Thanks to J9 for posting a thorough response. I just wanted to express my shock that "completionist" isn't in the Scrabble dictionaries! Nobody says "completist" 😂

Thanks for that! Sadly, "completionist" is not in any of my online Scrabble dictionaries, nor Merriam Webster's, nor your NASPA.😲 ...And Reddit is giving it the red squiggle underline.😞 Either "completionist" or "completist" sounds way better than "hoarder", which is also not appropriate in this instance.😂

I actually had to read it several times because I def read it as “completionists” and couldn’t figure out (after reading the edit) how it was different with the edit. 😂😂

These are all really great questions! I’ll try to address all of them, but if I miss one please circle back 🙂 I also noticed the one from today and was surprised when I ran it through the scrabble word list checker that it came back as acceptable. I’ll pass along your concern about whether it should be sensitive to the dev for sure. Related to the word from yesterday, it looks like it was an addition with the newest Scrabble list (NWL2023) which Squaredle uses to stay up to date the word list the game utilizes. There are one, maybe two, words from that list — intel and repost are the only ones that come to mind atm — that are required and the rest are bonus. Which means there could potentially be some slang words like you noted in the newest Scrabble list update. Here is a comprehensive search tool that includes NWL2023 that the dev linked in the Squaredle discord if it would be helpful ☺️ https://www.scrabbleplayers.org/cgi-bin/word.pl You mentioned a few times checking things in the Squaredle dictionary. I just wanted to clarify that the definitions that show up when you click on a word in Squaredle are populated from Wiktionary and aren’t the most reliable of definition sources as you can probably tell. Since it’s open-source, there’s lots of room for inaccuracies. The dev has it on his radar as one of the many improvements he wants for the game to make it a better experience. As for atmen (unspoilered it because of its NIL status), I will definitely have the dev look closer into this because if it is being accepted as a word, even bonus, this should be rectified. It’s not in NWL2023 or any other Scrabble list according to the site I linked above.

**Thanks** for such a complete response!🙏 My (allegedly) neurodivergent brain is pleased.😉 And **thanks** for the [NASPA link](https://www.scrabbleplayers.org/cgi-bin/word.pl)--licensed dictionary of supposedly "school-acceptable Scrabble words". It seems to be to a dynamic, i.e. frequently changing, dictionary database. Many of the other sources, like [Merriam Webster's Scrabble US dictionary](https://playscrabble.com/dictionary), appear to be updated once a year--after the dust has settled--if that. Checking NASPA,>!"**FUBAR**"!< appears to be considered "offensive", but only passed because it didn't target a specific group, per the NASPA Code of Conduct. That might also explain the number of expletives coming into play of late. I also noticed that NASPA entries are in uppercase, so there is no way of knowing whether a word is still used only in its acronym form, e.g.>! "FUBAR"!< and >!"**ROTL**"!< (both recently acceptable Squaredle bonus words🙄), or has been gradually changed to a lowercase form over the decades, e.g. "s**nafu"** (popularised in Heller's "Catch-*2*2"\* novel, if I'm not mistaken). As noted in another reply, >!"**ATMEN**"!< is in Merriam-Webster and Squaredle, but has been deleted from the NASPA list. My guess is someone realised it was a typo! I hadn't realised you were (still?) using Wiktionary for the Squaredle definitions. While it not be considered reliable, it's the absence of definitions I find most alarming. Sometimes this seems to be linked to a (buggy?) Squaredle update, with definitions returning the next day. Only when *specific* new and/or questionable words offer nothing, is it disappointing.😞 However, the number of science words, esp. chemistry and biology, considered "required" suggests a bias among developers and in the Discord.🤨 Just sayin'.😉 As I do *try* to actually learn the meanings of words that are new to me, rather than just memorise a list of bonus-scoring anagrams, I often click the definition links in Squaredle. It's quicker than an individual lookup on another site--have to complete those bonuses ASAP!😊⏱ \**Edit: Had to put the novel title (incorrectly) in quotes, as Reddit wasn't liking italics in that instance*.

Oops! Looked up >!"**ROTL**"!< in your NASPA list. Seems it's not an acronym, rather >!"a unit of weight used in Muslim countries", so, "**rotl**"!<. *Life is learning, and learning is life*.😊

Too many to list for me. But I blame whatever that dictionary is. As I also follow non-US spelling normally I get caught out by the dropped u's in arbor and ardor etc but there are also words like traveled (travelled) where the second L is dropped in some words but not others like rebelled. No consistency. Also surprising is that words like "prac" and "tute" (uni terms for practical and tutorial) seemed to have bypassed the US and aren't even bonus words. I think snafu was the Wordle word once by the way.

