Scrabble scoring looks confusing until you learn the order of operations. Letter bonuses come first, word bonuses come second, and the bingo bonus comes last. Follow that order every time and you will never mis-score a word again.
The most common error is multiplying the whole word before doubling a single letter. That gives a different total, and in a close game the difference decides the winner. The steps below keep the order fixed so the maths stays honest.
The method, step by step
- Write down the point value of each tile in your word, using the number printed on the tile.
- Double or triple the value of any tile sitting on a double-letter or triple-letter square.
- Add up all the tile values, including any letter bonuses, to get the word subtotal.
- If your word covers a double-word or triple-word square, multiply the subtotal by two or three. Two triple-word squares multiply by nine.
- Add the scores of any crossing words your tiles create, scoring each by the same rules.
- If you played all seven tiles, add the 50-point bingo bonus after all multiplication.
Worked example
Play FARM with F on a double-letter square and M on a double-word square. F is worth 4, doubled to 8. Add A (1), R (1), and M (3) for a subtotal of 13. The double-word square doubles it to 26. If the word also created a crossing word, that crossing word is scored and added separately, and a seven-tile play would add 50 more.
Try it faster with the free tool
You can follow every step above by hand, and it works. But when you want the answer in seconds, the free Scrabble does the same checking for you. Type your letters in, and it lists every word that fits.
Mistakes to avoid
- Multiplying the word before applying letter bonuses.
- Giving a blank tile points when it lands on a bonus square.
- Forgetting the 50-point bingo bonus or adding it before the word multiplier.
Quick tips
- Score letter bonuses before word bonuses, every single time, without exception.
- Remember that blank tiles score zero, even on a double-letter or triple-letter square.
- Count crossing words before announcing your total, since they are easy to forget.
- Keep the tile value chart nearby until the common values become automatic.
A practice drill that builds speed
Practise scoring by replaying your own past games from memory or from a score sheet, and re-scoring three turns per game with the fixed order. Letter bonuses first, word bonuses second, bingo last. Most players find at least one mis-scored turn per game when they check this way, and the habit of checking crossings as well as the main word is worth several points a game on its own. Accurate scoring is a skill, and like any skill it improves with deliberate checking.
Who this helps most
Casual Scrabble players and club players alike need accurate scoring, since a single mis-scored word can decide a close game.
Checklist before you finish
- You worked through the steps in order, instead of guessing at random.
- You checked your answer against the rules of the game or puzzle you are playing.
- You read your answer aloud to make sure it sounds right and reads naturally.
- You kept the words or letters you found in a list, so nothing was solved twice or lost.
- You tried the free tool above to confirm your answer before moving on to the next puzzle.
Letter bonuses, then word bonuses, then the bingo bonus: that order is the whole system. The free Scrabble tool below finds words and calculates their scores for you, so you can check your maths before you play.