Let’s Play Pen ‘n Paper Scattergories

Scattergories is one of the best party games that anyone over the age of 10 can enjoy. But what if you don’t have the box, timer, and cards that come with the box? Not to worry!

We used to play this in my drama class with folder paper, pencils, and an astute time-keeper. We all enjoyed it, even those students who were sullen and hated the world for whatever wrong it did to them.

Players needed: 2 or more

Items needed for each player

• Pen or pencil
• Blank paper

Items for timekeeper

• Scoresheet (blank paper)
• Watch of some kind

Set-up

Have each player divide their sheets so there are six columns and six rows.

Players should contribute five categories all together. They could be anything from “a boy’s name” to “movie title.”

The categories should be written in the first column. (View my very artistic drawing for clarification.)

Then, one player should contribute a five-letter word. It doesn’t matter what word it is, as long as there are five letters. Although, it would be wise to not use words like “Queen.” You’ll see why later. Your five letter word goes across the top of each column.

How to play

The five-letter word supplies the first letter for each of your categories. For example, if your word was “learn” and your first category was “movies,” then you would need to think of a movie title that starts with each letter of “learn.”

Sure, it would be easy if you had all of the time in the world, but you don’t. The timekeeper should set his watch to one and a half minutes (or whatever the group decides on). Once time is up, everyone must put their pencils down.

Everyone must exchange answers. If two or more people have the same answer (like, in the example on the right, if more than one person had “Little Nemo” as their movie for “L”), then they must cross out that answer. They gain zero points for duplicate answers.

All answers that have not been crossed out are equal to one point.

However, players can contest answers. If there is an answer that takes too creative an approach, the other players may vote it “yes” or “no.”

I hope those were satisfactory directions. The Let’s Play series will run on this blog indefinitely. It will offer rules to games that don’t require a box or a console, and will generally promote interaction with family and friends. It will run every Friday from now on.

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