q-u-e-s-t-i-o-n
QUESTION An inquiry seeking information or response; a matter of doubt or uncertainty; a problem requiring resolution. In word games, QUESTION delivers 17 base points.
17
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
Questions form the foundation of human knowledge and progress. From a child's endless "why?" to a scientist's hypothesis, from Socrates' method to modern journalism's five W's, questions drive discovery, learning, and understanding. Every breakthrough, every innovation, every moment of clarity begins with someone brave enough to ask.
In language, questions take many forms: open-ended explorations seeking narrative responses, closed queries demanding yes or no, rhetorical devices that answer themselves, and leading questions that guide toward predetermined conclusions. The question mark itself, evolved from the Latin "questio," appeared in medieval manuscripts as a decorative flourish before standardizing in print. Different languages signal questions uniquely—through word order, particles, intonation, or specialized punctuation like Spanish's inverted opening mark.
Questions power every field of human endeavor. In science, they form hypotheses; in law, they seek truth; in philosophy, they probe existence; in education, they assess understanding. The art of questioning—knowing what, when, and how to ask—distinguishes great teachers, journalists, therapists, and leaders. Studies show that people who ask more questions are perceived as better listeners and more likeable, while curiosity correlates with intelligence, creativity, and life satisfaction.
For Scrabble players, QUESTION represents a premium 8-letter bingo opportunity. The Q-U combination (worth 11 points together) anchors this high-value play, while common letters like E, S, T, I, O, N provide flexibility. Using all eight letters triggers the 50-point bonus, potentially scoring 70+ points. Strategic players note that QUESTION can hook with S for QUESTIONS or build from existing words containing QUEST, ION, or similar fragments.
QUESTION derives from Latin "quaestio," meaning "a seeking" or "inquiry," from "quaerere" (to seek, ask). The word entered English via Old French "question" in the 13th century, initially used in philosophical and legal contexts. The verb form emerged in the 15th century, while "questionable" appeared in the 16th century. The evolution from "seeking" to "asking" reflects the human journey from curiosity to articulated inquiry. Related words span Romance languages: Spanish "cuestión," Italian "questione," reflecting the word's deep roots in Western intellectual tradition.
•QUESTION is an 8-letter bingo word—using all tiles earns a 50-point bonus plus base tile values
•Children ask an average of 300 questions per day, peaking at age 4 with up to 400 daily queries
•The Socratic method, based entirely on asking questions, has shaped Western education for 2,400 years
"The scientist's question challenged decades of accepted theory, opening new avenues of research."
"There are no stupid questions, only missed opportunities to learn something new."
Valuable alternatives for Q-tile plays and 8-letter bingos:
Total base points: 17 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 4 (U, E, I, O) | Consonants: 4 (Q, S, T, N)
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like QUESTION