1952 was also the year that Jack Strauss, the Chairman of Macy's, New York, the biggest department store in the world, played Scrabble whilst on holiday.

He enjoyed playing it so much that on his return to New York, he asked the Games Department to send him up a few sets. The precise exchange can only be guessed at. But the Games Department had to own up to not stocking Scrabble. They very soon did!

What's more, Macy's supported a promotional campaign with the result that the game quickly captured the imagination of thousands.

By 1953, although by now making 6,000 sets a week, it became clear to Brunot that he couldn't match the demand for Scrabble. So he licensed the manufacture to Selchow and Righter, a leading American games manufacturer, who had previously rejected it.