Scrabble Bingo of the Day: ALAMEDA

ALAMEDA  60 points (10 points without the bingo)

Definition: a shaded walkway [n]

For those on the west coast, alameda is not just a city in the Harbor Bay or a street in downtown Los Angeles, it's also a legitimate Scrabble word meaning a shady walkway. It's actually a Spanish word that translates into "a place full of poplars," where the root word "alamo" simply means a poplar tree. When it's used in English, alameda is used to describe any tree-lined street, usually a promenade. This is a great word to play to trick any Californians more familiar with Alameda City or Alemeda Street... maybe it will provoke a challenge, giving you an even better chance of coming out on top.

Inflections: ALAMEDAS [pl.]

 Promenade Alameda del Tajo in Ronda, Spain.
 Photo by Memoirs of a Young Adventuress

 An alameda in a residential park in Alameda Naval Air Station.
 Photo by Chris Pattillo

So, just what is a Scrabble Bingo?

A bingo is when a player empties his or her rack in one turn, placing all seven of their letters on the board to create a word that's at least seven letters long. The term "bingo" is used primarily in the U.S., but elsewhere it's simply known as a "bonus" because you get a bonus of 50 points added to your turn's score. "Scrabble Bingo of the Day" will focus on these high scoring plays, teaching you some interesting and possibly unusual seven-letter or longer words accepted in a game of Scrabble.

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