Anagramania

Anagramania is an anagram-based board game for 2 to 6 players. Unlike typical anagram word puzzles, the clues in Anagramania are not just the word or words from which the answer is derived. Instead, Anagramania clues actually provide a hint or definition of the correct solution. Here's an example:

"Sam rang a friend to find out why the letters he wrote were so confused!"

The object is to re-arrange all the letters of the keywords ("Sam rang a") - which are shown in bold italics on the actual clue cards - to form a single word that solves the clue. The answer is of course "anagrams". For each game, every player has an 11" x 4" 'throw away' clue sheet containing twenty clues like the one above. There are 24 sets of six clue sheets in each game pack. That's enough for six players to play 24 separate games.

During game play, players conceal their clue sheets in special 'pockets' that allow them to see only one new clue at a time. In most board games players have to await their turn, which can be quite irritating if each player requires several minutes for his or her turn. That's not the case in Anagramania. In each turn, all players compete simultaneously to solve the same clue. No time limit is set at the start of the turn, but once any one player claims to have the answer (and has written it down) other players have just one minute more to complete their efforts to find the answer (timed by a sand timer). By solving clues, players move pawns on a 14" x 14" play board. A correct answer earns forward progress - two squares for the first person who answered, one square for others. For a wrong answer, the player moves his/her pawn back a square; and for no answer, the pawn is left in its current position. The winner is the first player to reach the center circle on the board, with a typical game lasting about 45 minutes. The simultaneous method of play makes the game very exciting, and leaves no time for any player to get bored!