Will collaborative Scrabble ruin the next generation? I’d bet my last qapik it won’t | Tim Clare

Some are outraged by a version for people intimidated' by word games. Take it from me: Scrabble rules are for breaking

It's a terrible indictment of our education system", a sad, sad indictment of modern society" and a move that will mean future generations will be deprived of their full potential". This was the reaction of outraged commenters to the launch of a new edition of Scrabble called Scrabble Together.

Mattel's update of the 75-year-old tile-laying word game includes a mode in which players collaborate to make words and score the most points as a team. Cards give players hints to help them find the best words. It's intended to offer a less competitive, more accessible experience where players of differing ages and abilities can enjoy working on a puzzle together.

Tim Clare is a columnist for Tabletop Gaming magazine. His book The Game Changers: How Playing Games Changed the World and Can Change You Too will be published in November