‘Arvo’, ‘strewth’ and ‘crikey’ are just some of the words included in a new limited edition Australian version of Scrabble.
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The much-loved word game is made by Mattel, which in 2016 called for submissions of Australian slang for inclusion in the final glossary.
It will be the world’s first country-specific version of the game, and will allow participants to use terms coined from an extensive list of popular Australian colloquialisms including ‘biffo’, ‘shonky’ and ‘cozzie’. The ‘strewth cards’ introduce another layer of fun, such as allowing players to draw extra tiles for extended game play.
“Australian slang is synonymous with everyday life and national pride – yet many of us may not even recognise some of our favourite everyday words are actually Australian adaptations of the universal English language,” Mattel senior marketing manager Jacinta Whitehead said.
“Scrabble has always been a popular game for friends and families to play. This special edition is sure to enrich our Aussie vocabulary and produce lots of laughs and entertainment over the Christmas holidays.”
Not to upset the traditionalists, Mattel worked with the Australian Scrabble Players Association on the localised vocabulary to ensure the new words added excitement to the timeless game.
“Our slang is truly unique and a language in its own right,” Ms Whitehead said. “Australian Scrabble players will rejoice in the Aussie edition that rightfully includes a new, homegrown glossary to challenge them further.”