How to Dump Vowels in Scrabble

Three letter words are one way to unload some vowels.

Scrabble players are dealt letter tiles and use them to spell out words on a board for points. Players then go back and forth building on each others words to create more. Sometimes you may find that you are dealt quite a few vowels and getting rid of them can be a challenge. It helps to know some tricks that will create more words to use more vowels.

Instructions

1. Concentrate on what others are playing and look for available consonants to pair with your vowels. If you have excess vowels, it is not always necessary to build long words from the tiles you currently have. Instead, try to use the tiles already on the board as inspiration for your next turn.

2. Make as many three letter words as you can with what you have and what's on the board. It is very easy to create these small words off of lone consonants. It will keep you in the game as you attempt to dump some of your vowels.

3. Use words with multiple vowels as frequently as possible. For example, words such as "eel" or "igloo" are a goldmine for dumping out excessive vowels and allow you to pick up even more letter tiles for your next turn.

4. Pass on your turn if you are still stuck with vowels. You miss that opportunity for points, but you can dump all of your letters into the letter bag and pick new ones. This is the best step to take to keep yourself in the game.

Tips & Warnings

• Refer to an official Scrabble dictionary for confirmation on what vowel-heavy words are acceptable. For example, the word "aurae" might not be used in every day speech, but it has four vowels and is allowed as per official Scrabble rules.

References

• Scrabble Pages: How To Win At Scrabble
• Ntl World: Scrabble Word Lists
• Mattel Scrabble: Top Tips