The Zen of Scrabble

AZCentral: The Zen of Scrabble
Today's question:

Why can't I use the word “Zen” when playing Scrabble?

Well, because you just can't, can you?

“Zen,” a form of Buddhism, is considered to be a proper noun and as all God-fearing, right-thinking people of all races and creeds know: You can't play a proper noun in Scrabble.

(I think I'm supposed to make that trademark sign behind “Scrabble,” but for what I get paid I'm not going to bother to find out how).

Anyway, I suppose if you and your opponent mutually agreed to bend the rules to allow proper nouns, that would be your business.

However, we all know that the rules of Scrabble, along with the 10 Commandments, the Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights and Major League Baseball, are the foundations of our civilization.

On the other hand, the rules of golf are, if you ask me, open to interpretation. I say such rules depend on which of you and your opponents is the biggest cheater or the most creative interpreter of the rules.

My late father, for instance, had a rule that you could not score more than 10 on any hole, no matter how many strokes you took. Plus, since he preferred to play in the morning, you got one stroke off for any hole played after noon.

Anyway, should you happen while playing Scrabble (trademark thingy) to be blessed with a “z” and a blank tile you you could play “zazen,” which on a triple-word score would be worth 27 points. No, 39 points.

“Zazen” is a Japanese word meaning “to sit” as in to sit in Zen meditation. I know it is more or less a foreign word, but it is allowed in Scrabble (trademark thingy). If you have z-e-n- tiles you also play citizen or frozen or a bunch of other -zen words.