Der Phrasenfuchs
Der Phrasenfuchs Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 300 cards (50 cards in each of 6 categories)
- 8 game figures
- 3 point chips (2 x 1 point, 1 x 2 points)
Object of the Game
Phrase threshers and masters of quick sayings, pay attention! Familiar idioms must be recognized, but they have been altered in six different ways. It is no piece of cake to keep track! Who gets the buzz first and collects the most points?
"The way is the goal."
Setup
- Take all the components out of the box and place the empty underside of the box in the middle of the table. The score track is printed on the edge of the box.
- Take the cards and form 6 card decks, one for each category. Place these 6 decks around the box.
- Before the first game, carefully punch out the game figures and the point chips from the punch sheets.
- Each player takes one game figure and places it on the start space of the score track. Surplus game figures can be returned to the box.
- Shuffle the 3 point chips face down and place them next to the cards.
- Keep a pencil and some sheets of paper ready.
"Order is half of life."
How to Play
Whoever last saw a fox starts. If you are not sure, agree among yourselves who starts. Play then continues clockwise.
On your turn you take on the role of the Question Fox (Fragefuchs). Your fellow players are the Guessing Foxes (Ratefüchse). As the Question Fox you draw the top card of the current category.
The current category is the color of the space your game figure is currently on. (Do not confuse the color of the space with your player color!) If your game figure is still on the start space, you may choose a category.
Each card shows three phrases that must be recognized. Beware: in each category the Phrase Fox (Phrasenfuchs) has devised a different trick to disguise the phrase. An overview of the different categories can be found in the chapter "The Six Categories".
"Prick up your ears, or it will all be Greek to you."
The Three Tasks
The Question Fox sets the first task and the Guessing Foxes try to find the solution.
Whoever believes they know the correct answer calls it out.
If the answer is wrong, the Question Fox says "No" and everyone may keep thinking.
If the answer is correct, that player takes any one of the face-down point chips. You may not reveal the chips yet. You do not have to guess the sought phrase word for word. In case of doubt, the Question Fox decides, quite fairly, whether he accepts your answer.
Note: If several Guessing Foxes call out the correct solution at the same time, the player who currently has the fewest points among them receives the chip. In case of doubt, the Question Fox decides who receives the point chip.
Play the second and then the third task in the same way.
Note: If the Guessing Foxes cannot solve a task, the Question Fox simply sets the next task. In this case, not all point chips are handed out for this task card.
"Good things come in threes."
Point Distribution
After the third task has been played, the points are distributed. Whoever has won one or more point chips reveals all of their chips and moves their game figure forward on the score track by the corresponding number of spaces.
The Question Fox also receives points. He may move his game figure forward as many spaces as the Guessing Fox who collected the most points on this card.
Put all point chips back in the middle and shuffle them again briefly face down. The card that was read out is removed from the game.
The next player clockwise then becomes the Question Fox and sets the next three tasks according to the current category.
"Every little bit counts."
End of the Game
Keep playing until one of you reaches or passes the FINISH space of the score track. Whoever has collected the most points wins and may from now on call themselves "Honorary Phrase Fox" (Phrasenfuchs ehrenhalber). In case of a tie, there are several winners.
"All good things come to an end."
The Six Categories
"Six at one stroke."
Fox, You Have Stolen the Word
Original title: "Fuchs, du hast das Wort gestohlen"
In every phrase, the Phrase Fox has stolen one word and replaced it with "Fox", naturally in the appropriate grammatical form. The Question Fox reads the "fox phrase" aloud exactly as it is written. Whoever is first to name the stolen word takes one of the point chips.
Two Words for a Hallelujah
Original title: "Zwei Wörter für ein Halleluja"
The Question Fox reads aloud only the two underlined words. Whoever is first to correctly name the complete phrase takes one of the point chips.
With Other Words
Original title: "Mit anderen Worten"
Each card is assigned a specific theme. All three phrases relate to this shared theme.
First, the Question Fox reads the theme of the card aloud. Then he reads aloud only the underlined word of the phrase being sought. Whoever is first to correctly name the complete phrase takes one of the point chips.
Mr. Foxy's Language School
Original title: "Mr. Foxys Sprachschule"
The Phrase Fox has translated the sought phrases into English. Unfortunately, he chose a rather crazy dictionary and additionally translated the individual words word for word.
The Question Fox reads the "English" translation aloud exactly as it is written. Whoever is first to correctly name the original German phrase takes one of the point chips.
Painting Phrases
Original title: "Malen nach Phrasen"
This time you have to look closely. The Question Fox takes pencil and paper, and the phrase painting can begin.
He draws the sought phrase. While doing so, he may not speak, nor write down any letters or words. For wrong answers, the Question Fox only shakes his head.
Whoever is first to correctly name the complete phrase takes one of the point chips.
Tongue Twister
Original title: "Zungenbrecher"
This time you have to listen well. The Question Fox reads the sought phrase aloud directly. There is one small complication:
While reading aloud, with his mouth open, he must squeeze his cheeks firmly between the thumb and index finger of one hand. Caution: please do not bite your cheeks!
Whoever is first to correctly name the complete phrase takes one of the point chips.