Highest Score in a Single Move

 WORLD RECORD

The highest score in a single move in a real game is believed to be 392 points. This blockbusting score was managed by Dr. Karl Khoshnaw of Manchester, England on 11 April 1982. He was holding the letters ACEIQSU, and was looking to play the word CAIQUES somewhere on the board. Very fortunately for him, his opponent opened up two Triple-Word-Score Squares with a Z between them (See board below).

Dr. Khoshnaw managed to straddle both the Triple-Word-Score Squares by playing the word CAZIQUES The 392 points includes the bonus of 50 points.

What does CAZIQUES mean? It is the plural of CAZIQUE - a variant spelling of CACIQUE which is defined differently by various Dictionaries. Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary defines CACIQUE as a West Indian chief or political boss. The Official Scrabble Player's Dictionary (OSPD) defines CACIQUE as a tropical oriole. Websters New Third International Dictionary gives both these definitions, plus a third one. CACIQUE is also a landowner in the Philippines according to Webster's.

Reference: page 151-152, The Scrabble Book by Gyles Brandreth and Darryl Francis