Q Without U: 9 Must-Know Words to Celebrate Scrabble Day!

This Monday, April 13, is Scrabble Day, and Grammarly is celebrating with our fellow word-lovers, Dictionary.com!

Guest post by Michele Turner, CEO at Dictionary.com

Can you play a Q without a U in Scrabble? Whether you’re playing Scrabble, Words With Friends, or any other fun word game, here is a list of nine high-scoring solutions for the “Q conundrum,” so that you can make winning words with the letter Q — without its traditional letter companion, the U.

• Qi – a variant spelling on the word chi, qi is the vital life force believed to circulate around the body and through the universe in Chinese medicine.
• Qat – an evergreen shrub of Arabia and Africa, the leaves of which are used as a narcotic when chewed or made into a beverage.
• Faqir – a Muslim or Hindu religious ascetic or mendicant monk commonly considered a wonder-worker or a dervish.  Played on a triple word, this term could work wonders for your game. Can also be spelled fakir or faquir.
• QWERTY – yes, this acronym coined in the 1920s to describe the standard keyboard, can be used in the game.
• Qaid – refers to a tribal chief, judge, or senior official, and it stems from the Arabic word meaning “leader.” It entered the English language in the mid-1800s and is sometimes spelled caid.
• Qadi – related to qaid, this word refers to a judge in a Muslim community. It’s a useful variant when trying to stack words to play do or it.
• Sheqel – an ancient unit of weight equivalent to about a quarter or half an ounce. Today it is commonly used to refer to the Israeli currency, though it is also a slang term meaning money. Also spelled shekel.
• Qindar – a monetary denomination in Albania that is equivalent to 100th of a lek, the standard monetary unit. Also spelled qintar.
• Qoph – the 19th letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

Want more for your word game arsenal? Get Scrabble and Words With Friends word values by searching words at Dictionary.com. Search results will show a word’s corresponding score on the right hand side of the page, truly bringing words – and your game – to life! Keep these ten valuable words in mind as well; which will all rack up points in both games.

• Chapeau – a hat.
• Convex – having a surface that is curved or rounded outward.
• Exequy – a funeral procession.
• Frequent – happening or occurring at short intervals.
• Jacquard– a fabric with an elaborately woven pattern produced on a Jacquard loom.
• Jaywalk – to cross a street at a place other than a regular crossing or in a heedless manner, as diagonally or against a traffic light.
• Kumquat – small, round or oblong citrus fruit having a sweet rind and acid pulp, used chiefly for preserves.
• Mystique – an aura of mystery of mystical power surrounding a particular occupation or pursuit.
• Quixotic – extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable.
• Quiz – an informal test or examination of a student or class.

Broadening your command of language by building your vocabulary not only gives you an edge in gameplay, it also translates to better communication skills in all parts of your life.

What’s the best Scrabble word you’ve played? Share in the comments!

About the Author

Michele Turner is CEO of Dictionary.com, providing online and mobile properties that are top destinations for learning and word discovery. Dictionary’s products serve 70 million unique users monthly across mobile and web. Visit www.dictionary.com for all the contextual tools you need to boost your Scrabble or Words With Friends game and truly expand your vocabulary.