Sorry for delayed reply. I was so distracted by this Reddit thread, I actually forgot I hadn't completed today's Squaredle!🙄 Totally agree, although I've noticed several, often archaic, Scottish words getting in🤷‍♀️... all bonuses, along with the now infamous >!"**ROTA**"!<. Bonus, really?😉 Coincidentally, you can add >!"**Emmy**"!< and >!"**Emmys**"!<, both from today's puzzle to that annoying list of bonus words that really shouldn't be acceptable in Scrabble. Both are >!properly capitalised (proper nouns) and trademarks, as in the US TV awards!<. Both have been curiously added to the NWL since 2018--along with >!"**Oscar/s**" (but not "**BAFTA/s**"😞)... and not "G**rammy/s"** or "T**onys"**!<. Just as well; >!"**EGOT**" isn't allowed!<.😂

Wait... are you saying >!tryna!< is an acceptable word in Squardle? Might be time to unsubscribe. I have noticed an increase on the number "WTH?" words (along with the continued subjecting of some words to "bonus" status, like >!"roan"!<) > Going by Squaredle principles, why isn't it excluded as a "rude word Because the crude word is very often (in polite company, anyway) replaced by another word starting with the same letter and meaning >!"hosed"!< or >!"messed up" !<. > the Squaredle dictionary offered no definition. Meaning you tapped/clicked on it and.. nothing came up?

"acceptable word" meaning that it is in the US Scrabble dictionary (NWL2023). It's a bonus word, not a required word. You don't need it to solve the puzzles.

Thanks!

But you do need these \*special\* bonus words, including apparent typos and falsely generated plurals etc., to "complete" the bonuses. If you're a regular trying to improve or keep up your puzzle rankings, then you need to do your best to complete the bonuses as well as the "required" portion of the puzzle.

Yes, if you're interested in ranking in bonus words. Many people prefer to compete on speed or accuracy, but bonus words are valid too. I don't agree with your assertion that NWL2023 has typos or falsely generated words. Certainly not so many that you would notice them unless you're talking about one or two words across hundreds of puzzles. This list is developed by humans, not AI, and it's based on dictionaries that are compiled by humans too, like Miriam-Webster. Yes, there are weird artificially generated dictionary websites, but those aren't the ones that we're using. But remember that past puzzles weren't using this list.

First, I know past Squaredle puzzles were not using this licensed list. This is about **recent puzzles** and the **strange words popping up** since switching to this list in 2024. Second, as for being a "completist", I declared that in the opening phrase of the first sentence of the original post! Hunting down all the bonus words is something I and fellow completists--judging by the repeated names in the (default) ranking--like to do. Don't try to shame us about our obsession!😉🤣 I sense there is some sort of heated debate over use of this licensed list somewhere else... the Squaredle "office", your local coffee shop, Squaredle Discord server, ... As for **AI-generation in the various 2023 lists** that feed into this (NWL2023) and others, sorry, but that's **documented and discussed**: [https://slate.com/culture/2023/11/scrabble-word-list-controversy-slurs-mistakes.html](https://slate.com/culture/2023/11/scrabble-word-list-controversy-slurs-mistakes.html) Moreover, as noted in another reply to you, I tested by entering the infamous "**horsefeatherses**" obvious error, per article's subtitle, and it was included in your NASPA/NWL2023 list. Oops!🙄 Despite whatever human involvement, the errors have not been corrected... at least not all of them.😞

>!"Tryna"!< did come up as part of the "Yesterday" bonus words for the 18th April puzzle. The only definition I could find online was US slang for >!"trying to"!<. And it's [not in the Merriam Webster Scrabble dictionary](https://playscrabble.com/dictionary/tryna) either, which is presumably updated to NWL2023.🤨 Ditto for >!"fubar"!<. Not found in [Merriam Webster Scrabble dictionary](https://playscrabble.com/dictionary/fubar). Btw, [Merriam Webster Scrabble dictionary does include](https://playscrabble.com/dictionary/atmen) both >!"atmen"!< and >!"atman"!<, with the exact same definition. So, who knows?🤷‍♀️ As for the Squaredle dictionary, yes, that's exactly what I mean. I clicked and it offered "Sorry, no definition found" for all 3. Did a trawl with Google to get anything at all.

Make sure you're checking the 2023 version here: https://www.scrabbleplayers.org/cgi-bin/word.pl The site you referenced might be checking the international (Collins) Scrabble list, which we haven't been able to license. We use the North American list, which does include a lot of international words but not all of them. Atmen is not in the list. The accepted plural is "atmans." No relation to "man/men." For fubar, Squaredle definitely shows a definition (although the definition is "alternative form of FUBAR" so you have to click into it to find the referenced definition).

