Classic TV: Scrabble (1983)

 An independent company, Exposure Unlimited, obtained a license to develop the board game, Scrabble, into a weekday game show for NBC. The series' 1st run ran for 7 years (1983-90) before returning in 1993 for a brief run. Chuck Woolery (Love Connection, ex-Wheel of Fortune) returned to NBC to serve as series host. Jay Stewart, Monty Hall's long time sidekick on Let's Make a Deal, and otherwise associated with Jack Barry & Dan Enright's family of syndicated games (i.e. Tic Tac Dough), served as announcer for the first year, but then left, replaced by Charlie Tuna (America's Top 10, ex-The Mike Douglas Show) for the rest of the run due to other commitments.

I've played Scrabble. The TV show is a little easier, trust me.

Check this college tournament episode from July 1984.

Reg Grundy later revived Sale of The Century, also for NBC. Executive producer Robert Noah had worked for Merrill Heatter & Bob Quigley during the 70's (i.e. Gambit).

Rating: A.