Ross Clark wrote:
Tony Cooper on a.u.e. beat me to this.
It's the birthday of Alfred Mosher Butts (1899-1993), an American
architect who loved word games, and figured out how to make one that was intensely competitive -- give points for letters!
"Scrabble" (the name) was trademarked by the Hasbro company in 1948.
The letter values and numbers of tiles for each letter were based on frequencies on the front page of the New York Times.
BUT there were only four S's (less than you would expect), since "to
have more would weaken the game by allowing too many plural noun and third-person verb forms." (Crystal)
When was it invented, and when did it become Popular?
Did Nabokov play Scrabble ?
Nabokov invented a word game: Nabokov created the krestoslovitsa, the first Russian crossword puzzle. This suggests a general love for word games that Scrabble embodies.
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While Nabokov's Scrabble playing is uncertain, here are some celebrities known for their Scrabble love:
Stephen Sondheim (Composer/Lyricist): A champion-level player, Sondheim is known for his witty and intricate lyrics, perhaps honed by Scrabble battles.
Shia LaBeouf (Actor): LaBeouf reportedly enjoys friendly Scrabble competition, showcasing a different side of his creative talents.
Stan Lee (Comic Book Writer): The mind behind iconic Marvel characters, Lee was known to enjoy Scrabble, potentially flexing his vocabulary muscles.
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