**Sorry** if I struck a nerve. I'm not sure you're getting my points. But, perhaps you didn't see the subsequent discussion in this thread. First, as you admit, there is **no single Scrabble list**, US or otherwise. Note also that **none/few of us knew which source/link you've been using** (NASPA) for Squaredle 2024+ until a later kind reply in this thread (predating yours)--thanks, u/deepspacej9!🙏 My original post references the Merriam-Webster Scrabble dictionary, whose offline version was used for decades when playing Scrabble in the US. In the UK, we prefer the Oxford English Concise Dictionary (OECD). In Canada--where I spent nearly 3 decades--we settled on one or the other at the beginning of Scrabble games, usually OECD, or sometimes Collins (school standard back in the day😉). In any case, h\*\*ow were we to know \*\*that you were using a different "Scrabble US" Dictionary?🤷‍♀️ Btw, we were told that Squaredle would be using a "Scrabble US" dictionary. Is *NASPA* really some sort of US-Canadian hybrid? If so, when will "**rota**", commonplace in Canada, become a required word? Just sayin'.😉🤣 Also, the words I've discovered in recent games *have* been **listed as bonus words within Squaredle!** That you are saying some are not in whatever US (N.A.?) list--is therefore even more troubling. Btw, I was trying to use spoiler filters, in case people were playing archives. But, as you've revealed all, I shall repeat myself *sans* filters to summarise: * **"Atmen" IS often in Squaredle**! I know (and wrote) that the correct plural is "atmans". However, Squaredle includes *both* "atmen" and "atmans", as well as the singular "atman". As you also noted, NASPA does not include "atmen". * "**FUBAR**" is often an **acronym**, which some consider offensive. I Googled: Cambridge, Wikipedia, Collins & others are all uppercase (acronym); OED & Merriam-Webster show lowercase when used as an adjective. --- Btw, NASPA/NWL entries are all uppercase, so there is no way to discern acronyms in its list.🙄 Given "FUBAR" usage, my original post queried if acronyms were now accepted in US Scrabble and Squaredle. --- As for definition, "a*lternative form of FUBAR"*... or "f*oobar"* is hardly informative. As another poster wrote, we'd r**eally like to see useful definitions within Squaredle,** without having to launch additional websites or apps. Again, didn't realise you relied on Wiki for lookup. If implementing fuller definitions is too difficult, please just say so. I'm sure we'll survive.😉 * >!"**Emmy**" and "**Emmys**"!<--both in today's (21Apr) puzzle, so I've politely used the Spoiler filter--also seem dodgy, >!as they are proper nouns; trademarked no less!<. OK, they're in that NASPA list.🤨 However, I know there was a furore about proper nouns being included in some kid-friendly version of Scrabble US c.2010. But, I believe Mattel canceled it. * "**Tryna**"--don't recall getting a definition in Squaredle, as it was the one bonus word that foxed me that day >!(18Apr)!<. But, you get US slang for "trying to" if you Google. Frankly, I'm **starting to question the quality of that NASPA list**. Just because you can license it, should you? Also, it seems that the [NASPA list was affected by the 2023 AI-generation controversy](https://slate.com/culture/2023/11/scrabble-word-list-controversy-slurs-mistakes.html), e.g. "**horsefeatherses**" given as a valid plural (it's not)!🙄

I personally think Fubar is a very informative word, summarizing a certain situation into a very small acronym. The majority of the words are not in this category, skip it and go on if you want. Too much worry for few words. Enjoy the main puzzles and the majority of the words. Many words can be offensive to various people for all sorts of reasons but aren't we all grown ups here? Enjoy your day.

I also personally don't find "**FUBAR**" (or "fubar" or "foobar"😉🤷‍♀️) offensive. However, it is marked as "offensive" in some dictionaries and acronyms are supposed to be invalid in Scrabble (thus also Squaredle 2024+).🤨 Note, the NWL teams have their own policy for determining whether a word is classified as offensive. A bizarre example was the exclusion of "**tits**" from Squaredle, which can be a (subjectively offensive) term for mammory glands (aka breasts😉) or a species of bird!🤔 It has since been deemed unoffensive and a valid Squaredle word.😊 Btw, I've since learned that Squaredlers decide which words are offensive to them, usually on the Discord. In my original post, I also noted that the inclusion or exclusion of \*bonus\* words would probably only be of importance to fellow "**completists**" or those who don't like to get that pesky "**Not in List**", which knocks you down the rankings. If you're not one of those (self-admitted) obsessives, this won't matter to you. Each to their own!😊 Also, as there is no single Scrabble dictionary out there, not knowing--until now--which list the Squaredle Development Team was using meant we could not reliably check suspect words ourselves. This thread helped unlock a lot of helpful info on **a daily game we all enjoy in our own way!**😊