Components
- Playing board
- Carriage
- Timer
- 6 letter cubes
- Instructions
Object of the Game
To be the first player to win a predetermined number of points. For a quick game, play for 5 points; otherwise, play for as many as 10.
Setup
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Sit across from each other. Place the board so the name "Razzle" appears in front of each player.
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Set both scoring markers at "0".
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Place the timer into the hole.
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Place the carriage across the middle of the board, directly next to the timer.
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Randomly place the letter cubes into the carriage.
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Decide how many points are needed to win.
Playing
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To start, you must first push the carriage - toward your opponent - one row past the timer. Your opponent then pushes the carriage - toward you - one row past the timer. Finally, you push the carriage back to the middle row.
As you can see, letter cubes tumble each time the carriage is moved.
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From among the random letters in the carriage, both you and your opponent search for a word of four letters or more. Whoever finds a word, says it aloud and spells it.
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The letters in a word may appear in any order.
Example:
could spell: slag, gels, shale, heal(s), seal, gale(s). -
You may choose almost any word that can be found in a standard English dictionary. The exceptions; proper names, foreign words, abbreviations, contractions and hyphenated words.
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If you're the first to announce and spell a word, push the carriage one row toward your opponent. If your opponent is the first to announce and spell a word, he or she pushes the carriage one row toward you.
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From among the random letters in the carriage, the two of you then look for another word. The winner pushes the carriage one row toward the loser.
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Scoring a Point
As soon as you push the carriage against the opposite wall, you score a point. When this happens, you and your opponent do not look for a word.
Instead, you move your scoring marker one number ahead. Your opponent then pushes the carriage back to the middle row, and the two of you immediately start to look for a word.
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Challenging
Suppose the carriage has just been pushed and - after looking over the random letters -you can't find a word. When this happens, immediately challenge your opponent.
Simply say "Challenge!" and start the timer by flipping it over. Your opponent will then have exactly ten seconds in which to announce and spell a word.
If your opponent does not succeed, you push the carriage one row ahead. If your opponent does succeed, he or she pushes the carriage one row ahead.
Remember: You may challenge your opponent at any time after the carriage is pushed and before either of you announces a word.
If both of you decide to challenge each other, the one to announce "Challenge" first is the one who gets to start the timer.
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Incorrect Words
If, at any time, you announce a word that's incorrect, your opponent pushes the carriage one row ahead.
End of the Game
You'll win the game if you're the first to move your scoring marker all the way to "5" or to whatever other number you've chosen to shoot for.
Special Notes
Ties
Once in a while, you and your opponent might announce a word at the same time. If this happens, neither of you wins a point.
Instead, one of you should move the carriage ahead two rows, then back two rows - so it ends up exactly where it was. Then each of you, as usual, should immediately start to look for a word.
Rearranging the Letter Cubes.
After each point you may, if you wish, rearrange the letter cubes within the carriage before your opponent pushes it back to the middle.
Try this play variation if you and your opponent want to add extra variety and challenge to the basic game.
Optional Games
Adult vs. Child: To help equalize competition, the adult would look for words of four letters or more, while the child would be allowed to look for words of three letters or more.
Advanced Play: Look only for nouns or only for verbs.
Constant Challenge: Using the timer, you and your opponent take turns challenging each other.
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