CRYPTIC WORDS Word Guessing Game
A Two-Player Deduction Game(Updated August 18, 2021)
Cryptic Words is a word guessing game for two players. Each player thinks of a secret word and hides it in plain sight for their opponent to guess using common clues.
LASERCUT COMPONENTS
- 10-inch game board with two built-in scoring tracks
- 28 cryptic letter tiles (6 letters/bigrams per tile)
- 20 “Take a Guess” tokens
- 6 “Ask any Question” tokens
- 12 padlocks
- 16 clue tiles (Start, end, word lengths)
- 2 tile racks
- 10 secret code tracking forms
- 2 dice
- Optional storage box integrates actual game board.
INITIAL SETUP
- Each player grabs a rack to temporarily hold tiles
- Each player grabs a set of “Take a Guess” tokens
- Reset the scoring indicators to zero
- Each player gets a tracking form and pencil.
When you have run out of secret code forms, print more from www.CrypticWords.com
GAME BOARD LAYOUT
Once the game starts, you will each have a set of tiles that contain your opponent’s word in plain sight. By using clues, you will attempt to be first to deduce the secret word.The organized game board assists you.
PLAY IN ROUNDS
Each round consists of thinking of a word, writing down its secret code and trying to unscramble known letters into a possible solution. Ask two questions, reveal any matches, take a guess.
SETUP FOR EACH ROUND
At the start of each round:
- Place the 16 clue tokens within easy reach.
- Scatter all 28 cryptic tiles upside down between the players.
- Each player grabs six random cryptic tiles and places them on their rack in secret.
- Set the remaining cryptic tiles aside.
- Each player examines and rearranges their tiles and comes up with a word using one letter/bigram per tile. The word must have at least 3-8 letters.
- Secretly write down the pair of codes for each letter in order on your tracking form. See example below.
- When both players have their word encoded, each player shuffles their tiles and swaps them with their opponent.
- Each player places their opponent’s tiles in the hexagonal slots immediately in front of them, in no specific order.
- Each player takes eight clue tokens and three question marks.
- The deductions phase can now begin.
GAME PLAY – DEDUCTIONS PHASE
Players alternate rolling dice and asking questions. On each turn, a player will…
- Roll both dice. If doubles are rolled, proceed to the doubles action section and ignore the following …
- Place both dice into their matching dice slots.
- Flip each die to a specific number (1-6) for the letter you’d like to question in that position.
- That number corresponds with one letter on both players’ tiles at that position. See example below.
- The player poses one question per slot like “Do you have code [1-28]-[A-Z]?” to determine if the opponent’s letter is in the word, for example 23-N.
- Both players now examine their codes and must reveal if their word has any matching code. If so, the player must call out “MATCH” so that their opponent can mark each position with a padlock.
- Either or both players can now attempt a deduction by using one of their remaining “take a guess” tokens.
Note: If both the player’s and opponent’s positions are already marked with padlocks, roll again.
AN EXAMPLE OF MATCHING THE QUESTION
The secret word for player two is BUNNY (with codes: 8B,7U,4N,23N,27Y) while player one has hidden TRUCK (12T,22R,25U,8CK). Here is a sample with a pair of facing slots in position two.
Player one flips the die to the number three .This represents the letters“N” on tile 23 and “P” on tile 18. Both players now examine their secret codes. Player two knows that 23-N is in their codes list, so calls out “MATCH”. Player one adds a padlock and rotates the tile. Player one now knows that one of the letters in the player two’s word is “N”.
Remember that the letters in front of you are those from your opponent’s word.
HOW TO USE PADLOCKS
Padlocks indicate that a specific letter or tile is known. Place a padlock on the padlock image when a letter has been revealed. Rotate the tile such that the letter is at the top of the slot. Record on your tracking form. Place a padlock on the tile when you know the tile has a letter in your opponent’s word.
