Cunning S Hooks - 08/01/2021

There are some words that end with a Y that take a surprising S

If the previous letter is a consonant the plural is normally -IES

BY --- It is not surprising that this takes an S, but there are several related words ending with BY which also take an S. FLYBY, STANDBY and SWINGBY. Also falling into the same category is a variation of goodbye. GOODBY is also allowed without the E and you can put an S on that spelling as well

DRY --- The meaning of the word DRY that allows pluralisation to DRYS is when you are describing someone as a prohibitionist

PRY --- The only other 3 letter -RY word that can have an S added, but this time it is nothing to do with a plural. PRYS is an old spelling of the word price. So when used as a verb you are allowed PRYSED and PRYSING

EMMY --- Gold plated statuette award for TV. Only EMMYS. Emmies not allowed

MOLY --- A species of wild onion

POLY --- Short for polytechnic

BENDY --- This is a tropical plant. That is the meaning which allows BENDYS. Another word where pluralising to bendies is not allowed

BIALY --- An onion roll

COLBY --- Cheese. I diverge here to mention that cheese is a whole area of weirdness for scrabblers. Some are allowed an some are not. As you can see COLBY, COLBYS and COLBIES are good. However edam and stilton are not, despite being well known. The cheese that I would like to play at scrabble is an Italian one called FRIULANO.

DARCY --- A unit of geologic permeability

DERNY --- Small motorbike used as pacemaker in cycling events

HENRY --- A unit of electrical inductance. Some electrical words can be spelled in reverse for electrical resistance, so YNREH is also good. That rule is why OHM and MHO are both good, also DARAF / FARAD. As well as HENRYS you can also extend ABHENRY and MILLIHENRY the same way

PLATY --- A small tropical fish

TELLY --- Television

ZLOTY --- A monetary unit of Poland. As well as ZLOTYS and ZLOTIES another plural is ZLOTE, so as that is already a plural don't put an S on that!

Wishing you many esses when club restarts on Monday.

Patrick