Quiddler is a word-building game played rummy-style. Each player is dealt a certain number of cards (varies from three the first round to ten in the last) and by drawing a card and discarding a card each turn, attempts to build a hand which can be used completely to form words. Once a player has done so, he may play his cards down on the table as words and go out.

Some cards have two-letter combos on them: QU, ER, and IN. These are important for the strategy of the game, as described later. Each card has a point value, going from 1 for the most common letters to 15 for the Q without a U. Each word must use at least two cards.

Once a player goes out, each other player gets one more turn to draw, play what he can, and discard. Each player scores the sum of the letter values of the cards he played, minus the values of unplayed cards. In addition, there are bonuses for the longest word and the most words, but in the case of a tie for either award, the award is not given. The two-letter cards can be extremely valuable for this purpose, since they can let you make a 4-letter word (or even conceivably a 5-letter word) during the 3-card round.

The game seems to be somewhat flawed, since it seems too easy for players to go out on their first turn, and the bonuses aren't usually enough incentive to keep them from doing so as soon as possible. But it might be more balanced with a more normal group of players; I was playing a game against member of the National Puzzlers League.

Quid"dle (?), Quid"dler (?), n.

One who wastes his energy about trifles.

Emerson.

 

© Webster 1913.

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