DOUBLES ROLL ACTIONS
A double roll causes an action to take place. The action occurs on the cryptic tiles immediately in front of each player. Remember, these tiles contain your opponent’s secret word, not your word.Both players proceed with the action indicated:
| 1-1 | Mark
STARTING tile |
Both players call out the first tile number in their secret codes list. Each player places a [Start] tile on the indicated tile on their side. |
| 2-2 | Mark
ENDING tile |
Both players call out the tile number that contains the last letter in their |
| word. Each player places a [End] tile on the indicated tile on their side. | ||
| 3-3 | Reveal
FIRST letter |
Both players call out the code for the first letter. Each player rotates the indicated tile and places a [Start] tile on the adjacent slot. |
| 4-4 | Show
LAST letter |
Both players call out the code for the last letter. Each player rotates the indicated tile and places an [End] tile on the adjacent padlock. |
| 5-5 | Reveal word LENGTH | Both players inform each other of the number of letters in their secret word. Both players grab a word length indicator and place it inside the Word Length slot. |
| 6-6 | Order
the tiles |
Both players call out the tile numbers for their hidden words. If less than six tiles, include the remaining tile code numbers in any order to confuse your opponent. Both players then carefully rearrange the tiles on their side. |
Note: If the action has already been performed, select any other action for both of you to perform.
TRACKING YOUR GUESSES
Keep track of your guesses with padlocks and tile rotations on the board and the opponent’s known letters on the tracking form. Rotate the tiles according to the information you have received. For example, when the word contains a specific letter, rotate the tile so that the letter is at the top of the tile. Use padlocks to lock known letters.By examining the letters found and perhaps knowing the length of the word along with first and last letters, you will be able to unscramble and deduce your opponent’s mystery word.
GUESSING THE WORDAt any time, either player can toss one of their “take a guess” tokens and make a guess.If correct, score the word.If incorrect, your turn is over.You may not take more than one guess between dice rolls.Once you have run out of “take a guess” tokens, the game is over.
USING YOUR “ASK ANY QUESTION” TOKENInstead of rolling dice, you can use one of your “Ask Any Question” tokens. Your question will be either:
- any one of the six Double Roll questions or
- ask if a specific cryptic tile has a code number or
- ask is this one of the coded tiles.
NOTE: You must also answer the question, so be careful what you ask. You cannot ask for a specific letter, only if the tile contains a letter in the word.
SCORING
When you have correctly guessed your opponent’s word, your score is the number of letters in that word.If you are the first to correctly guess your opponent’s word, multiply your score by two.Adjust your score on your scoring track.
Once the first guess is made, your opponent will continue to play by rolling the dice three times and attempting to guess your word. If they cannot guess within three attempts, the opponent increases their score by three points and the round is over.
ENDING THE GAMEThe game is over when either player runs out of “take a guess” tokens or upon the first player reaching or exceeding 30 points.
WRITING CODES
A code is pair of tile number and letter. Codes make it quicker to reveal a clue. Codes are also necessary as there will probably multiples of the same letter. Using this sample set of cryptic tiles, the secret word is FUNNY. The first letter’s code is 18-F.
Fill out the form as shown by the example, writing down codes in the order of the letters in your hidden word.
If asked to reveal the Starting tile, you’d call out 18. If asked for the tile with the last letter, you’d call 23. If asked to reveal the last letter, call out 23-Y.
SECRET CODES TRACKING FORM
(Fold to keep secret)
| Round 1 | Your word length: 3 4 5 6 7 8 (Circle one)
Your Tile-Letter Codes: |
Opponent’s Letters |
| Round 2 | Word length: 3 4 5 6 7 8
Tile-Letter Codes: |
Opponent’s Letters |
| Round 3 | Word length: 3 4 5 6 7 8
Tile-Letter Codes: |
Opponent’s Letters |
| Round 4 | Word length: 3 4 5 6 7 8
Tile-Letter Codes: |
Opponent’s Letters |
| Round 5 | Word length: 3 4 5 6 7 8
Tile-Letter Codes: |
Opponent’s Letters |
| Round 6 | Word length: 3 4 5 6 7 8
Tile-Letter Codes: |
Opponent’s Letters |
| Round 7 | Word length: 3 4 5 6 7 8
Tile-Letter Codes: |
Opponent’s Letters |
| Round 8 | Word length: 3 4 5 6 7 8
Tile-Letter Codes: |
Opponent’s Letters |
| Round 9 | Word length: 3 4 5 6 7 8
Tile-Letter Codes: |
Opponent’s Letters |
| Round 10 | Word length: 3 4 5 6 7 8
Tile-Letter Codes: |
Opponent’s Letters |
References
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