Scrabble Gets Its Trademark

Setting the scene

Architect Alfred Mosher Butts analyzed letter frequency in The New York Times and designed a crossword-like game he first called Lexiko, then Criss-Cross Words, during the 1930s. He struggled to find a manufacturer until James Brunot, a former social worker, partnered to produce sets in a Connecticut church basement.

What happened

Brunot renamed the game Scrabble and trademarked it in 1948, refining rules and tile distribution while Butts retained royalties. Sales remained modest until 1952, when Macy's president Jack Straus played it on vacation and ordered large quantities for the store.

Why it still matters

Scrabble clubs, official dictionaries, and championship play turned a Depression-era invention into a competitive word sport. Memorable detail: the highest-scoring single play in tournament history used all seven tiles on two triple-word squares, though casual kitchen-table games rarely approach such extremes.

Background

Competitive word lists and tournaments followed.