Syarikat Permainan (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Games for the Whole Family

WELCOME TO THE GAME OF SPM

July 22, 1991
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Increase your vocabulary with Vocable

Vocable, a word game produced by Syarikat Permainan Malaysia (SPM), the local manufacturer makes you think of that other famous English word game, Scrabble.

You would find that the light and dark blue and red and pink markings for the triple word score, triple letter score and double word score, on the Scrabble board are quite similar to those on the Vocable playing board. While the minimum score for a Scrabble tile is one, Vocable is a bit generous with two points.

One advantage of Vocable is that on the reverse side of the board there is a game for the juniors. There are no bonus points such as triple word scores for the kiddies, though. In order to score they will have to rely on what tiles they use to form a word and each tile will constitute the points. Never mind the points, this game would help in a way to upgrade children's vocabulary and word power.

Do you remember how you used to knock your little brother's head when he started scattering your Scrabble tiles and suddenly you realise that a potential triple letter score is hampered by the missing Z to complete Zoo? Well in Vocable, if you lose a tile, there are eight empty ones provided for replacement. All you need do is get a marker pen and write the letter Z on the blank tile.

Vocable is indeed generous on points. On Scrabble the joker tile, the four blank tiles which can replace any letter, holds no points. On Vocable you get two points.

The first player starts according to the alphabetical order and the round goes clockwise (the only game I know that goes anti-clock wise is the Mad magazine game).

Words? Everything found in the dictionary except abbreviations and compound or hyphenated words.

Vocable is retailed at $24.90 but whoever's got the Max strike $4.90 off the tag.

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