How to Play

Earn the most Theme Cards to win. Win Theme Cards by making a backronym (an acronym in reverse) from Word Cards: make each letter in a word stand for another word (e.g., JIG → J-just I-ignore G-garbage). In Acrosticism, this action is called "acrosticizing a Word Card."

1. Shuffle the Theme Cards and place them where everyone can reach them.

2. Shuffle the Word Cards and choose a Dealer (the person who brought the game).

3. The dealer deals one less Word Card to everyone than there are players at the table. (e.g.: 3 players → 2 cards each, 4 players → 3 cards each, etc.)

4. The person to the left of the dealer takes on the role of the first Judge.

1. The Judge draws and presents a Theme card instead of playing a Word Card this turn.

2. After reading the Theme Card aloud and presenting it to the table, the Judge flips the 2-minute timer.

3. The other players select a Word Card from their hand to acrosticize for the Theme.

4. When time is up, everyone presents their backronym to the Judge. Writing them down is recommended.

*Note: if a player is unable to acrosticize (make a backronym from) their Word Card, that player must discard the Word Card they intended to play.

5. The Judge's decision is final on who wins this turn.

6. The Judge awards the Theme Card to the winner.

7. All the played word cards from this turn are discarded.

8. The Judge role passes to the left, and gameplay continues from step one through eight until all players have had one turn as the Judge, thus completing the round.
   (Alternative play modes are available in the tables that follow)

The game ends when all players have had the same number of turns playing as the Judge, or when everyone has played all Word Cards in their hand. The player with the most Theme Cards at that point wins. Ties are undisputed unless Chaos ensues.