What would you play on your opening move from each of the racks below?
Give yourself five minutes for each one then check our What would you change?
Rack 1: your move?
MIAOU for 20 points is best at H4 or D8 - leaving E-A. EUOI (a Bacchic cry of frenzy) or AMIA (a freshwater fish) both leave three vowels on your rack.
Rack 2 : your move?
CROTCH turns over six tiles and scores 32. Play it at H4 or 8D to guard against an extension to the triple with CROTCHETY or CROTCHETS. CRWTH (an ancient stringed instrument) for 34 is a close second choice - leaving C-O on your rack.
Rack 3 : your move?
EQUITY (H4 or 8d) for 56. QUITE takes extenders to the Triple Word Square MESQUITE, MEZQUITE (a spiny shrub). QUIET can be extended to DISQUIET.
Rack 4 : your move?
Exchange the V - leaving RETINA and a good chance of a bonus next move.
Rack 5 : your move?
ASS (leaving E-A-S-S) would be my play ahead of SEAS. SASS (to talk impudently) allows an -S hook (H4 or D8) to ASS next time.
Rack 6 : your move?
BRR leaves C-A-R-S - a promising letter combination. CARBS (short for carburettors) - or CRABS - for 24 points is next best. CRABS takes an S-hook for SCRABS so CARBS is better defensively.
Rack 7 : your move?
Analysis Best move is ULU (an Eskimo knife) at H7 or 8G setting up SUQ (an Eastern market place) and ULUS or SUQ and SULU (a Fijian sarong) for 36 next move.
Rack 8 : your move?
BOGYMEN for 86 - next best MYOGEN (a substance found in muscle tissue) for 32.
Rack 9 : your move?
AALII (a tropical tree) is the choice here turning over five tiles. ILIA (a plural of ILIUM - a bone of the pelvis) - leaving A-I-N on the rack - is next best.
Rack 10 : your move?
ALDRIN (a hydrocarbon used as an insecticide) at H4 or D8 - not exposing the Double Letter Squares and retaining a valuable E. ALINED (variation of ALIGNED) is next best - RAINED, DENIAL or NAILED allow hooks and spend the E.
Rack 11 : your move?
I'd happily spend a blank with ZOOEA (larval stage of a crab) for 46 from H4 or D8 leaving Q plus a blank. ZOEAE ZOEAS or ZOEAL are also playable but ZOOEA takes E L and S hooks and yields a spot for my blank next move.