Components

• 288 tiles
• Storage Bag
• Instructions

Setup

Place all 288 tiles face down in the center of the table. These tiles are referred to as the BUNCH. For games of 2-4 people, each player takes 21 tiles from the BUNCH; 5-6 players, 15 tiles; 7 or more players, 11 tiles. Keep your tiles face down.

Now The Game Begins.

Game Play

Any one player calls out SPLIT! All I players turn their own tiles face up I and proceed to form their OWN connecting and intersecting word grid. Words may be horizontal or vertical, reading left to right to bottom.

At any point, each player may rearrange their own words. Players DO NOT take turns, but play independently of each other and at the same time.

When a player has none of their original tiles left, that player calls out PEEL and takes a tile from the BUNCH. At this point all of the other players must also take a tile from the buncH and add it to their collection of tiles.

At any time, and as often as desired during play, any player may return a difficult-to-use letter back to the center of the BUNCH, face down, but must take three tiles in return. The player must declare this action to the others by calling out DUMP. This exchange does not affect the other players.

End of the Game

Play continues until there are fewer tiles in the BUNCH than there are players. The first player with no remaining tiles calls out BANANAS! and is the WINNER. The other players may now check the winning hand for misspelled or incorrect words.

Proper nouns are NOT acceptable. Any available dictionary may be used. If all words are acceptable, that player is the WINNER OF THAT HAND.

If any word in the grid is found to be unacceptable, that player becomes the ROTTEN BANANA and is OUT OF THAT HAND. They must return all their tiles face down to the BUNCH and the game resumes for the remaining players.

Variants

Banana Bonanza

(for very large groups... i.e., classrooms, family gatherings, restaurants etc). Players do not need to be sitting at the same table. Distribute ALL tiles equally among players, keeping the tiles face down. A player calls out SPLIT!

All players turn their own tiles face up. At this point players must choose three of their own tiles which they then have to pass to the person on their right. This is called PASS THE PULP.

All players then proceed to form their OWN collection of connecting and intersecting words as quickly as possible. As in regular BANANAGRAMS, players may rearrange their tiles as often as desired.

There is NO DUMPING or PEELING. The first player to use all their tiles calls out BANANAS! and is the WINNER. In the unlikely event that the game ends in a stalemate, the player with the fewest remaining tiles is the WINNER.

"Best Of.."

A HAND can take as little as 5 minutes, so players, if desired, could play for the "best of five" or "best often".

Banana Smoothie

(for those who want to play a less hectic game)

All tiles are placed face down on the table. The tiles are divided equally among players, remaining face down. Players then play the regular BANANAGRAMS game but there is NO DUMPING or PEELING.

The first player to use all of their tiles calls out BANANAS! and is the WINNER OF THAT HAND. If the game ends in a stalemate, the player with the fewest remaining tiles is the WINNER.

Banana Solitaire

Place all tiles down on center of table. Take 21 tiles and proceed to play the game. Only PEEL when needed. Try to beat your own best time in using all 288 tiles, or try making as few words to use all the tiles. This can be a relaxing way of honing your BANANAGRAMS skills.

Banana Challenge

Play the regular BANANAGRAMS rules but NO TWO LETTER words are allowed.

Advanced players can create their own games!

Bananagrams Dobule Letter Breakdown

A=26, B=6, C=6, D=12, E=36, F=6, G=8, H=6,1=24, J=4, K=4, L=10, M=6, N=16,0=22, P=6, Q=4, R=18, S=12, T=18, U=12, V=6, W=6, X=4, Y=6, Z=4.

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