One letter. Six categories. Put your word skills to the test.
2–8 people · Paper and pens
Set up the table
Add player names (optional)
How to play
- 1Each player needs paper and a pen. Write one answer for each of the six categories, all starting with the round’s letter.
- 2Use English words. Agree on names, plurals and repeated answers across categories before you start.
- 3When the timer ends, pens down. Compare answers within each category: an accepted answer nobody else used earns 1 point. Shared, blank or rejected answers earn 0.
For B: animal → bear; food → banana; city → Boston. Answers are written on paper, not on this page.
22 letters: A–Z except Q, U, X and Z. Each available letter is equally likely; letters do not repeat until the pool runs out.
One shared screen, with answers on paper. Names and scores stay in this page and clear when you leave or refresh. No accounts or online room.
A letter and a little imagination
A categories game for your next night in
Give everyone paper and a pen, then put one shared screen on the table. This categories game draws the letter, keeps time and adds up the points while everyone plays in the same room.
Choose exactly six of the 18 categories and a round of 60, 90, 120 or 180 seconds. Each person writes one English answer per category, starting with the same letter.
Build a six-category round
Start with animals, food, cities, jobs, things in a home and things in nature, or swap them for six categories your group prefers. Agree before play on proper names, plurals and whether one word may be reused across different categories.
- Set up 2–8 players; names are optional.
- Prepare one sheet and a pen for each player.
- For the letter B, bear fits an animal, banana fits food and Boston fits a city.
Race a fair letter draw and a shared timer
The letter pool contains A–Z except Q, U, X and Z. Each remaining letter has an equal chance of being drawn, and letters are not reused until the pool is exhausted. The next cycle also avoids an immediate repeat.
Pause for a group interruption and resume with the remaining time. When time runs out, the page locks the writing round and moves to review. You can also end early when everyone agrees. The letter and all six categories stay visible for checking.
Let the table judge, then confirm the scores
Compare answers within each category. A valid answer that nobody else wrote earns 1 point. A shared answer, a blank or a rejected answer earns 0. The group decides what is valid; this tool does not check a dictionary or read your paper.
Enter a whole-number score from 0 to 6 for every player and confirm once to add the round to the totals. Undo the latest scoring before drawing the next letter if you need to correct it. Completed rounds retain their letter, categories and scores for review.
Frequently asked questions
Can everyone join from a separate phone?
No. This version is for 2–8 people in the same room, using one shared screen and writing answers on paper. There are no online rooms or synchronized answer screens.
Does the categories game decide whether a word counts?
No. Players check the answers together. Each unique, accepted answer earns 1 point in its category, with a maximum of 6 points per player per round.
Are the letters and scores saved after a refresh?
No. Game progress, names and scores live only in the current page. Leaving or refreshing clears them. Within the current game, completed rounds remain available in the recap.