Countdown vs Scrabble

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L'oisleatch McGraw
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Countdown vs Scrabble

Post by L'oisleatch McGraw »

1. Has anyone ever made a list of words that are fine for Scrabble yet not valid in Countdown?
2. Has anyone ever made a list of words that are fine for Countdown yet not valid in Scrabble?
3. If so, are such lists publicly available and up to date?
4. If not... why the hell not?!

:::EDIT:::

Screw it, we'll just do it here and now. Put any differences you know of in the comments, and I'll keep adding them to the relevant list:-

Valid in SCRABBLE only
Fibrate?
Etaerio*
Erasion*
Etesian*
Eaterie*
Aeradio*
Aieries*
Erotise*
Epinaoi*
Isatine*
Estrone*
Origane*
Arenose*
Anisole*
Sealine*
Inosite*
Auditee*
Lineate*
Eugarie*
Aliener*
Aeriest*
Snirted*
Aerosat*
Riotise*
Eugenia*
Inedita*
Reginae*
Arenite*
Douleia*
Aerobia*
Eucaine*
Sienite*
Ensuite*
Tornade*
Antliae*
Erinite*
Irisate*
Euouaes*
Atonias*
Troelie*
Goaties*
Situlae*
Urinose*
Dianoia*
Uralite* [100]


Valid in COUNTDOWN only
Rembetika?
Otariid?
Pastorie?
Ratioed*
Adenous*
Toeside*
Rideout*
Osteria*
Rageous*
Radiole*
Aeronat*
Radious*
Audions*
Aeoline*
Ironias*
Monesia*
Aronias*
Idiotas*
Uranile*
Outened*
Roweite*
Rogaine*
Alnoite*
Neolite* [119]


:::FURTHER EDIT:::
I'm not going to add to these lists, but am working on something.
This has not been forgotten!
Last edited by L'oisleatch McGraw on Wed Sep 09, 2020 1:37 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Fiona T
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Re: Countdown vs Scrabble

Post by Fiona T »

I did for the two letter words!

https://www.apterous.org/ticket_view.php?ticket=5224


I was pondering this yesterday after the MSO tourney, where a lot of extremely good players turned up and were getting caught out by dictionary differences.

I'm assuming CD have some sort of deal with ODO to use that dictionary, because it would make a lot of sense to rationalise - the CSW dictionary is definitive - no ambiguity or restaurant rule type interpretations - and would make CD accessible to scrabblers and vice versa without the worry of polluting their preferred lexicon with invalid words. Sure there would be some pain for those who have studied ODO, but long term would definitely be a good thing. Maybe some issues over the longer words for unlimited and spoilage etc - CSW only goes up to 15 letters I think.

Of course scrabble isn't perfect either with both TWL and CSW - I think last night there were some players from over the pond whose preferred lexicon was TWL.
Noel Mc
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Re: Countdown vs Scrabble

Post by Noel Mc »

FIBRATE is valid in Scrabble, but not in Countdown :cry: :cry: :cry:
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L'oisleatch McGraw
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Re: Countdown vs Scrabble

Post by L'oisleatch McGraw »

If such lists were to be compiled, the focus should be on high playability 5s 6s 7s 8s and 9s...
No Countdown player cares about 4s or lower.

(ETAERIO jumps straight to mind, as does ROTALINE)
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Robert Foster
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Re: Countdown vs Scrabble

Post by Robert Foster »

Only considering words that are 2-9 letters long - there are about 29,000 words that are valid in Countdown that are not valid in CSW19. There are about 66,000 words that are valid in CSW19 that are not valid in Countdown.

The Scrabble dictionary is copyrighted so I can't publish a large chunk of the word list online. Here are some high-probability exclusive 7s for each lexicon to give you an idea of how extensive the differences are:

Only in CD:
RATIOED
AEOLINE
TOESIDE
ROGAINE
DAIGOUS
ACOURIE
IDIOTAS
MONESIA
AUDIONS
IRONIAS
AERONAT
ROWEITE
EUTOPIA
OUTENED
URANILE
ARONIAS
ADONITE
NEOLITE
RADIOUS
GUANOED

Only in Scrabble:
ERASION
ARENITE
ANTIRED
RATLINE
ANESTRI
ANISOLE
ATONERS
OUTEARN
NORITES
ALIENER
LINEATE
ETESIAN
AERIEST
ARENOSE
ELOINER
DILATER
RANDIES
URANIDE
NIDATES
ARIDEST
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Johnny Canuck
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Re: Countdown vs Scrabble

Post by Johnny Canuck »

RUTTOK is a Countdown-only word. I remember a discussion a while back where someone Googled it and the second result was a Countdown Wiki recap that contained it.
I'm not dead yet. In a rut right now because of stress from work. I'll be back later in S89. I also plan to bring back the Mastergram - if I can find a way to run a timer or clock through pure MediaWiki without having to upload to Vimeo every time.
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L'oisleatch McGraw
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Re: Countdown vs Scrabble

Post by L'oisleatch McGraw »

Robert Foster wrote: Sat Aug 22, 2020 10:23 pm The Scrabble dictionary is copyrighted so I can't publish
Copyright schmopyright.
We're doing this! :)
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L'oisleatch McGraw
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Re: Countdown vs Scrabble

Post by L'oisleatch McGraw »

Robert Foster wrote: Sat Aug 22, 2020 10:23 pm Only considering words that are 2-9 letters long - there are about 29,000 words that are valid in Countdown that are not valid in CSW19. There are about 66,000 words that are valid in CSW19 that are not valid in Countdown.
So many differences!!! No wonder top players prefer to stick to one game or the other.
I just went though the top 100 seven-letter words by playability in both games, and added the uniquely valid words to the lists above. It is already becoming rather lengthy.

I wonder what the best way to organise these lists would be?
I'm thinking by length first, and within that, by playability.
Of course they could be listed alphabetically...
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L'oisleatch McGraw
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Re: Countdown vs Scrabble

Post by L'oisleatch McGraw »

Robert Foster wrote: Sat Aug 22, 2020 10:23 pm Only considering words that are 2-9 letters long - there are about 29,000 words that are valid in Countdown that are not valid in CSW19. There are about 66,000 words that are valid in CSW19 that are not valid in Countdown.

The Scrabble dictionary is copyrighted so I can't publish a large chunk of the word list online. Here are some high-probability exclusive 7s for each lexicon to give you an idea of how extensive the differences are:
Just thinking more about this...
...I do want to get the full list. If this entails a lengthy collaborative effort, so be it.

However, from what you've written above, it looks like you may have this list partially or perhaps even completely done already. If you do, it would be wonderful if you could contact me privately with what you have.

As regards the potential crime of copyright infringement, if you do not want to be a party to it, that's understandable. An anonymous wetransfer link would certainly be acceptable. I am happy to take the fall here, and do the jail time without grassing up any accomplices.

TL;DR
The list will be made. The list will be published.
If someone already has it made and is kind enough to share, it'll be published soon. Otherwise, it will take some time.
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