Scattergories


scattergories rules

OBJECTIVE OF SCATTERGORIES: Win the most points by writing down words in specific categories that start with a given letter.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 to 6 players

MATERIALS OF SCATTERGORIES: 6 folders, 48 category list cards, 20-sided letter die, timer, 6 pencils, answer sheet pad, instructions

TYPE OF GAME: Board game

AUDIENCE: 13+


OVERVIEW OF SCATTERGORIES

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Scattergories is a creative board game that has been around since the ‘80s. There’s a reason this board game is still popular today. It may be a simple premise, but this board game puts a fun competitive twist that will trip up even the biggest wordsmiths. As you might be able to guess from the name of the game, Scattergories involves finding words for specific categories. But things are not as simple as they seem! If you want to play this awesome word game with your friends and family, here are the Scattergories rules to follow.

This post contains some partner links for various products.

SETUP FOR SCATTERGORIES

Before you can begin playing, you’ll need to set up the game. Here is exactly what you’ll find in a Scattergories box:

  • 6 folders
  • 48 category list cards
  • 20-sided letter die
  • Timer
  • Answer sheet pad
  • 6 pencils (depending on the version you own, your box may or may not come with pencils)

Grab all the category cards and separate them into 6 sets of List #1 to #16. Each of the 6 sets should have 8 cards. Now, grab the folders and put a set of category cards under the left clip and an answer sheet under the other clips.

Give each player one folder and a pencil to play with, and place the 20-sided die and timer on a flat surface.

Make sure every player has the same category card clipped in the front by choosing a category card by its list number. Remember: the category cards are double-sided! Once decided, make sure that the chosen category list is clipped up to the front of each folder so that all of the chosen categories are visible. Each category list has 12 random categories on it.

HOW TO PLAY SCATTERGORIES: SCATTERGORIES RULES

scattergories rules

So, now you’ve chosen your category list and have set up the timer and die in the middle of the table. It’s time to get to know the Scattergories rules so that you can play one of the best family board games of all time!

ROLL THE DIE

A player – doesn’t matter who – rolls the 20-sided letter die. Keep in mind that the die is quite heavy, so roll it on a solid surface that won’t get dented! This 20-sided die has almost every letter of the alphabet. Announce the letter that the die lands on.

START THE TIMER

There are two different types of timers you may have included in a Scattergories box: an hourglass timer or electric timer.

Both timers will give you 3 minutes, but you can adjust the electric timer to 1 or 2 minutes. You can also use your phone if you’re missing a timer.

FILL OUT THE CATEGORIES

Now, the game begins!

Players must fill out the first column of their answer sheet. Write down a word for each category, but make sure each word starts with the letter given by the die. The trick is to try to be as unique as possible and write down words other players are less likely to write, as this will be beneficial to you in the scoring round.

But try to be quick as well, as when the timer runs out, you’ve got to stop writing!

When writing a word for each category, keep these Scattergories rules in mind:

  • “A”, “an”, and “the” do not count as the first word of an answer. For example, if the category is “Song”, you could write “The Scientist” for the letter “S”, but not for the letter “T”.
  • First and last names both count. For example, if the category is “Famous Person”, you could write “Jordan Peele” or “Jackson, Michael”. Both are acceptable answers.
  • Adjectives only count if they are an actual part of the word. For example, if the category is “Cake”, you could write “Black Forest”, but you couldn’t write “White Wedding Cake”.
  • You cannot use the same answer for more than one category. For example, if the word “Dragon” fits in both the “Mythical Creatures” and “X” categories, you can only use that word for one and not for the other.
  • Creative answers may be accepted. For example, “Knuckle” could be an acceptable for “sandwich” that begins with the letter “K”. But keep in mind that super creative answers can be challenged later on by group vote!

WIN POINTS

When the timer is up and everyone’s pencil is down. It’s time to calculate some points for round one!

Basically, you win 1 point for every unique answer – that is, you gain a point as long as no other player wrote down that same answer.

Starting with the first category, each player says their answer out loud. If there are any duplicates in the group, cross it out, as you do not win any points for it. But if no one else has the same answer as you, congratulations! You win a point!

Keep going until all 12 categories’ answers are read out loud. Then, tally the scores for round one.

ALLITERATION HOUSE RULE

Want to add more spice to the standard Scattergories rules? Try adding the alliteration house rule.

According to this Scattergories house rule, players can win bonus points if they write down an answer that uses alliteration. For example, for the category “Famous Landmarks” and the letter “B”, you could win 2 points for the round for the answer “Big Ben”. And as another example, if the category is “TV Show” and the letter is “M”, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” could win you 3 whole points!

CHALLENGE

Did you think things were going to be as easy as simply calculating the points? Not a chance! At this point in the round, players have the opportunity to challenge other players’ answers or even defend their own when challenged.

Players can challenge other answers for many reasons including:

  • They believe the answer doesn’t fit the category
  • They believe the answer breaks a rule
  • They believe the answer is too creative that it doesn’t fit

So, how do you solve a challenge? By vote! After the ensuing argument for and against a specific word, all players must vote on whether or not that word counts for that category. The majority rules. But if the vote is tied, according to official Scattergories rules, the challenged player’s vote doesn’t count, in which case, they lose the point.

START A NEW ROUND

Once all answers are scored, it’s time to move on to the next 2 rounds. Write your answers on the second and third columns of your answer sheet. Roll the die again for a new letter, start the timer, and write down words for the same list. Reroll the die if the die happens to land on the same letter as any previous round.

END OF GAME

After calculating the scores for all 3 rounds, the player with the most points wins the game. However, if there happens to be a tie, you’ve got to play one final round as a tie-breaker.

Are you a big fan of word-based board games? Other similar games you should check out include:

Psst! Did you know you can easily play Scattergories as a FaceTime game?

FAQ

Are adjectives allowed in Scattergories?

Generally, no. Unless the adjective is an actual part of the word, do not accept adjectives. For example, if the category is “vegetables” and the letter is “G”, you could say “green beans”, but you couldn’t say “giant carrots”.

What is the alliteration rule in Scattergories?

The alliteration rule is an optional rule you can play with that awards extra points for alliteration. For example, “Peter Pan” would result in two points instead of one if the category were “Disney characters” and the letter was “P”.

Can you use a word twice in Scattergories?

No, you cannot use the same word in different answers within the same round, even if it applies to multiple categories. For example, if the letter is “C” and you write “cucumber” for both “vegetable” and “salad ingredient,” only one instance of “cucumber” will be valid.

Can you use last names in Scattergories?

Yes, absolutely! According to official Scattergories rules, last names are allowed as long as they fit the category. For example, if the letter is “J” and the category is “famous people,” you could say “Jackson, Michael”. But you would need to write your answer by using the key letter J first, just ilke in the example.

Mia Kim
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