AmuseAmaze Game Play

	*Start* *Board*

*Target* *Board*		*Target* *Board*

*Target* *Board*		*Target* *Board*

	*Start* *Board*

*Target* *Board*		*Target* *Board*

*Target* *Board*		*Target* *Board*

	*Target* *Board*

	*Start* *Board*

	Target Board

See Sample Board for 4-6 Players

1. Place a Letter Tile from the bag on each of the Blue Squares. Placement is completely random.

(See Sample Board for 4-6 Players with random letter placement)

2. Place the Target Cards off the board next to the matching Target Board: green Target Cards next to the green squared Target Board etc.

3. Each player gets 3 Letter Tiles drawn at random from the bag. These are not hidden – everyone gets to see them.

4. Each player gets 1 Gardener Card.

5. Each player chooses a Playing Piece, and all Playing Pieces are placed on the Start square.

6. Any unused Maze Boards, Letter Tiles, and Gardener Cards are placed back in the box and are not used during the game.

7. The player with the first letter in the alphabet goes first. If there’s a tie, the next best letter tile wins.

Movement

You move by spelling out words from the letters printed on the Maze Boards and/or the Letter Tiles laid on it. You can move vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, in any combination of directions across adjoining squares. For example, Red Players spells HIDE; Yellow Player spells LAWS

Even if you can’t spell a word, you may always move a minimum of one space. Once you have spelled your word and moved, your turn is over unless you get a Bonus Move – see below.

Laying Down Letter Tiles

You may lay down on the letter squares one or more of the Letter Tiles in your hand to make it possible to spell a word. If you lay down a Letter Tile it stays on the board until another player (or you) uses it to spell another word. You cannot lay down a Letter Tile (1) on top of another Letter Tile, (2) on an uncovered Blue Square, or (3) on a Target letter square. For example, Green Player lays down a T on top of the R square and can now spell LATE.

Game board before laying down letter

Green Player Moves and lays down letter T

and spells LATE

Picking Up Letter Tiles

When you go over a square with a Letter Tile on it, you pick up the tile and add it to your hand. If the square beneath the tile is a Blue Square, then the Blue Square becomes impassable for the rest of the game. For example, Purple Player moves over the E that was covering the Blue Square, adds it to his hand and spells LESS.

Game board before picking up letter

Purple Player moves and picks up letter E

and spells LESS

You may also pick up a tile left behind by another player and add it to your hand, after which the square reverts to the letter beneath that tile. You may combine placing and picking up tiles in the same turn.

Bonus Move

You get a Bonus Move (it stays your turn and you move again) if (1) you spell a word with 5 or more letters, or (2) you spell a word that uses one of the Premium Letters. The Premium Letters are J, K, Qu, V, X and Z. These are either the letter squares marked in black on the Maze Boards or one of these letters from your hand. You may get up to two Bonus Moves in a row, but only one from each method. For instance, if you spell a word with 5 or more letters and take a Bonus Move, the only way to earn another (and final) Bonus Move is to use either a Premium Letter Square or Premium Letter tile from your hand. You cannot get 2 Bonus Moves from one move: if you spell a 5 or more letter word and use a Premium Letter you must select which of the 2 possible Bonus Moves you wish to take. You cannot get a Bonus Move as a result of moving just 1 space.

Where Can’t You Move?

1.You cannot move through a hedge (except with a Gardener Card – see below).

2. You cannot move through a square occupied by another Playing Piece.

3. You cannot move through an uncovered Blue Square.

4. You cannot use the same square twice in the same turn.

5. You cannot use the letter you start on in that turn.

Use of the Qu

The Qu on the Maze Board or on a Letter Tile counts as one letter, not two. It can be used either as a combined Qu (as in queen) or as a letter Q on its own (as in qadi). Either way, it only counts as 1 letter.

Collecting Target Cards

You collect a Target Card when you land on and use one of the colored Target letter squares on the Target Boards. You can collect a Target Card even if you land on a Target letter square as a result of moving just 1 space.

Using the Gardener Card

You can choose to play your Gardener Card in order to “cut through” a hedge. By “cutting through” the hedge you are able to move as if the hedge does not exist. You can use your Gardener Card once only during the game.

How Do You Win?

3 player and 4-6 player games: the winner is the first player to collect 3 differently colored Target Cards and reach the bottom row of the Game Board. You do that by either using or finishing on a letter square located in that row.

2 player game: the winner is the first player to collect 2 differently colored Target Cards and return to the row adjoining the Start square. You do that by either using or finishing on a letter square located in that row.

Tip: Remember, the important thing is movement, not trying to spell long words. A small word that takes you in the right direction is usually better than a long word that doesn’t.

Optional Rules for Advanced Play

Tribute Bonus

If you spell a word of 8 or more letters, all the other players must pay tribute by giving you half of the Letter Tiles in their hands (fractions rounded down). Each player can decide which Letter Tiles to give.

Laying Down Letter Tiles on Target letter squares

In addition to the normal Rules of the Game, for Advanced Play you may also lay down Letter Tiles on top of a Target letter square. If this happens, the Target letter square cannot be used (and a Target Card thereby collected) until the Letter Tile covering it has been picked up.

See Game Overview