Killer $25K Scrabble® question on today's show [spoiler]

[Bob Juch]

They really don't want people to get even $25K nowadays.

What are the only two state names that can not be spelled using the standard set of tiles, not including blanks?

[christie1111]

Prolly not a problem for FrankT

Spoiler

Mississippi?

Having a hard time with the second.

[ToLiveIsToFly]

Spoiler

Hawai'i?

[Weyoun]

Rhode Island and Providence Plantations?

[christie1111]

Spoiler

Hawai'i?

Only if they get fussy about the '.

I spell it that way, but most do not.

[jayhawker536]

My favorite pasttime lately, playing scrabble on Pogo, so it was not a problem for me knowing how many tiles of each are in the game of scrabble.

Just goes to show, it's only easy if you know the answer.

[plasticene]

They really don't want people to get even $25K nowadays.

What are the only two state names that can not be spelled using the standard set of tiles, not including blanks?

THAT's a killer question? Doesn't everyone who's ever played Scrabble know

Spoiler

there's just one K

? If more than one of the choices included

Spoiler

Kentucky

, then I'll admit, it's tough, because not everyone would recognize that there aren't enough

Spoiler

C

tiles to spell

Spoiler

Connecticut

.

[TheConfessor]

The second contestant's name sounds like a soft drink brand. Crystal Sierra.

[Bob Juch]

They really don't want people to get even $25K nowadays.

What are the only two state names that can not be spelled using the standard set of tiles, not including blanks?

THAT's a killer question? Doesn't everyone who's ever played Scrabble know

Spoiler

there's just one K

? If more than one of the choices included

Spoiler

Kentucky

, then I'll admit, it's tough, because not everyone would recognize that there aren't enough

Spoiler

C

tiles to spell

Spoiler

Connecticut

.

You have the right states, but no, not everyone who has played knows how many tiles of each letter there are. I would have guessed correctly, but haven't played in 40 years or so.

[minimetoo26]

The second contestant's name sounds like a soft drink brand. Crystal Sierra.

It's her stripper name.

[NellyLunatic1980]

The correct answer is none of them because proper nouns are not allowed in Scrabble.

[TheConfessor]

Any successful past contestant and most of the people here would have nailed the Ask The Expert question. It's a pretty standard Trivia 101 question. Once again, the Expert didn't know, except to say that the actual correct answer was wrong.

The inauguration question seemed hard to me, mainly because I didn't know the answer.

[MarleysGh0st]

Any successful past contestant and most of the people here would have nailed the Ask The Expert question. It's a pretty standard Trivia 101 question. Once again, the Expert didn't know, except to say that the actual correct answer was wrong.

It's a gift! Keep her as an Expert and choose whatever answer she rules out!

[Mustakrakish]

I'd like to state for the record that I knew this. Then again, I do hustle people at Scrabble for money.

[SportsFan68]

At first I thought it was impossible, until someone reminded me that it's multiple choice. I think I would have guessed correctly. Like BobJ, it's been a while since I've played. And I'm not familiar with it as a Trivia 101 question.

That is KILLER! I would have wanted at least two or three minutes to think it through, imagine the tiles laid out ahead of time ready for a match . . .

[Bob Juch]

Any successful past contestant and most of the people here would have nailed the Ask The Expert question. It's a pretty standard Trivia 101 question. Once again, the Expert didn't know, except to say that the actual correct answer was wrong.

The inauguration question seemed hard to me, mainly because I didn't know the answer.

I remembered the answer to the inauguration question. There was a lot of fuss about TV coverage of both events.

[TheConfessor]

At first I thought it was impossible, until someone reminded me that it's multiple choice. I think I would have guessed correctly. Like BobJ, it's been a while since I've played. And I'm not familiar with it as a Trivia 101 question.

It's not. I was referring to the question about vanilla as Trivia 101. That's the one the Expert was asked.

[Bob Juch]

At first I thought it was impossible, until someone reminded me that it's multiple choice. I think I would have guessed correctly. Like BobJ, it's been a while since I've played. And I'm not familiar with it as a Trivia 101 question.

It's not. I was referring to the question about vanilla as Trivia 101. That's the one the Expert was asked.

If you buy good, real, vanilla it may have a photo of the flower on the box.

[silverscreenselect]

The correct answer is none of them because proper nouns are not allowed in Scrabble.

The question wasn't which words could be played in a game of scrabble, but which state names could be spelled with a standard set of tiles. You can't use any proper noun or any two-word name such as the Carolinas, Dakotas or any of the "New" states.

[Thousandaire]

Any successful past contestant and most of the people here would have nailed the Ask The Expert question. It's a pretty standard Trivia 101 question. Once again, the Expert didn't know, except to say that the actual correct answer was wrong.

This happens a lot. A good strategy might be: if the ATE isn't sure but says "it's definitely not that one," choose that one.

I knew vanilla is grown in the tropics so orchid is the only reasonable answer.

The inauguration one, you can guess it's probably Reagan or Carter as the Super Bowl has gotten later and later since the first one (1967) and inauguration day is Jan. 20.

[TheConfessor]

The inauguration one, you can guess it's probably Reagan or Carter as the Super Bowl has gotten later and later since the first one (1967) and inauguration day is Jan. 20.

Good point. I didn't think of that. It's been a long time since the Super Bowl was as early as January 20.

[doitneatly]

They really don't want people to get even $25K nowadays.

What are the only two state names that can not be spelled using the standard set of tiles, not including blanks?

THAT's a killer question? Doesn't everyone who's ever played Scrabble know

Spoiler

there's just one K

? If more than one of the choices included

Spoiler

Kentucky

, then I'll admit, it's tough, because not everyone would recognize that there aren't enough

Spoiler

C

tiles to spell

Spoiler

Connecticut

.

In light of The Damn Clock, I'd claim this question deserved to be worth at least $50k.

I play plenty of scrabble, so I found the answer easily enough from the armchair. But imagine yourself in the hotseat; this was a cumbersome question that required scrutiny of the individual letters comprising every answer while also recalling and correlating the various scrabble letter frequencies.

I do think I would've pulled this off in the requisite 30 seconds (in fact, I wish this had been my $25k question...) but it might've been close.

For anyone who's not a quick reader and a big scrabble fan and good at juggling numbers... I call this a killer indeed.

[VAdame]

What were the choices??

[doitneatly]

What were the choices??

Question:

Spoiler

What are the only U.S. State names that can't be spelled from a standard set of 98 Scrabble tiles, not including the blanks?

Choices:

Spoiler

A: Mississippi & Hawaii B: Arkansas & Pennsylvania
C: Connecticut & Kentucky D: Massachusetts & Colorado

[TheConfessor]

What were the choices??

Question:

Spoiler

What are the only U.S. State names that can't be spelled from a standard set of 98 Scrabble tiles, not including the blanks?

Choices:

Spoiler

A: Mississippi & Hawaii B: Arkansas & Pennsylvania
C: Connecticut & Kentucky D: Massachusetts & Colorado

This wouldn't be as hard as it might seem if you had the presence of mind to approach it logically and efficiently in the limited time allowed. All you have to do is eliminate three states that seem spellable with a standard Scrabble set. For example,
A: (H + 2A + W + 2I) = not a problem
B: (3A + R + K + N + 2S) = not a problem
D: (C + 3O + L + R + A + D) = not a problem
but
C: (2K + E + N + T + U + C + Y) = maybe a problem with the 2Ks
or (3C + O + 2N + E + 2T + I + U) = maybe a problem with the 2Cs

Of course, this is easier to see at home, without a clock ticking.