The J is the least useful of the four power tiles (J, Q, X and Z), and it’s usually best to play it as soon as you can. It makes two two-letter words: JA (South African for yes) and JO (Scottish for sweetheart). There are a fair number of three-letter words with J. Some are familiar: HAJ, JIB, JOB, JET and RAJ. Some less so:
GJU a Shetland violin
JEU a game
JIZ a wig
JOL a party
JUD a block of coal
TAJ a tall conical cap
Bonus-length words with the J are:
JANTIER jauntier
NARTJIE a tangerine
JANTIES plural of JANTY, a naval petty officer
INJERAS plural of INJERA, a type of Ethiopian bread
By Barry Grossman
Barry is a leading UK Scrabble player and winner of several tournaments. He is the author of Scrabble for Beginners (Chambers), Need to Know Scrabble, Scrabble – Play to Win and The Little Book of Scrabble Trickster. He has also contributed to numerous other books on the subject of words and word-games, has been a series champion of Channel 4’s Countdown, and has written four comedy series for BBC Radio 4. He lives in Hertford.
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