A letter, a list of categories and a race to fill it
In cities and countries, everyone gets the same letter and writes one word for each category that begins with it: a country, a city, a river, an animal, a name. The first player done shouts stop and the rest put their pens down. This page draws the letter, lists the categories and keeps the time, so nobody needs to pick one at random or watch a clock.
Players write on paper or in a notebook while the phone sits in the middle of the table. After each round you can type in everyone's points and the phone keeps the running totals.
How to play
Pens, paper and one phone.
Choose the time per round and, if you like, change the list of categories and add the players' names.
Roll the letter. Everyone writes a word for each category that starts with it, before the time runs out.
Press Stop when you have finished, compare answers, enter the points and roll the next letter.
What the game does
The things people usually do with a coin and a watch.
- A random letter from an alphabet chosen for the language, never the same twice until all are used
- Seven ready categories you can rewrite, up to fourteen
- Round times of 60, 90, 120 or 180 seconds, or no timer at all
- A big Stop button and a buzz at the end of time
- Points per player and totals that stay on your device
Where it is played
Anywhere with a table and a few pens.
Family dinners and holidays with grandparents and kids.
Car trips and trains: one phone, a notebook each.
Language lessons: vocabulary with a time limit.
How a round works
The letter comes from the alphabet of your language and each one is drawn once: the played letters are listed below the board, and when they run out a new pass begins. The timer counts down on screen and, when it hits zero, the round stops and the phone vibrates.
Nothing is checked for you: the group decides whether an answer counts, as on paper. Stop ends the round at once, so the player who finished does not need to shout.
Good to know
The game does not read what you write; points are entered by hand after each round. Totals are saved only in this browser, so clearing the site data resets them.
The phone only draws and times: it cannot check spelling, so agree on the rules before the first round.
Tips
- Give one point for a unique answer and two for an answer nobody else wrote, to reward odd ideas.
- Replace the categories with your own, such as Dish, Film or Footballer, for a themed evening.
Cities and countries questions
Do I need to install anything?
No. It runs in the browser; you just need something to write with.
Which letters can come up?
The usual letters of the alphabet for the language you play in, without the rare ones like Q or X in English.
Can we play without a timer?
Yes: choose No limit and the round ends when somebody presses Stop.