was in division E (14 players) so her opponents were based on her ongoing tournament performance.

She writes :

I was one of 14 players in E division at the Oxford Sunday tournament. Seven games were played. I started off well with a win, but then lost four consecutive games, before winning the last two, finishing with 3 wins and a +229 spread. I didn’t have much luck in terms of blanks and Ss, but also made a couple of silly mistakes that probably cost me close games (not noticing my opponent had played IH because I was looking upside down must be up there!).

I did play a few nice bonuses – ANALYSE and TENFOLD back to back in my first game, EBONITE, LANTERN, ETERNAL, SOONEST and NEUROTIC. Also a couple of invalid bonuses – one challenged off, the other not! A couple of times I was able to extend words already on the board to reach the triple spot – adding -ING to ENJOY for 57 points and LAND to MAIN for 35 were both satisfying.

Back in Division B, Helen and Graham were again lowly rated in the division (5^th and 7^th out of 8) and again had to play each other – this time Helen was victorious clawing back a 140 point deficit to win 468-430. Graham managed to win 3 games during the day, but got beaten by over 190 points in 2 of them, one of which included the odd looking 9 timer EUDAIMON.

Sunday's round-robin tournament of 7 games looked to be tough, given that all 7 players were of similar standard, within a few ratings points of each other. Helen started the day well, and, by lunchtime, she was still unbeaten and was leading the group with Graham in second place.

It all went wrong for Helen in the game after lunch, against Wesley Choy. Helen had taken an early lead of about 50 points when Wesley responded with two consecutive moves of TEXTILES, for 176 points, then HAZE for 76 points; the game was lost for Helen from then on, but she managed to pull back to lose by 'only' 50 points.

Before the final game, it was still possible for 6 of the 8 players in the group to win, as there were two players on 4 wins, and a further four on 3 wins. Helen's final game was against Barry Grossman, one of the equal top rated players in the division, and she found bonuses of TAENIATE and LOOSENS to win the game by 63 points, and also win the division with 5 wins from 7 games.

Well played Helen! Here is Helen receiving her prize and her winning board from the last game!

Details: Written by HG; Category: News; Published: 11 July 2025; Hits: 218

Best improver for the third quarter of the season is Sharon Hewitt, ahead of Pat Llanwarne in second place and Deborah Porter in third place. Welcome to Johnny Sammon, and welcome back to Maureen Barlow.

High-scoring words:
·       144       FRIEZES                      Wanda
· 131       LAIRIEST                     Wanda
·       122       LITERATE                    Helen
·       112       TOXINES                      Graham
·       109       SHOWERY                   Helen
·       103       QUOLL                         Graham
·       102       MINDERS                     Martin
·       100       REQUITS                     Megel
·       98        PEEVING                     Charles
·       93        CLIENTS                      Keith
·       90        QINS                            Graham
·       89        BEEFIEST                    Megel
·       88        INQUEST                     Maire
·       88        RECITES                      Johnny
·       88        WEARING                    Joy
·       86        BANTERED                  Megel
·       86        FELTERS                     Maire
·       86        HARDIER                     Mary
·       86        ROASTED                    Charles
·       85        CORSNED                    Helen
·       85        SCARILY                      Charles
·       84        HEADINGS                   Maire
·       84        ISOTONE                     Helen
·       83        IMPRESS                     Helen
·       83        TINWARES                   Charles
·       82        BANKERS                     Maire
·       82        MUTINES                     Maire
·       82        SARNIES                      Maire
·       81        ANTLIAE                      Johnny
·       81        DRUNKER                    Maire
·       81        FOOTSIE                     Charles
·       81        REPAIRS                      Maire
·       81        STOWAGE                   Joy
·       81        URINOSE                     Johnny
·       80        ENTRAIN                      Maire
·       80        FATTIES                       Hepzi
·       80        INJURES                      Pat
·       77        FIFTIES                        Maire
·       77        ISLANDER                    Megel
·       77        LOCALES                     Maire
·       77        REVEALS                     Johnny
Other words: 76 DEFLECT Jim, 76 UNITIES Charles, 76 VICEROY Jim, 75 VIBRATE Pat, 74 ABIDERS Charles, 74 DEMANDS Keith, 74 FRUITIER Charles, 74 GRIEVES Jim, 74 TESTIFY Jim, 74 TRAVELED Jim, 73 AUNTIES Keith, 73 BATHERS Maire, 73 CORNIER Maire, 73 DENYING Jim, 73 GUIDERS Jim, 73 INSIPID Charles, 73 TRAINERS Martin, 72 BALDIES Charles, 72 DOSINGS Polly, 72 GRINDER Charles, 72 GRISTLE Jim, 72 MISRATE Jim, 72 ROOSTER Johnny, 72 SPIDERS Jim, 71 DEARIES Maire, 71 EASTERN Maire, 71 FROSTING Mary, 71 HISTORY Keith, 71 NEATNESS Johnny, 71 READING Keith, 71 RETINOL Jim, 71 STRAINERS (9 letters) Graham, 71 TRANCED Jim, 71 UNITERS Jim, 70 LARKERS Mary, 70 THEREOF Megel, 69 COSYING Charles, 69 DILUTES Jim, 69 INTENDS Maire, 69 TERRIES Maire, 68 DERISION Johnny, 68 DISTANT Megel, 68 OVERTURE Maire, 68 SHOELACE Johnny, 68 SOAPERS Maire, 68 TREASON Keith, 67 BANTERED Maire, 66 BROMINE Jim, 66 EUGARIE Jim, 66 STAINED Maire, 66 STONIER Hepzi, 65 ARTISTS Maire, 65 SNIRTLE Jim, 62 INTERNET Jim, 62 SWERVED Jim, 59 STROLLER Maire, 58 CLEANERS Maire, 58 TARGETS Keith, 58 UNSUITED Johnny, 56 FOETAL Megel, 32 UPBOW Charles, BELTING, TANNERS, GOATEES, DUMBEST, SCOUTER, COUNTER Amanda

