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Word Games and Puzzles to Play with Family and Friends

By , About.com Guide

Why not spend some quality time with the family by playing these entertaining board games which are not only an enjoyable way to spend time, but educational, too. If you're shopping for word games for children, see Word Games for Children.

Scrabble Board Game

ScrabbleImage courtesy of Price Grabber.

Invented in the 1930s by an unemployed architect, Scrabble went on to become the most successful board game of the 20th century.

Super SCRABBLE®

Super SCRABBLE®Image courtesy of StuffKidsLike.com

Now SCRABBLE® is bigger and better than ever! This super-sized version of the game offers twice the number of tiles and a giant game board, allowing you to play words that weren't possible in the original game.

Syzygy - That Word Game

Syzygy Word GameImage courtesy of AreYouGame.com

Anybody who likes Scrabble (or crossword puzzles) will probably enjoy this game and while Scrabble is limited to four players, this game will accommodate 2-3 times that many. Ideally suited for large families.

Pictionary Game

Pictionary GameImage courtesy of AreYouGame.com

Sketch a picture and have your team guess the word or phrase it represents before time runs out! For 3 or more players. Ages 12 - Adult.

Buzz Word Game

Buzz Word GameImage courtesy of AreYouGame.com

Your team has 45 seconds to solve 10 clues, and all the answers contain the buzz word. This fast-paced game is great for the whole family. For 4 or more players. Ages 8 and up.

Taboo Word Game

Taboo Word GameImage courtesy of AreYouGame.com

In this game, you've got to think fast, talk fast and avoid saying TABOO words. If your team guesses the secret word, you get a point. But beware! If your opponents catch you saying a taboo word, they sound the buzzer and score the point! Includes 504 TABOO cards, card holder, buzzer, timer, score pad. 2 AA batteries required (not included). For 4 or more players.

SCRABBLE® Travel Game

SCRABBLE® Travel GameImage courtesy of AreYouGame.com

Now you can take your favorite word game with you anywhere! Includes game board, 100 snap-in letter tiles, 4 plastic tile racks, letter pouch, scorepad and pencil, all neatly contained in a zippered case that folds to 10-1/4x6-1/2x2-1/2.

Scrabble Upwords

UpwordsImage courtesy of AreYouGame.com

With Upwords, you can build words in three directions: across, down, and even upwards. You can stack letters on top of letters already on the board, changing existing words into new ones. Score points for each letter in your word and extra points for every tile under each letter. Tiles can be stacked 5 high, so the scores really add up fast! For 2 to 4 players.

The Official Scrabble Dictionary

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A must for serious Scrabble players. Official Scrabble dictionary eliminates doubt if a word is acceptable. Paperback: 674 pages. ISBN: 9780877799290

Boggle Game

Boggle GameImage courtesy of AreYouGame.com

It's a race against the clock (and your opponents) to make as many words as possible using only adjacent letters. The longer the words you can find, the more points you score.

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