FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!

False Starts Trivia Quiz

Making a fake word in Scrabble can be like getting a false start. You put it down, get points, and boom! it gets challenged off. This quiz will talk about various challenge rules and dictionaries, as well as asking which words are not valid.

A multiple-choice quiz by Oidioid32123. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Oidioid32123

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
340,776

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
214

1. First of all, in which challenge rule are words automatically taken off with no penalty if they are no good?
Hint

Single

5 or 10 point

Double

Void

NEXT>

2. This challenge rule is most commonly used in Africa, as well as in the World Scrabble Championship. Hint

Void

Single

5 or 10 point

Double

NEXT>

3. This challenge rule is most common in the United States and Canada. It is not very popular elsewhere though. Hint

Single

void

5 or 10 point

Double

NEXT>

4. This mode of challenge is popular in Australia. It also has been used in world championships before. Hint

Void

Double

Single

5 or 10 point

NEXT>

5. On whose time do you make challenges in tournament play (by NSA rules)?
Hint

Both players take half of the time used

The challenged player's

Neither - The clock is stopped

The challenger's

NEXT>

6. At which of these points are you not allowed to challenge a play (by NSA rules)? Hint

20 seconds have passed without you calling hold.

Your opponent has his hands in the bag, but hasn't pulled out any tiles

A minute has passed, but you called hold.

Your opponent has just pressed his clock.

NEXT>

7. After manual adjudication, your opponent is informed that they have lost their challenge. Are they allowed to request a second opinion on the challenge?

Yes

NEXT>

8. Your opponent plays the word OUISTITI. Is this word an acceptable word in the OWL?

Yes

NEXT>

9. Your opponent plays the word GORER. In which Scrabble dictionary would this word be acceptable? Hint

Otcwl

Sowpods (Collins)

None

Ospd

NEXT>

10. Your opponent plays the word PH. Was this word ever acceptable in Sowpods (Collins)?

Yes

(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

Select a User ID:

Choose a Password:

Your Email:

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. First of all, in which challenge rule are words automatically taken off with no penalty if they are no good?

Answer: Void

The void rule is most commonly used on the internet. It is a favorite of people who don't speak the English language or speak it as a secondary language.

2. This challenge rule is most commonly used in Africa, as well as in the World Scrabble Championship.

Answer: 5 or 10 point

The 5 or 10 point challenge adds some incentive to not challenge, as you will lose points or your opponent will gain points if you are wrong.

3. This challenge rule is most common in the United States and Canada. It is not very popular elsewhere though.

Answer: Double

In double challenge games you lose your turn if you challenge an acceptable word. This is the most even challenge rule, as someone will always lose a turn.

4. This mode of challenge is popular in Australia. It also has been used in world championships before.

Answer: Single

There is no penalty for challenging an acceptable word in single. Some people are known for challenging every word, even if it is something like "cat".

5. On whose time do you make challenges in tournament play (by NSA rules)?

Answer: Neither - The clock is stopped

This way, no player can lose time, and no player can run an opponent's clock down if they are low on time.

6. At which of these points are you not allowed to challenge a play (by NSA rules)?

Answer: 20 seconds have passed without you calling hold.

A "hold" ensures that your opponent cannot draw tiles, mix them up, and then have a word challenged off. Saying hold (which must be done within 20 seconds) prevents your opponent from drawing for a minute, after which s/he can draw tiles but cannot mix up the new ones with the old.

7. After manual adjudication, your opponent is informed that they have lost their challenge. Are they allowed to request a second opinion on the challenge?

Answer: Yes

This is generally only used with human word judges. The human may not see a word in the dictionary, or may misread an unacceptable word and call it acceptable. Computers rarely malfunction, but you can ask for a readjudication if you feel there was an error.

8. Your opponent plays the word OUISTITI. Is this word an acceptable word in the OWL?

Answer: Yes

OUISTITI is a type of monkey. OUSTITI is acceptable in SOWPODS (Collins), though it is a lockpick.

9. Your opponent plays the word GORER. In which Scrabble dictionary would this word be acceptable?

Answer: None

The word GORER has not been added to any of the dictionaries used in tournaments. It is one of those words that seems acceptable but isn't.

10. Your opponent plays the word PH. Was this word ever acceptable in Sowpods (Collins)?

Answer: Yes

The word PH was in SOWPODS (Collins) until 2007. It refers to the pH scale. It was added because the P is lowercase in standard dictionaries. It was deleted because it is an acronym that isn't even that widely used.

Source: Author Oidioid32123

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor WesleyCrusher before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.