Many bonuses or high-scoring moves by one player in a game:
·       LOATHES 78 HOARSEN 98 RURALISE 70 MINIATE 70                                     Graham
·       REARISEN 80 REPEATS 88 VENTRAL 80 DUNITES 66                                    Helen
·       ARCADIA 68 MOSSIER 65 BUTLERS 90                                                           Helen
·       BANDIER 75 CANARIES 68 LIONISER 68                                                         Helen
·       BRISTLES 72 ASTEROID 80 HUMPERS 89                                                       Wanda
·       COHESIN 73 WEASAND 81 LAICISE 79                                                            Richard
·       FOISTED 70 RAINIEST 66 SNORTED 79                                                          Helen
·       INTAKES 76 MOBSTER 72 MINDERS 75                                                          Helen
·       LANDLINE 68 VITRINE 80 JAXIE 54                                                                  Helen
·       MERLINS 73 TAENIAE 71 TENSIONS 61                                                          Helen
·       MINIMISE 95 ANGLERS 79 STEARIN 87                                                           Helen
·       OTARINE 75 DEPORTED 70 TREATING 80                                                      Helen
·       PIONEERS 70 RETAILED 72 GRANOLA 63                                                       Deborah
·       READING 80 ARTISAN 65 SENATES 82                                                           Fiona
·       SADDLERS 62 VETTERS 80 ANTIQUE 87                                                        Wanda
·       SENATES 72 SIERRAN 64 BATHING 75                                                           Graham
·       STEEPING 64 JAILERS 77 COEDITED 64                                                         Helen
·       STHENIA 76 ROASTED 61 REGIMENT 65                                                        Wanda
·       TANNERS 70 BANGERS 70 LAIRIEST 131                                                        Wanda
·       TARGETS 86 DINNERS 72 SLENDER 73                                                          Maire
·       TEMPURA 78 SCORNED 79 GESTURED 61                                                     Fiona
·       TRUENESS 64 LEATHER 82 REPAINTED 63 (9-letters)                                    Graham
·       SLATERS 69 HANDERS 69 Maire

New personal bests: Amanda Lowe 404, Megel Barker 616 Well done to you both!

