Components
- 2 decks of 36 Numbered Face Cards
- 32 Accuse Cards
- 8 Player Cards
- 8 Player Tokens
- Instructions
Object of the Game
Score the most points by secretly winking at your "partners" without getting caught in the act!
Setup
The Face Cards are sorted according to their backs into 2 decks:
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Lay out one of the decks randomly in e 6x6 grid of faceup cards to form the Playing Field.
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Distribute the second deck of Face Cards based on the number of players . (These cards form each player's starting hand).
The remaining cards from the second deck are set aside facedown . They will not be used in this game and may not be looked at by any player.
Note: Because some Face Cards are set aside and not used , it is possible that during the game the Face Card that you are looking for in the grid will NOT have a matching card in a player's hand.
If you would prefer to play a game with more frequent matches, deal out one extra Face Card to each player at the start of the game. (There are only enough cards to do this in games with fewer than 8 players).
Each player chooses a Player Card and corresponding Player Token and sets them on the table in front of him. Each player also receives 4 Accuse Cards, to challenge players they catch winking.
Game Play
The first player begins by placing his Player Token on any faceup card that does not match a card in his hand. Then, he announces in a loud and clear voice which number he is looking for.
Example: The current player places his Token on the Face Card with the number 7 and says "I am looking for the number seven!"
Restriction: You MAY NOT place your token on:
A card which has the same value as one in your hand Or,
A card which is already occupied by another player's token.
The player to the left continues the game. He places his Player Token on any other card and announces the number on that card. The game continues clockwise.
Finding Your Partner
Once a player places his Token on a Face card, he has one round to try and discover the identity of his "Partner" (The player who has the matching "twin " Face Card in their hand).
The player with the matching twin card in hand has until the start of his Partner's next turn to alert him of his identity by secretly winking at him without being detected by the other players.
Important : If your opponents catch your partner in the act of winking, they can accuse him and steal your points! (See: Accuse Cards)
Naming Your Partner
After the first round (once every player has placed their Player Token on top of a Face Card), players will start their turn by guessing the identity of their Partner.
The current player names who he thinks his partner is, he then points to that player and announces the number that he believes is in his hand. (If he has no idea who his partner is, he still guesses anyway).
Example: The current player believes that Bob winked at him and therefore has the number ( seven) he is looking for in his hand. He says "Bob, you have the number seven!"
There are two Possibilities
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He is correct: The named player does in fact have that card in his hand:
The current player takes back his Player Token and removes the Face Card that his Token was on top of from the Playing Field , placing it underneath his Player Card and scoring it as one point at the end of the game.
His Partner takes the corresponding twin card from his hand, shows it to all the players, and places it underneath his own Player Card. (It also counts as one point at the end of the game).
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He is wrong: The named player does not have the matching card in his hand:
The current player takes back his Player Token and turns the Face Card that he was on top of facedown (it cannot be matched for the rest of the game and scores no points).
The named player does nothing! (He shrugs and wonders why the other player thought he was his Partner). If another player had the matching twin Face Card in hand, he also does nothing. (He silently keeps the unmatched Face Card in his hand, and contemplates how to improve his winking skills).
After naming a partner, and resolving the consequences, the turn continues as normal.
The current player chooses a new Face Card to place his Token on, calls out the new number, and begins searching for a wink from his new partner.
Accuse Cards
Players should always be on the lookout for winks exchanged between other players. If anyone ever suspects that they have discovered a secret partnership between two other players, they can accuse them and try to steal their points by playing an Accuse Card!
Accuse Cards can be played at any time, even during another player's turn. If a player believes that he has caught a partnership between two other players, he can play his Accuse Card (discarding it) and call out loudly: "J'ACCUSE !" (or " I accuse " in English). He then explains his accusation.
Example : The current player believes that he saw Bob winking at the player looking for the number seven, so he says "J'ACCUSE Bob! You have the number seven!"
Important: Each Accuse Card can only be used once each game, and is then discarded. It doesn't matter if you are correct or incor- rect, either way Accuse Cards are always discarded after use.
There are two Possibilities
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He is correct: the accused player does in fact have the corresponding "Twin" card in his hand:
The accusing player takes both cards (one from the player's hand and the other from the Playing Field) and puts them under his Player Card. He scores one point for each card at the end of the game.
The Player Token that was on top of the Face Card stays where it was, in a now empty space on the Playing Field. It will be moved and placed on a new Face Card on that player's next turn.
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He is wrong: the accused player does not have the corresponding "Twin" card:
Nothing happens. The accused player says "No, I do not have that card". And the game continues as usual. (The accuse card is still discarded).
After an Accuse Card is played , it is removed from the game , no matter whether the challenge was successful or not.
Important : Unplayed Accuse Cards count as one point at the end of game, so a player should use them carefully.
When an Accuse Card is played, the game is shortly interrupted . Afterwards , the game continues with the player whose turn was interrupted when the card was played.
End of the Game
The game ends in one of 2 ways:
- One player no longer has any more Face Cards in his hand.
- Or, all 36 Face Cards from the Playing Field have been scored or turned facedown.
Each player then counts the number of Face Cards under his Player Card and adds one point for each unused Accuse Card left in his hand. All cards count as 1 point.
Note: Remaining Face Cards in your hand do not count as points.
The player with the most points wins the game.
In the case of a tie, the player who also has the fewest Accuse Cards remaining in their hand wins the game. If there is still a tie, the player who also has the fewest Face Cards remaining in their hand wins the game.
Notes on Winking
If not all players are able to wink, they can agree to use another gesture (such as blinking, or frowning ). All players must agree to use the same gesture before the start of the game.
To avoid awkward moments at the start of a player' s turn (when they look around the table for a last minute wink before announcing their guess) - You are not allowed to wink at your Partner once their (next) turn has begun. (A player's turn begins immediately after the previous player announce their new number).
No Cheating
WINK is a light-hearted , social game, in which winning is not the primary concern. However, to avoid cheating or dirty play, make sure that all players agree on the following points:
Players may NOT wink at each other if they do not have the corresponding Twin card in their hand.
You are not allowed to trick people with false winks. Partners may NOT communicate with each other using other methods aside from the agreed upon wink. (No nudging or kicking under the table)
However, if you want a more chaotic game, feel free to agree on your own rules before the game.
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