Scrabble is enjoying a second heyday… Between one and two million sets are sold yearly; on in every three American households is reported to own one; and thirty thousand new games are said to begin, somewhere in the world, every hour.

…The Senegalese, who mostly speak Wolof but play in French, celebrate their Scrabble champions as national heroes. Sets are available in 28 foreign languages, including Hebrew, Malay, and Welsh (which has seven “Y”s, three more than the English version; one “LL”; and two “FF”s), and in Braille.

That is Judith Thurman exploring the world of competitive Scrabble in the New Yorker. I’m reminded of the documentary Wordplay, which follows the world’s uber-crossword players. It is thoroughly worth watching.

I am also reminded of Christmases with my wife’s family. Among the constant stream of competitive activities is Speed Scrabble, sans board. It would take too long to explain. More interesting is the delicious irony of the game: my brother-in-law, professional actor, beats me every time, while I trounce him at charades. Perhaps we missed our callings?