Name	Old rating	New rating	Rating change	P	W	D	L	Average	Highest score	Highest ever
Sharon Hewitt	129	149	20	26	20	0	6	374.1	488	548
Pat Llanwarne	119	133	14	14	7	0	7	356.1	455	516
Deborah Porter	138	149	11	30	20	0	10	367.6	472	542
Charles Parker	96	105	9	29	10	0	19	331.5	425	509
Maire Bennett	58	66	8	31	5	0	26	283.6	388	498
Michael Spencer	67	72	5	24	4	0	20	290.0	343	502
Mary Twomey	111	116	5	14	7	0	7	316.9	398	430
Jim Macey	129	134	5	13	8	0	5	362.7	440	478
Amanda Lowe	88	92	4	21	4	0	17	319.1	404	404
Joy Wade	119	119	0	21	8	0	13	324.5	425	484
Fiona Titcombe	164	164	0	17	11	0	6	382.4	476	551
Helen Harding	198	196	-2	43	36	0	7	438.7	570	609
Graham Harding	179	175	-4	46	35	0	11	416.8	586	693
Keith Radbourn	86	81	-5	26	7	0	19	295.5	396	418
Hepzi Rodrigues	136	131	-5	25	11	0	14	366.7	505	554
Wanda de Poitiers	176	168	-8	35	24	0	11	425.7	533	598
Richard Spencer	203	193	-10	17	13	0	4	422.6	507	674
Polly Vallance	102	86	-16	23	4	0	19	306.5	415	421
Martin Stephens	109	89	-20	21	3	0	18	320.8	387	477
Insufficient games – a previous quarter’s results, or 13 games in a quarter, needed to qualify
Tim Charlton	176	202	26	6	5	0	1	425.8	503	569
Maureen Barlow	122	128	6	6	4	0	2	328.0	380	528
Megel Barker	195	187	-8	7	5	0	2	470.1	616	616
Johnny Sammon		82		12	3	0	9	330.2	393	393
Cheryl Nembhard		74		1	0	0	1	225.0	225	225
Deborah Tobin-Desson	50		0	0	0	0	0		0	221
Ann Boswell	50		0	0	0	0	0		0	291
Lizzie Hewitt	73		0	0	0	0	0		0	347
Gillian Cranston	107		0	0	0	0	0		0	470

Details: Written by HG; Category: News; Published: 20 June 2025; Hits: 275

On June 7th, Pat travelled to Romford to play in a one day tournament. Here is her report :

I took part in the 'Romford Liberty' tournament on June 7th. The venue was a church hall, actually in Gidea Park, and within easy reach of public transport. We played two games to a table, but there was plenty of room. There was an all day supply of tea, coffee and cake. Also a convenient Tesco and Coop for lunch if required.

38 players took part in 3 divisions. I played in C which had 10 players. The tournament was well run and (certainly in Division C) very friendly.

I had a good day, winning 5 of the 7 games, and finishing second. My final game was the most satisfying, as I came from behind, went out with the bonus word RESOLING, and won the game by 10 points.

My other bonuses played were WAGGLES, SAUSAGE and ORNATER.

Well done Pat - sounds like a great day !

Details: Written by HG; Category: News; Published: 25 April 2025; Hits: 750

Over the first 2 days of the Easter weekend, Helen and Graham played in a 10 game tournament in Coventry.

They were both playing in a 12-player Division A.

During the tournament they played most of the players in the division, and a couple of players twice. One of the games involved playing each other !

For Graham the highlight was the first game of the tournament a 578-473 point win, the game featured a 9timer MISLEARN (140) and WIDDLES for 102!

Helen's highest scoring move was using a rack of AELOSX? after a P had been placed on the middle square.... POLeAXES for 101 ! SEQUOIA for 92 was her next best. Two unusual words played against Helen were ETHIOPS and ECONUT.

Three of the games that Helen and Graham played had very close finishes.

Here is one involving Helen.

Helen is just behind on 336 (EIKNNS) against 355 (T) , but the highest Helen can score is SKEIN or KINES (27) from b2. Her opponent played his T to make TUP for 7 points and win the game by 1. (In fact there is a higher scoring move of TOHO (I 11).

Here is Graham's close game.

His opponent is leading 381-359 and holding some useful tiles (DGIT) which could score well next turn. Graham (ANOVR?) found the playout OVERRAN (b4) which scored enough to win by 1 point.

As mentioned earlier Helen and Graham had to play each other.

A real tussle of a game, but Helen (holding IR) edged into the lead 371-351. Graham held ABCDDST. The highest Graham could score was BACS (H1) for 36, leaving Helen to find a move scoring more than 6 with IR. She could only find FIR (M 13) to score 6, and the game resulted in a draw. Honours even!

But...what if Helen hadn't played out in one move? If Helen played KI (18), then Graham played his highest score DID (a1) for 15, Helen couldn't have scored more than 6 with the remaining R, so she would have lost by 5 points. So playing FIR for 6 points and a draw was the correct move for her.

But... there is a different 36 point move for Graham - DIDACTS A1. This means Helen's FIR won't be enough to win as there is only a B to be added/subtracted. Playing KI isn't enough as Graham's B can score 12 at H1. So playing BACS guaranteed a draw for Graham, playing DIDACTS guarantees a win!

Some tough games for both Helen and Graham, and they were both pleased to finish the tournament with 4.5 wins out of 10.

Page 1 of 24

August 17 : Mind Sports Olympiad

Oxford 2/3 August

Best Improver – April to June 2025

June 7 : Romford

Coventry 18-19 April