"Starter Game" Directions
THE CARDS:
• Letter cards – A through Z
• Flip cards – you choose! J or X, V or Z, (indicated by orange dot beneath letter)
• Combo letter cards – the most common consonant combos in the English language: ST, SH, TH, CH, CK, plus QU
• Three Wildcards – any vowel, any consonant, and another flip card: Vowel Combo or Double Consonant
• Letter cards – A through Z
• Flip cards – you choose! J or X, V or Z, (indicated by orange dot beneath letter)
• Combo letter cards – the most common consonant combos in the English language: ST, SH, TH, CH, CK, plus QU
• Three Wildcards – any vowel, any consonant, and another flip card: Vowel Combo or Double Consonant
OBJECT OF THE GAME: To earn the most points by forming words and stealing opponent’s words. Player with the most letters in words on their side of the table at the end of the game wins.
GAME SETUP: Choose a playing surface large enough to lay out cards in the formation shown, along with space above and below for words to be played.
Shuffle deck and place 5 cards in each position (for 2-player game),
face-down as shown, to make 8 stacks (40 total cards.) Set remaining cards aside.
For 3 or 4 player game, place 6 and 7 cards, respectively, in each stack.
PLAYING THE GAME: Non-dealing player (PLAYER ONE) begins play by turning over top card of each stack. From the 8 face up cards, Player One chooses between options to make ONE 2-or-more letter word and assembles it on their side of the table, face up. Play cards closely together to save space, per samples shown.
In addition, with the remaining face up cards in the formation, players have the option of “playing on” any of the opponent’s words (or their own previously played words), to create new words. This is done by adding card(s) to the beginning or end of an existing word, inserting card(s) into the middle of a word, or adding card(s) and rearranging letters to form a new word. Once a word is played on, it is moved to that player’s side of table.
Examples:
· Add “C” to “LOUD” to make “CLOUD” Add “T” to the end of “COME” to make “COMET”
· Insert “R” between the A and T in “CAT” to make “CART” Add “K” to RASH and rearrange to me “SHARK”
· Add “R” to “SHOE” and rearrange to make “HORSE” Add “I” and “T to “CAVE” and rearrange to make “ACTIVE”
NOTE: New words must contain all the letters of the original word when being played on.
Play continues with the next player, and continues in this manner until all cards in formation can be used. When any stack is depleted, move face up cards from other stacks into the open position to return to 8 face up cards in the formation. When less than 8 cards remain in formation, continue playing.
Note: If no word can be played from 8-card formation (if all consonants or all vowels), discard the card in the upper left position (from dealer) and flip over next card in stack. If new word cannot still be made, discard the card in the stack to the right and flip over the next card in the stack. Continue in this manner until a card appears that can help produce a word.
BONUS: If a player is able to play all 8 cards from the formation during his or her turn (in either one new word or a combination of new word and play-ons) they qualify for a bonus turn. Player would flip over cards from each stack and continue playing.
ALLOWABLE WORDS: Words from a standard dictionary are allowed, as well as words with prefixes and suffixes. Proper names, foreign words and profanity are not allowed. When pluralizing, “S” can only be used in rearranged
play-ons. No plurals from new words from formation, no “S” or “E-S” allowed as play-ons.
SCORING/END OF GAME: When no further plays or play-ons can be made, players count up the
number of letters in the words on their side of table. Combo cards count as 2-pts. Wild cards are worth zero. (Any cards in formation not used are disregarded.) Highest number of letters wins! Tie-breakers decided by most number of combo, flip, and wildcards.
Play best of 3 or best of 5, as decided by players beforehand to determine the winner of the match.
GAME SETUP: Choose a playing surface large enough to lay out cards in the formation shown, along with space above and below for words to be played.
Shuffle deck and place 5 cards in each position (for 2-player game),
face-down as shown, to make 8 stacks (40 total cards.) Set remaining cards aside.
For 3 or 4 player game, place 6 and 7 cards, respectively, in each stack.
PLAYING THE GAME: Non-dealing player (PLAYER ONE) begins play by turning over top card of each stack. From the 8 face up cards, Player One chooses between options to make ONE 2-or-more letter word and assembles it on their side of the table, face up. Play cards closely together to save space, per samples shown.
In addition, with the remaining face up cards in the formation, players have the option of “playing on” any of the opponent’s words (or their own previously played words), to create new words. This is done by adding card(s) to the beginning or end of an existing word, inserting card(s) into the middle of a word, or adding card(s) and rearranging letters to form a new word. Once a word is played on, it is moved to that player’s side of table.
Examples:
· Add “C” to “LOUD” to make “CLOUD” Add “T” to the end of “COME” to make “COMET”
· Insert “R” between the A and T in “CAT” to make “CART” Add “K” to RASH and rearrange to me “SHARK”
· Add “R” to “SHOE” and rearrange to make “HORSE” Add “I” and “T to “CAVE” and rearrange to make “ACTIVE”
NOTE: New words must contain all the letters of the original word when being played on.
Play continues with the next player, and continues in this manner until all cards in formation can be used. When any stack is depleted, move face up cards from other stacks into the open position to return to 8 face up cards in the formation. When less than 8 cards remain in formation, continue playing.
Note: If no word can be played from 8-card formation (if all consonants or all vowels), discard the card in the upper left position (from dealer) and flip over next card in stack. If new word cannot still be made, discard the card in the stack to the right and flip over the next card in the stack. Continue in this manner until a card appears that can help produce a word.
BONUS: If a player is able to play all 8 cards from the formation during his or her turn (in either one new word or a combination of new word and play-ons) they qualify for a bonus turn. Player would flip over cards from each stack and continue playing.
ALLOWABLE WORDS: Words from a standard dictionary are allowed, as well as words with prefixes and suffixes. Proper names, foreign words and profanity are not allowed. When pluralizing, “S” can only be used in rearranged
play-ons. No plurals from new words from formation, no “S” or “E-S” allowed as play-ons.
SCORING/END OF GAME: When no further plays or play-ons can be made, players count up the
number of letters in the words on their side of table. Combo cards count as 2-pts. Wild cards are worth zero. (Any cards in formation not used are disregarded.) Highest number of letters wins! Tie-breakers decided by most number of combo, flip, and wildcards.
Play best of 3 or best of 5, as decided by players beforehand to determine the winner of the match.
