Unplug Play

Each player comes up with five categories that will lead to many possible answers (see pages 1–9 for ideas) and places them in a hat or facedown on a table mixed in with all of the others.

Player 1 begins by randomly picking a certain number of categories out of the hat. That number is determined by dividing the number of players in the game by two. (For instance, if there are six players in the game, Player 1 would pick out three categories.) If there is an odd number of players in the game, then round down. (In other words, with nine players, round down to eight and pick out four categories.) Player 1 flips over the categories for everyone to see and then determines which two players he is going to challenge in each category.

NOTE: Player 1 has a distinct advantage in his round: he gets to select his partner and their category first. Player 1 then pairs up the remaining players and assigns each pair one of the remaining categories. If there are an odd number of players in the game, one player (call him the “extra player”) will not be paired up initially in each round, but he will still contribute and earn or lose points in the round like everyone else. (More on that under “With an Odd Number of Players.”)

Once categories and pairs have been chosen, each player must attempt to match the items related to the category on his list with the items on his partner’s list.

With categories assigned, all pairs begin making their lists at the same time. Both players in each pairing must write down a total of three items each. Once the selection of categories begins, no talking is allowed amongst the players trying to match until every player is finished making his list. Once everyone is finished making their lists, scoring begins.

If a pair gets at least two matches in their category, each player in the pair earns 5 points. If a pair gets less than two matches, everyone else in the game earns 5 points for their lack of success. If a pair gets all three to match, they get 20 points each.

Let’s say you have a game of six players. Player 1 goes first and picks out three random categories: Common board games, Popular stores in the mall, and Famous people named Bill or William. First, he decides who in the round should be his partner and which of these three categories will be easiest for them to match. Let’s say he chooses Player 2 as his partner and Common board games as their category. He then decides which pairs of players will have the most difficulty matching their lists for the Popular stores in the mall and Famous people named Bill or William categories.

He assigns Players 3 and 5 and Players 4 and 6 to be partners, and all pairs begin making their lists according to their assigned categories. Player 1 and Player 2 try to predict which board games the other will put on his list.

Once the teams are determined, the extra player who was not selected by Player 1 for a team for the round decides who in the game she wants to help. She can help only one person in the game try to match with his partner. She can choose anyone she likes, and if the team is successful, she will receive the same amount of points as the people on the team she helps. Therefore, in most cases, she will choose to help a player on the team which she feels has the greatest potential to match all three.