Tea Time and Scrabble: A Perfect Pairing

A pot of hot tea, delicious treats, and time with a loved one—what better moment to bring out the Scrabble board?

If you’ve ever played Scrabble®, you know part of the strategy lies in using unusual or lesser-known words. When challenged, you can simply ask: “Are you challenging?” If the word is valid, your opponent loses a turn—so every move counts.

Tea Terms Meet Scrabble Strategy

Armed with a collection of specialized tea terms, I felt fully prepared for a strategic advantage. Of course, my husband has picked up quite a few of these terms from our shared
tea adventures, so I knew it wouldn’t be an easy win.

The game began:

• “GONGFU”—a strong opening move
• “LAPSANG”—quickly countered
• Assam tea—a personal favorite and easy play
• “SOUCHONG”—a clever extension
• Oolong tea—another strategic placement

Back and forth we went, building words, rearranging tiles, and trying to outmaneuver each other.

Tea Break (An Essential Part of the Game)

As the game progressed, the tea pot ran low and the snacks disappeared. Time passed quickly, as it always does during good games and even better conversation.

My husband got up to prepare a fresh pot while I studied my rack of stubborn letters.

“Make some First Flush Darjeeling this time,” I called. “And bring a few oatcakes, some cheddar, and maybe some grapes.”

A full stomach, after all, makes for better strategy.

Soon, we were settled again—tea poured, snacks in hand, ready to continue the match.

The Winning Word

Then suddenly, it appeared.

OXIDATE.

The perfect play—using every remaining tile.

“Victory!” I declared, launching into an impromptu celebration. My husband joined in, and for a moment, our living room became the stage for a rather enthusiastic victory dance.

Our neighbors, no doubt accustomed to our antics, didn’t seem alarmed.

Another Round?

Once the excitement settled, we returned to the board.

“Good game,” he said.

“Indeed,” I replied, taking a satisfied sip of tea.

“Another round?”

“Absolutely—as long as there’s tea in the pot.”

And with that, a new game begins.

Between matches, explore more tea stories at Tea Time with A.C. Cargill.

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