I h8 txt msg splg.

Translation: I hate text message spelling. It actually makes me cringe. I don't understand it. I can't translate it. It takes me too long to read because the acronyms and abbreviations are annoying. Text messaging shortcuts strike me as unbelievably lazy. Lest you find me an old-fashioned grouch, apparently, I'm not alone. Some educators claim that text messaging, working in consort with other forms of modern-day technology, causes people to become extremely poor spellers. Experts claim that, as a result, we have become lethargic when it comes to this important skill. Take a look at the variety of communication methods available to us, most of which encourage users to abbreviate words, truncate sentences and excise punctuation from our messages. It's no wonder our spelling SUX.

As one who came in second place in my class spelling bee when I was in the fourth grade (I contend that it was a bad case of nerves that propelled me to mistake "desert" for "dessert"), I pride myself on being an excellent speller. I patently reject texting shortcuts. And, every text I send is grammatically perfect, with all the commas and capital letters in the correct place. I take pride in my spelling. I won't deny it.

So imagine my excitement when I went to www.dictionary.com and discovered the word game, Miss Spell's Class. In this simple game, you're given a list of 20 words, one at a time, and all you have to do is click whether the word is spelled correctly or incorrectly. Dictionary.com explains that the words used in this game are the most commonly misspelled words found on the site. There's nothing tricky about them - they're words we see everyday. Simple, right? I was thrilled to open the game and begin playing. With my spelling acumen, I would score an "A" every time.

The first time I played, I was horrified at my score: C-. What the hell??!! The words weren't difficult..."absolutely," "parallel," "diminutive." Under any other circumstances (meaning, if I had all the time in the world and perhaps my Webster's Collegiate Dictionary right next to me), I would've gotten every word correct, even the ones I was slightly unsure about. But, this game has two distinct elements that create havoc with your spelling skills. First, there's a time clock. The longer it takes you, the worse your score. Second, if you get a word incorrect, you lose points. So, sometimes in your quest to get through the words quickly, you become careless; if you take time to be careful, you lose points due to time. It's annoying (that's a word) and embarrassing (that's another word). And, it makes you distrust (another word) your instincts (another word) so you doubt (another word) yourself and then can't remember whether it's "resistence" (incorrect) or "resistance" (correct).

Completely lacking in confidence, I played again. This time, I scored a C. By the end of the day, I played that game 12 times, scoring as high as an A- but never getting a perfect score. I began to think I needed interventions - one to improve my spelling and another to stop playing the game! It occurred to me that if I - a master at spelling - was having trouble with this game, what must be going through the minds of people who are rotten at spelling?

As it turns out, spelling is one of those skills that can be improved upon with technology. And, playing spelling games online is one of the technological ways that work. In addition, a plethora of teacher-devised word games designed to increase spelling skills are available for purchase. Kid-friendly games include Turbo Twist Spelling by Leapfrog, Mind Mania Spelling by Quantum Leap and Syzygy. But, if you happen to be older than a fifth grader and have some time to kill, there is an abundance of word games available on websites all over the Internet.

I like the ones on Dictionary.com and on this very site (www.characterarcade.com) because they are challenging and different from the norm (after all, how many times can you play Text Twist or Bookworm?).

On Dictionary.com, try Word Kingdom (where the words you create build towns and cities) and the aforementioned Miss Spell's Class (where, hopefully, you'll actually enjoy playing rather than feeling like you're back in grammar school, in the midst of your weekly spelling test). But, there's one other game on this site that will really challenge your mind and spelling skills - Word Machine. In this game, you're given one letter and you must type in words that begin with that letter. Then, the game adds a second letter and your words not only have to begin with the original letter, but they must incorporate the second letter. A third letter soon appears and all your words must start with the first letter and incorporate both of the other letters. Certain letters are worth more points than others. All of this is done against a time clock. To succeed in this game, you not only need to have spelling skills but you must also have a fairly decent vocabulary. It's fast-paced, smart and completely nerve-wracking. But, by the time you finish playing it, you'll not only improve your spelling but also your vocabulary.

On Characterarcade.com, Alpha Fusion and Mind Flipper work off the same concept: you must find words by connecting letters in any direction. Alpha Fusion adds a layer of complexity by asking you to find words that connect in a row (hence, the "fusion"). However, to me, the most engaging game in Character Arcade's pantheon of word games is Letter Matrix. In this game, letters float down and you must make words out of them. Each completed word transforms into a "book" on a bookshelf. Your goal is to fill up the many layers of open bookshelves from the words you create. Some letters are worth more points than others and the longer the word, the more points you earn. Again, you're working against the clock.

If you want familiarity, versions of Text Twist or Bookworm are readily available everywhere. And, don't forget that old standby - Word Search. This simple game - in which you find words in a grid filled with letters - is an excellent way to improve spelling skills. And, that stalwart old favorite, Scrabble, is available in online and mobile iterations in addition to the classic board version.

If you don't really want to exercise your mind but want to learn about spelling anyway, watch the National Spelling Bee or rent Spellbound (the documentary, not the Hitchcock movie), which will show you how others learn to spell. Even this placid form of learning will teach you something about spelling. At any rate, it couldn't hurt to watch either one.

So, readers, what about you? Have you played word games to help with your spelling? Which is your favorite?