I was playing Scrabble on the computer recently (the wife won’t play me anymore) and losing 250 to 343, with one play left, but found a seven-letter word (treated) — and, finally, a place to play it — and made 74 points. Still, I was 19 points behind. Luckily, “Maven” the electronic Scrabble brain had 10 points’ worth of letters left on his rack. He lost ten, I gained 10. Final score: 334-333, my favor.
I couldn’t wait to inform my old pal Alan, fellow copywriter at a New Orleans ad agency back in the early 1980s. Many’s the time we played Scrabble during lunch and I came from behind with a bingo on the last turn, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat and exasperating a worthy opponent. How sweet it was!
Do you ever worry that you might be obsessed?
No, but I do think Maven may have a problem.