Age: 5+
Players: 2-4
Difficulty: 3/10
Duration: 10-40 mins
Have each player draw one blank tile and 8 other random tiles. Arrange them into a 9-tile square for each player, with the blank tile in the center. Keep this pattern a secret from the other players.
Prepare a timer.
1. Reveal the pattern
The first player reveals their pattern of tiles to the others and starts a 10-second timer. During this time, they try to remember the pattern as closely as possible, keeping in mind the position, orientation, color, and strokes on each tile.
2. Change one tile
After the timer ends, the first player can alter one of the tiles in the pattern without letting the other players see which it was.
Possible ways to alter the pattern are the following:
(A) switch its position with an adjacent tile;
(B) change its orientation by rotating it;
(C) flip it to change its color and number of strokes;
(D) make no change at all (bluff).
! The center blank tile (could be a non-blank when playing with 7 players) can be moved only after the first reveal.
3. Guess the new pattern
After altering the pattern, the player shows it to the others again. They have 15 seconds to try and guess what has changed. The first player to raise their hand is obliged to make a suggestion. If nobody makes a suggestion - the pattern-maker gets one point.
When a player reveals their pattern, it must be shown in the same orientation as the first time. When a player correctly guesses the change in the pattern they win 1 point. Similarly, a player who guesses wrong loses 1 point.
4. Take turns
After the players have made their guesses about the first player’s pattern, it is the second player's turn as the others try to guess their pattern. Then it is the third player’s turn and so on.
After everyone has shown their pattern once, the players continue playing in the same order using the same pattern of tiles they had at first.
Each player starts the game with 3 points. These can be earned or lost during the game:
• One point is earned for a correct guess.
• One point is taken for a false assumption.
• One point is earned by the pattern maker if no one makes a guess.
The player who first reaches 7 points wins the game.
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