Rest easy, connoisseurs of Scrabble

Scrabble purists can relax.

News of a new version of the classic word game that Mattel plans to sell in the U.K. allowing proper nouns set off waves of dismay across the Internet.

But the official rules fans know and love aren’t changing.

Scrabble Trickster, due out in July in the U.K. only, not the U.S., will allow proper names such as city or celebrity names.

Other twists include playing words backwards or playing words unconnected to others on the board, Mattel said.

The game is a limited edition and will not replace the original Scrabble in the U.K. or U.S.

“This is just one new variation,” said John Williams Jr., executive director of National Scrabble Association, authorized by Hasbro to speak about Scrabble.

Associated Press