Are you enthralled in the current word/letter game fad Wordle? Do you play Scrabble? I don’t but a dear friend does. – Since I am a word nerd and most often accurate speller, let me offer some strategies to win the latter.

I could ‘go pro’ with each of these games, but I’ll remain true to my preoccupation with Seven Little Words and Words with Friends. Who needs more distractions?

Scrabble can be a ruthless, cutthroat game. Whether you’re playing it with family or friends, coming up with words on the fly — let alone words with specific letters, designed to garner the most points possible — is tough.

One of the most difficult letters to work with in Scrabble is the “z.” To help you reign supreme in Scrabble, I’ve put together a batch of words that start with the final letter of the alphabet to help you conquer and rule!

Zany

“Kooky,” “silly,” and “unconventional” are all synonymous with “zany,” but they don’t have the high-scoring “z.” Try “zanies, zaniest, zaniness” because, as you know, longer words score more points.

Zaebra

It’s an improvised fence, and an uncommon word to play on the fly. “We need a zareba to keep the rabbits out of the garden,” I casually commented when my husband groused about the neighborhood rabbits helping themselves to produce in his garden.

Zeal

A noun that is synonymous with “eagerness.” “Zealous, zealousness, zealotry, zealot(s)” will score more premium points.

Zenith

A “zenith” is the highest point of something – like a celestial body or a career – or an epic Scrabble score.

Ziggurat

This Mesopotamian tower structure, often connected to a temple, is the name of a boondoggle building in southern Orange County which houses the I.R.S.

Zipper

Everyone knows what this garment fastener is/does, but it’s likely so common it might not be thought of. I once used the word in this manner. “She was so thin that, when she turned sideways, she looked like a zipper.”

Zinfandel

If you don’t know what this word is, we might have to yank your California citizenship…

Zircon

One hopes their diamond ring isn’t a zircon….

Zoo

Also consider “zoolatry, zoology, zootomy, zoonotic, zoomania” for plumper scores. And, don’t forget that there are “zebras” in the zoo!

Zither

“The sound filled the air as she played the zither to calm the preschoolers and their parents.” Have you heard one?

Zucchini

A vegetable in our garden. It’s good for diets.

Zest

“Zest: is what you’ll feel when you used this word to win! Or “zesty.” Do you know what a “zester” is?

Ziplock

“Ziplock” is the brand name of the plastic storage bag we all use.

Zillion

Zillion is a number too large to count. “I wish I had a gazillion dollars.” Note that I’ve given a lengthier word – and more to spend in your dreams, Constant Reader.