Reports that Scrabble is changing rules to allow proper names? F-A-L-S-E

Rest easy, Scrabble traditionalists.

Rampant reports that the 62-year-old spelling board game is updating its rules to permit proper names are simply F-A-L-S-E, the National Scrabble Association told amNewYork on Tuesday.

“It’s never been discussed,” said the group’s executive director, John D. Williams Jr. “Scrabble is like baseball; they got it right the first time.”

Proper names, swapping letters and other tweaks to the rules are, however, part of a new game called Scrabble Trickster, which is manufactured by Mattel, Williams said. It will be sold in England starting in July but won’t be available in the United States.

emily.ngo@am-ny.com