Vocabulary Quiz
Valid or Invalid — is it a real Scrabble word?
The official Scrabble dictionary — the TWL, or Tournament Word List — contains 186,000+ words. A shocking number of them look completely made up. An equally shocking number of words you use every day aren't in there at all. (The fake words in this quiz are generated on the fly from real dictionary words — mutated just enough to look plausible but not be real. Every round is different.)
This quiz will show you 20 words. For each one, tap Valid if it's in the official Scrabble dictionary, or Invalid if it isn't. We weight toward the counterintuitive ones — because that's where the fun is.
Track your streak. Try to beat it. Don't blame us when QI turns out to be real.
Why is the Scrabble dictionary so weird?
The TWL (Tournament Word List) was built to serve one purpose: competitive Scrabble. That means it prioritizes short, high-value combinations over everyday vocabulary. AA (a type of volcanic rock) is valid. QI (the Chinese concept of life force) is valid. WIFI is not. The dictionary isn't a reflection of how people talk — it's a toolkit for maximizing points on a 15×15 board.
The two-letter words alone are worth memorizing if you play seriously. There are 107 of them in the NWL2023. Most look wrong. Almost all of them will save you at some point when you've got a rack that looks like someone lost a bet at a consonant factory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What dictionary does the quiz use?
The TWL/NWL — the official Tournament Word List used in competitive North American Scrabble. Same dictionary that powers all WordGamesToolkit tools.
How are the fake words generated?
Every fake word is generated live from real dictionary words — a vowel gets swapped, doubled, or inserted; a consonant gets replaced with an unusual alternative. Each candidate is then verified against the full dictionary to confirm it isn't accidentally a real word. Every round produces a fresh, unique set of fakes. No static list, no BRUNCH incidents.
Can I use this to study for competitive Scrabble?
Yes — that's exactly what it's for. The counterintuitive words (valid-looking fakes and fake-looking valids) are weighted higher in the quiz. Drilling these is one of the most effective ways to improve your rack management. You can also check any specific word with the Scrabble Word Checker.