s-a-x-o-p-h-o-n-e
SAXOPHONE is a single-reed woodwind instrument with a brass body, commonly used in jazz, classical, and popular music. In word games, it's a high-scoring 9-letter word featuring the valuable X tile.
21
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
The SAXOPHONE is a versatile wind instrument that bridges the gap between brass and woodwind families. Despite its brass construction, it's classified as a woodwind due to its single-reed mouthpiece, similar to a clarinet.
In word games, SAXOPHONE is a premium play worth 21 base points. The X tile (8 points) combined with common letters makes this an achievable yet high-scoring word. The PH digraph also adds value with H worth 4 points.
Strategic players often build towards SAXOPHONE by first playing shorter words like SAX, PHONE, or AXE, then extending them when the opportunity arises. The word's length makes it ideal for earning the 50-point bonus for using all seven tiles.
SAXOPHONE is named after its inventor, Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax, who patented it in 1846. The word combines "Sax" (the inventor's surname) with the Greek suffix "-phone" meaning "sound" or "voice." It literally means "Sax's sound," making it one of the few instruments named after its creator.
•SAXOPHONE is one of the longest common words containing X, perfect for 50-point bonus plays
•The PH digraph in SAXOPHONE represents a single sound but uses two valuable tiles (P=3, H=4)
•Jazz-related words like SAXOPHONE often appear together in themed crossword puzzles
"SAXOPHONE across two triple word scores? That's my personal best - 167 points in one play!"
"I built up to SAXOPHONE by playing SAX first, then added OPHONE later - patience pays off!"
BUZZWORD
32 pts
PUZZLED
28 pts
MAXIMIZE
28 pts
JUKEBOX
27 pts
OXIDIZE
24 pts
COMPLEX
20 pts
AMAZING
19 pts
EXAMPLE
18 pts