May I Have A Few Words With You?

Recently, I have been playing Words With Friends. In fact, not just Words With Friends with friends, but starting up games using the "Random opponent" option. So audacious!

This game covers a lot of bases for me:

• distraction from thinking about work (and/or doing any!)
• brain exercise (a necessity in my family line)
• vocabulary expander
• intelligent competition
• practicing perseverance after defeat
• enjoying the thrill of victory

Plus, I have fond memories of spending hours with the Scrabble board and a family member shouting "Come on, come on! Just choose something!" (Hmmm, sounds like a good name for a blogger...)

Employing the "Random opponent" option on Words has been interesting: 

When I'm playing a Random, I'm not nearly as shy about going for the big point tiles (Triple Word, Triple Letter, etc) and letting loose my score-seeking missiles.

Had the best game of my online life recently with a Random. In fact, I got so intense about the back and forth point-slam that I passed up an opportunity to hot tub with my husband, and ignored the horses staring at me from beside the empty hay racks. My anonymous opponent and I battled to the death, and we ended up tied with 417 points a piece and no letters left! Awesome!

Not so awesome was starting a game with a Random, and being immediately asked (in the chat bubble) "what is your sex/age/location?" Hoping it was just a curious natured person, I replied back, "Hey, how bout if we just play".  The response came back quickly, and my Random identified himself as male, 22, from a large city in Columbia. I immediately 'resigned' the game and changed my screen name...

There seems to be a team of quitters on this virtual playfield. Someone accepts a Random invitation, then quits playing if they don't move ahead in points right away. Silly, really, because the letters move in and out of your possession, and you can go from all vowels one minute to an 8-word combo the next. Well, I guess it's easier to quit when no one can see your face.

I admit to using a 'word finding' application when I get in a jam, or need to make a quick play because I need to sign off. Also, I will often use the app to create the first word on the board, since a nice long starter word is key to a setting up plenty of opportunities for both players.

If you aren't already playing Words With Friends, and enjoy Scrabble, give it a try. Find someone who plays in the same style you enjoy, but don't be afraid to play outside your comfort zone once in awhile.

P.S. One sign of addiction to this game is if you take your Android phone out to the barn with you, and between chores you climb up into the hay loft and lay down on the uppermost ledge with your arms outstretched to snag the evasive Wi-Fi signal from the house, so you can check if your opponent has played a word yet.  That's what I read somewhere, anyway...