WORDSTER
2 to 6 Players
Object: Score the most points after 4 rounds of play.
Contents: 72 cards, plastic tray, 6 folders, 6 gamepads, timer,
6 pencils.
The First Time You Play: Do this for all 6 folders: Assemble a
gamepad into a folder by sliding the gamepads cardboard backing
into the slot as shown in Figure 1.
Setup: 1. Remove the plastic tray from the box. Take the Wordsters
cards from the center of the tray and place them in the card slot
as shown in Figure 2, with the red side facing out.
2. Place the tray so all players can see the 3-letter Wordster
showing on the first card.
3. Each player takes a pencil and a folder.
What's A Wordster?
A Wordster is a 3-letter combination. Us a Wordster to make a
word. Use it at the beginning of a word, the end, or all spread
out, with other letters in between! The 3 letters must always
be in the same order. For example, the Wordster "CAP"
appears in CAPTURE, CATNIP, CLAMP, AND SCRAP.
Gameplay
In each round of Wordsters, players create a list of up to 10
words, all from the same Wordster. Each card has 4 Wordsters on
it. Since a game is made up of four rounds, use one card for each
game!
Before beginning, choose a player to be the timekeeper. This player
may remain the timekeeper for the entire game, or just for one
round. It's up to you to decide what works best!
A Round of Play
1. Choose a player to start the first round by selecting the first
Wordster for everyone to play (start with either Wordster on the
red side). All players write the Wordster on the first line at
the top of their gamesheets, as shown in Figure 3.
2. The timekeeper turns ov the timer and all players start writing,
one word per line. Try to fill every line in that column (10 words).
Be sure your opponents don't see your list!
What to Write
Each word on your list must be at least 4 letters long. It must
include the Wordster in play. The letters must be in the same
order as they appear in the Wordster, but they do not have to
be next to each other. See Figure 3 for an example.
Legal Words: All words that are a part of speech are Legal (including
those of foreign origin, archaic, obsolete, colloquial and slang).
Plurals are okay, too!
Illegal Words: Words that are always spelled with a capital letter,
words that require an apostrophe or hyphen, prefixes and suffixes
standing alone are illegal.
3. When time runs out, all players must stop wrighting (even if
they don't have 10 words). Now it's time to announce your words!
4. ANNOUNCING YOUR WORDS Each player takes a turn reading aloud
chosen word from his or her list. This is called "announcing"
a word. First to announce is the player who selected the Wordster.
When it's your turn to announce a word, do the following steps:
Choose any word on your list you think at least one other player
will have written on his or her list. If so, it'll be worth more
points.
Read the word aloud and ask the other players if any of them have
the same word (see Same or Different?) on their lists. If, for
any reason, the legality of a word is in question, feel free to
consult a dictionary to resolve the issue.
Score your word and write the number next to it according to the
rules below. Remember, you score points only when you announce
a word.
-Score 1 point if no other player has the same word.
-Score 2 points if one or more players have the same word.
If your word is determined to be unnacceptable in any way, score
no points and therefore lose that turn to announce a word.
All other players who have the same word as yours must cross that
word off their lists. They cannot score any points for it, of
course.
Example: You have just read the word "OPTION" from your
list (see Figure 4). Three other players have this word on their
lists. You score 2 points for this word and write "2"
next to "OPTION" on your list. All 3 players who also
have "OPTION" must cross this word off their lists.
After the first player announces a word and scores, the player
to the left announces a word. Play continues clockwise.
Play continues with players announcing and scoring points for
their words. Some players' word lists will be exhausted before
those of others. Just keep announcing words in the same order,
skipping over players with no more words.
At the end of the round, count up your points and enter the total
on the TOTAL line at the bottom of your word list (see Figure
4). All players do the same.
Starting a New Round: For the second, third and fourth rounds,
the player with the lowest cumulative score selects a new Wordster
from the same card. He or she arranges the card in the tray so
that all players can see it. Now you're ready to start playing
a new round! After 4 rounds of play, the game is over.
WINNING
When the game is over, players add their total scores from each
round and enter that number on the GRAND TOTAL line at the lower
right of the gamesheet. The player with the highest grand total
wins.
Same or Differene?
Upon hearing a word announced, you may see a similar (although
not exactly the same) word on your own list. Should you tell the
other players you have this word now or wait until it's your turn
to announce it? If you decide to tell the other players, and if
the word is really different, you give your secret away to the
other players. But if you wait until it's your turn to announce
it and the word is really the same, you'll have to cross it off
your list and lose your turn. Your decision rests on whether the
word is the SAME or DIFFERENT, as defined below:
Words that are spelled exactly the same (regardless of meaning)
are judged as being the SAME word. Although the word "fast"
has two meanings (speed or not eating), it is considered the SAME
word.
Words that sound the same yet are spelled differently and have
different meanings (course/coarse, pair/pare/pear, etc.) are DIFFERENT.
In most cases, words that are forms or tenses of the same word
("start," "starts," "started," "starting,"
etc.) are the SAME. However, a word may contain the announced
word and yet be different.
Example: On your turn, you announce the word "start".
At this point, Mark says he has the word "startle."
Although both words have "start" in them, they are DIFFERENT.
Consider the words "love," "lover," "beloved,"
"lovable" and "lovely." All of these words
have the same root (love), but it's difficult to tell if any 2
of them are the same or different.
If you cannot determine whether your word is the same or different,
put it to the group to decide.
Voting: Sometimes, even after the group discussion, it's hard
to tell if two words are the same. In this case, take a group
vote to decide (majority rules). Everyone in the group votes,
including those players who have run out of words.
If your word is judged as being the SAME, you must cross it off
your list.
If your word is judged as being DIFFERENT, see Protected Words,
below.
Protected Words
Here's an example of how words can be protected: On Mark's turn,
he announces the word "angle." You say you have the
word "triangle." The two words are judged to be DIFFERENT,
but it's not your turn to announce a word. This means no other
player with that word on his or her list can announce it before
you do. However, you must announce the protected word on your
next turn or it is no longer protected.
Wordster Card Game - How To Play