16 Tricksy Fours
This is an opportunity to learn 16 words of 4 letters. Average players might not know any of them and I am hoping that even A grade players might learn a few.
What ties this group together is that they are all words that do not take an S on the end, but they all have another possible hook at one end or the other that might not be so obvious.
The first part of the trick is that you might be able to challenge your opponent when they decide to put an S on the end. The second part of the trick is that you might be able to take advantage of the hook that your opponent was unaware of.
CAPI - This is the plural of CAPO, the head of a Mafia crime family.
It does take an S - At the front to make the word SCAPI which is the plural of SCAPUS, the shaft of a feather. It also takes a Z at the end to make CAPIZ wihich is the translucent shell of a bivalve mollusc.
CECA - The plural of CECUM - a bodily cavity with only one opening.
It takes an L to make CECAL an adjective describing such a cavity. CAECA is an alternative spelling and all the same things apply to that.
DRAC - Australian slang describing an unattractive woman.
This takes a K to make DRACK, a word with the same meaning. It also takes an O to make DRACO. That can only be used in thr description of draco lizard, a flying lizard, so it does not take an S either.
FAUR - A Scottish word for far. It extends to FAURER and FAUREST.
The only extension is a D for FAURD, a Scottish word for favoured which also cannot be pluralised.
HILA - Plural of HILUM. Scar on a seed where it joined the stalk.
You can add an R to it for HILAR - the adjective describing a HILUM.
JIMP - Scottish word for slender. It extends to JIMPER and JIMPEST.
The adjective adds a Y for JIMPY. The word JIMPLY is also allowed.
MAND - An old English spelling of the word manned.
This takes an I to make MANDI which is a big Indian marketplace.
MYAL - An adjective describing MYALISM. a cult in the West Indies.
This takes an L for MYALL. Surprisingly this does not mean the same thing. It is a word for an Australian aborigine who is living according to the traditional beliefs. So with the extra L it can be pluralised.
PIAL - An adjevtive relating to PIA - a membrane of the brain
Takes the S at the other end. SPIAL - an old word for spy or scout.
WOOT - A Shakespearian term. I woot do this means I will do this.
This takes a Z to make WOOTZ - a tough sharp steel made in India.
YELD - An adjective to describe an animal that is not giving milk.
You can hook a G in front to make GYELD - an old spelling of guild.
YONT - This is used to indicate that something is over there.
If you put an A in front then AYONT is describing something beyond.
That is 12 words. the last 4 words are in two pairs:
COND / KOND - These are both old spellings of the word conned
Your opponent might spot the word CONDO, but will they know KONDO? That is a Ugandan thief. The C spelling has a hook the K spelling does not. You can put a Y in front to make the word YCOND - that means you studied something carefully..... this blog perhaps!
FEHM / VEHM - Alternative spellings of a medieval German court.
They both take an E at the end to make FEHME and VEHME.
It has been a long blog, so a reminder: The 4 letter words don't take an S.
Happy Scrabbling
Patrick