AmuseAmaze Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Rules of the Game
  • Object of the Game
  • Set Up
  • Movement
  • Laying Down Letter Tiles
  • Picking Up Letter Tiles
  • Bonus Move
  • Where Can't You Move?
  • Use of the Qu
  • Collecting Target Cards
  • Using the Gardener Card
  • How Do You Win?
• Optional Rules for Advanced Play
  • Tribute Bonus
  • Laying Down Letter Tiles on Target Letter Squares

Rules of the Game

Object of the Game

3 player or 4-6 player games: race through the letter maze from the Start square to the bottom row. Along the way, collect 3 differently colored Target Cards.

2 player game: race through the letter maze from the Start square and back to the row adjoining the Start square. Along the way, collect 2 differently colored Target Cards.

Set Up

1. Set up the boards. There are 18 separate Maze Boards. These include 1 Start Board (marked with a START square) and 4 Target Boards (each with one or more colored letter squares – green, orange, red and yellow). Depending on the number of players, set up the Maze Boards to form the Game Board in the patterns and numbers of boards shown below. It doesn't matter which boards go where so long as the Start Board and any of the Target Boards are placed according to these patterns.

   Game Board Set Up Arrangements

   • 4-6 Players (18 Maze Boards)
   • 3 Players (16 Maze Boards)
   • 2 Players (15 Maze Boards)

   The arrangement diagrams for each player count are images in the original rulebook and are not reproduced here; the board counts and the Start Board and Target Board placement rule above are as printed.

2. Place a Letter Tile from the bag on each of the Blue Squares. Placement is completely random.

3. Place the Target Cards off the board next to the matching Target Board: green Target Cards next to the green squared Target Board etc.

4. Each player gets 3 Letter Tiles drawn at random from the bag. These are not hidden – everyone gets to see them.

5. Each player gets 1 Gardener Card (the guy with the clippers).

6. Each player chooses a Playing Piece, and all Playing Pieces are placed on the Start square.

7. Any unused Maze Boards, Letter Tiles, and Gardener Cards are placed back in the box and are not used during the game.

8. The player with the first letter in the alphabet goes first. If there's a tie, the next best Letter Tile wins.

Movement

You move by spelling out words from the letters printed on the Maze Boards and/or the Letter Tiles laid on it. You can move vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, in any combination of directions across adjoining squares. Even if you can't spell a word, you may always move a minimum of one space. Once you have spelled your word and moved, your turn is over unless you get a Bonus Move – see below.

Example Moves:

• Player 1: spells LAWS.
• Player 2: spells HIDE.

Laying Down Letter Tiles

You may lay down on the letter squares one or more of the Letter Tiles in your hand to make it possible to spell a word. If you lay down a Letter Tile it stays on the board until another player (or you) uses it to spell another word. You cannot lay down a Letter Tile (1) on top of another Letter Tile, (2) on an uncovered Blue Square, or (3) on a Target letter square.

Picking Up Letter Tiles

When you go over a square with a Letter Tile on it, you pick up the tile and add it to your hand. If the square beneath the tile is a Blue Square, then the Blue Square becomes impassable for the rest of the game. You may combine laying down and picking up tiles in the same turn.

Example Moves:

• Player 1: spells ATE and picks up Letter Tile T.
• Player 2: lays down Letter Tile A and spells BARN.

The before-and-after board diagrams for this example are images in the original rulebook and are not reproduced here.

Bonus Move

You get a Bonus Move (it stays your turn and you move again) if (1) you spell a word with 5 or more letters, or (2) you spell a word that uses one of the Premium Letters. The Premium Letters are J, K, Qu, V, X and Z. These are either the letter squares marked in black on the Maze Boards or one of these letters from your hand. You may get up to two Bonus Moves in a row, but only one from each method. For instance, if you spell a word with 5 or more letters and take a Bonus Move, the only way to earn another (and final) Bonus Move is to use either a Premium Letter Square or Premium Letter tile from your hand. You cannot get 2 Bonus Moves from one move: if you spell a 5 or more letter word and use a Premium Letter you must select which of the 2 possible Bonus Moves you wish to take. You cannot get a Bonus Move as a result of moving just 1 space.

Where Can't You Move?

• You cannot move through a hedge (except with a Gardener Card – see below).
• You cannot move through a square occupied by another Playing Piece.
• You cannot move through an uncovered Blue Square.
• You cannot use the same square twice in the same turn.
• You cannot use the letter you start on in that turn.

Use of the Qu

The Qu on the Maze Board or on a Letter Tile counts as one letter, not two. It can be used either as a combined Qu (as in queen) or as a letter Q on its own (as in qadi). Either way, it only counts as 1 letter.

Collecting Target Cards

You collect a Target Card when you land on and use one of the colored Target letter squares on the Target Boards. You can collect a Target Card even if you land on a Target letter square as a result of moving just 1 space.

Using the Gardener Card

You can choose to play your Gardener Card in order to "cut through" a hedge. By "cutting through" the hedge you are able to move as if the hedge does not exist. You can use your Gardener Card once only during the game.

How Do You Win?

3 player and 4-6 player games: the winner is the first player to collect 3 differently colored Target Cards and reach the bottom row of the Game Board. You do that by either using or finishing on a letter square located in that row.

2 player game: the winner is the first player to collect 2 differently colored Target Cards and return to the row adjoining the Start square. You do that by either using or finishing on a letter square located in that row.

Tip: Remember, the important thing is movement, not trying to spell long words. A small word that takes you in the right direction is usually better than a long word that doesn't.

Optional Rules for Advanced Play

Tribute Bonus

If you spell a word of 8 or more letters, all the other players must pay tribute by giving you half of the Letter Tiles in their hands (fractions rounded down). Each player can decide which Letter Tiles to give.

Laying Down Letter Tiles on Target Letter Squares

In addition to the normal Rules of the Game, for Advanced Play you may also lay down Letter Tiles on top of a Target letter square. If this happens, the Target letter square cannot be used (and a Target Card thereby collected) until the Letter Tile covering it has been picked up.