The Bugle
19 October 2019
A fortnightly celebration of people and places on the Upper South Coast of NSW Serving the communities of Kiama, Gerringong, Jamberoo, Kiama Downs, Minnamurra and Gerroa and now at www.thebugleonline.com
Our man at the Scrabble world titles meeting of the Wollongong Order of Really Dedicated Scrabblers (WORDS). “I’ve always loved word games and I like competition. “I love sport and I see Scrabble as a mental sport. “You need a lot of word knowledge and good tactics.” His time with WORDS has increased his average points per game from 300 to 410-420. His highest scoring word ever was worth 226 points, but disappointingly he can’t remember what it was. The world championships are run by the World English Language Scrabble Players Association, without the sponsorship support of the game’s owners, Hasbro and Mattel. The over 200 competitors from 24 countries need to use words from the Collins Dictionary, which now has the official rights to the game. “There are around 277,000 words, up to 17 letters long,” said Graeme. “The best players in the “I’m very disappointed Council has engaged a world have learnt them all, but I understand we need to which is astonishing.” contractor to remove the honour the commitment we ANZAC commemorative While the UK and the US logo from Kiama Lighthouse made in 2014,” says Mayor dominate the sport, the last following a negative response Mark Honey. champion was from Bahrain. “As much as we would to its application to keep it Thailand has become a love to see the logo remain, phenomena, having produced there indefinitely. we will except the decision “I’m very pleased to see several world champions. handed down,” says the the original commitment is “Even if they can’t carry President of the Kiamabeing honoured,” says Ian out a conversation in EnClifford, President of Light- Jamberoo RSL, Mongo glish, they manage to learn houses of Australia. Delamont. all the words they need to Crown Lands refused “The logo has certainly use as ammunition,” said the application on heritage served its purpose in that it Graeme. concerns, and because it was has given cause for reflecThe Americans are at a not originally intended as an tion and a show of respect to disadvantage, as the dictioongoing installation. those gone long before us.” Jamberoo’s Graeme Lock Lee is in Goa at the moment, competing at this year’s Scrabble world championships. He qualified as one of the thirteen Australians to compete at the bi-annual event, having traveled to Nairobi for the previous championships in 2017. The Bugle spoke to Graeme just before he left for India to find out what’s involved in world class competitive Scrabble.
While he modestly doesn’t expect to return with the world crown, he is in good form. “I scored my highest ever game, 604 points, this week so I’m in peak condition,” he said with a smile. “I hope it is a good sign. You need the right tiles to fall into your rack to score like that. It doesn’t happen very often for anyone.” Graeme discovered competitive Scrabble in 1996 when he dropped in to a
21B Barney Street, KIAMA After Hours Towing 0438 424 574
Upgrades commence p3
Acting planning head appointed p3
Lighthouse: logo must come down
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Inside this issue
Who’ll save the Christmas parade? p3
Graeme Lock Lee hopes to one day get to use the anagram for Jamberoo - Jeroboam - in a game
naries they use domestically contain only 185,000 words. While countries have quotas of players, it is an individual sport. After four days of competition, the top two ranked players will play off in the best of five. As for tactics, Graeme explained the primary goal is to empty the rack of all seven tiles at once to pick up 50 bonus points, and you need to know all the two and three letter words.
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The highest scoring opportunity is if you are able to cover both triple word squares. Graeme encourages people to give the sport of individual tournament scrabble a try. “You’re competing against yourself as well.”
Jamberoo’s big weekend p9
Details: WORDS meets every Monday at Collegians in Wollongong, 7-10.30pm. New players welcome. Kiama Library also hosts a Scrabble club on Tuesdays at 3pm. ALL MECHANICAL REPAIRS • LOG BOOK SERVICING • BRAKE & CLUTCH SPECIALIST • AUTO ELECTRICAL REPAIRS SMASH REPAIRS • INSURANCE CLAIMS & PRIVATE WORK • WINDSCREENS • TOWING TYRES • BALANCE AND ROTATION • FULL RANGE AVAILABLE REGISTRATIONS
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