Scattergories Rules: How to Play the Category Word Game
Scattergories is a category word game. Each round, a letter is chosen at random and everyone gets a list of categories, such as “a fruit”, “a city” or “something in a kitchen”. Players race against a timer to write one answer for each category that starts with that letter. You score only for answers that nobody else wrote, so the best answers are the clever, unusual ones. The boxed game is sold by Hasbro, but you can play a home version with paper, pens and a random letter.
What you need
- Two or more players. It works best with about 3 to 8.
- Paper and a pen for each player.
- A list of 10 to 12 categories that everyone can see.
- A timer of about two or three minutes.
- A random letter, from the boxed game’s letter die or a tool such as a picker wheel with the letters on it.
How to play
- Everyone writes the numbers 1 to 12 down the side of their paper, one line for each category.
- Choose a random letter for the round.
- Start the timer. Everyone writes one answer for each category, starting with the chosen letter. You may leave a line blank.
- When time is up, pens down.
- Go through the categories one by one. Each player reads out their answer.
- You score one point for each valid answer that no other player wrote. If two or more players wrote the same answer, none of them scores for it.
- Play three rounds with different letters. The player with the most points wins.
Groups differ on the details. In many games, an answer with several words that all start with the letter, such as “Purple Penguin” for P, scores a bonus point. Articles such as “the” or “a” usually do not count as the first word. Agree on these rules before the first round.
A fair random letter
The letter is what makes each round fresh, so pick it fairly. If you do not have the letter die, put the alphabet on a picker wheel, or use a random number generator from 1 to 26 and count along the alphabet (1 is A, 2 is B and so on). Many home groups take out hard letters such as Q, X and Z before they start. If a letter has already been played in this game, just pick again.
How often does a letter come up twice?
If you pick letters at random, repeats happen sooner than most people expect. The table shows the chance that at least one letter comes up twice within a number of rounds. “Rounds” is the number of letters you pick, “26” is the chance with the full alphabet and “20” is the chance if you take out six hard letters and pick from the 20 that are left.
| Rounds | 26 | 20 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 11% | 15% |
| 4 | 21% | 27% |
| 5 | 34% | 42% |
| 6 | 46% | 56% |
| 8 | 70% | 80% |
| 10 | 86% | 93% |
So in a game of five rounds, there is about a one in three chance that a letter repeats with the full alphabet, and over 40% with 20 letters. This is the same maths as the famous birthday problem. Removing a letter from the list once it has been played is the easy fix.
Judging answers
- An answer must fit the category and start with the chosen letter.
- The group votes on doubtful answers. A simple majority decides, and a tie means no point.
- Be generous with creative answers that make everyone laugh, but strict with answers that clearly do not fit.
- Spelling usually does not matter, as long as the answer is clear.
Hosting tips
- Write the category list before the game, so nobody gets an unfair head start.
- Mix easy categories, such as “an animal”, with harder ones, such as “a reason to be late”.
- Use a new list for each round, or the same answers come back.
- For young players, use six categories and a longer timer.
- Keep the scores on one sheet so nobody has to add up in a rush.
Variations
- Themed lists: only categories about food, travel, films or a school subject.
- Team play: pairs write one shared list, which is good for mixed ages.
- Shout-out round: one category at a time, and the first player to call a valid answer wins the point.
- Two letters: answers must start with one letter and end with another, for advanced players.
- Country version: many countries play a similar paper game with fixed columns such as country, city and river.
For more pen-and-paper and word games, try hangman, fishbowl or twenty questions.
FAQ
How do you play Scattergories?
A random letter is chosen and everyone gets the same list of categories. Within the time limit, each player writes one answer per category starting with that letter. You score a point for each valid answer that nobody else wrote.
What happens if two players write the same answer?
Neither of them scores for that answer. Only unique answers get points.
How long is a round of Scattergories?
Usually two to three minutes. Use a longer timer for young players.
How can you pick a random letter without the die?
Put the alphabet on a picker wheel, or use a random number from 1 to 26 and count along the alphabet.
Can you play Scattergories without the box?
Yes. You only need paper, pens, a list of categories, a timer and a random letter.