Dice Words
Dice Words Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
- 33 Dice:
- 4 sets of 7 drink dice (shown with letters A, D, E, I, N, R, T): Red: Fruit punch; Purple: Grape soda; Yellow: Lemonade; Brown: Iced coffee
- 4 ice cube dice (blue) (shown with letters P, K, C, O)
- 1 sugar cube die (white)
- 4 drinking straw boards
- 1 ice cube tray
- 1 sand timer (2 minutes)
- 4 drink cups
- 1 fabric storage bag
- 1 score pad (50 score sheets)
You will also need: pens or pencils to keep score.
Game Objective
Each player has seven dice representing a refreshing drink, which they want to cool down with ice cubes. To do this, each player must build a word using their set of drink dice while trying to match as many of the letters on the ice cube dice as possible. The goal is to build the highest-scoring word that you can each round. The player with the highest total score at the end of the game wins.
Game Setup
- Each player takes a set of drink dice, the matching drinking straw board (with side A face up), a drink cup, and a score sheet.
- Put the ice cube dice, ice cube tray, and sand timer in the middle of the table.
- Choose a starting player by taking turns rolling the same die. The player who rolls the letter that appears closest to the start of the alphabet is the starting player.
How to Play
- The starting player takes the four ice cube dice, rolls them, and then places them in the ice cube tray with the rolled letters facing up. These four letters are now called the target letters.
- The starting player gives everyone a moment to study the target letters, then yells "Go!" and flips over the timer.
- Simultaneously, each player begins by rolling all of their drink dice, using their drink cup as a tumbler.
- Each player then uses their rolled letters to spell a word, attempting to make the highest-value and longest word possible that also contains letters that match as many of the target letters as possible. See the scoring key and scoring examples below.
- The "?" can be used as any letter in the alphabet. If it is used as a letter that is the same as one of the target letters, this counts as a matched target letter.
- Players may reroll all or some of their dice up to two times.
- When the time is up, each player places their word on their drinking straw board. Each player uses the and their to calculate their Go around the table and share your word and score with each other.
Decide on the game duration before starting. The player with the highest score at the end of the chosen number of rounds is the winner!
Scoring Key
- Word Score: Add up the points on the letter dice used in your word.
- Subtotal: Multiply your word score by the number of target letters in your word. Note: If you did not match any target letters in your word, your subtotal is zero!
- Bonus Points: A five-letter word scores 5 bonus points. A six-letter word scores 10 bonus points. A seven-letter word scores 25 bonus points.
- Round Score: Add your bonus points to your subtotal.
- Total Score: Add your round score to the previous total score.
Scoring Examples
For this example, the target letters are A, C, H, S.
Charlie spelled H(2) A(1) S(2). The points on the letters in this word are 2, 1, and 2, for a word score of 5 points. Three of the target letters are matched in this word; 5 x 3 = 15. No bonus points are earned because the word has fewer than 5 letters. Charlie's round score is 15.
Aurora spelled M(3) A(1) T(1) ?(0) H(2). The "?" can be used as any letter, but is worth zero points in the word score. In this example, the "?" is used as an "C" to spell the word "MATCH", and therefore it matches one of the target letters in this round. The points on the letters in this word are 3, 1, 1, 0, and 2, for a word score of 7 points. Three of the target letters are matched in this word; 7 x 3 = 21. For a 5-letter word, Aurora earns 5 bonus points. Her round score is 26.
Willy spelled T(1) U(3) M(3) B(3) L(2) E(1). Unfortunately, Willy did not roll any of the letters needed to match the target letters, so instead he focused on making the longest word possible. The points on the letters in this word are 1, 3, 3, 3, 2, and 1, for a word score of 13 points. None of the target letters are matched in this word; 13 x 0 = 0. However, for a 6-letter word, Willy earns 10 bonus points. His round score is 10.
Addy spelled T(1) H(2) E(1) M(3). Addy is a third grader competing against her parents and an older sibling, and the Optional Rule #3 for Younger Players is in effect for this game. The points on the letters in the word are 1, 2, 1, and 3, for a word score of 7 points. Due to the optional rule, the target letters are ignored, but the word is 4 letters long, so 7 x 4 = 28. No bonus points are earned because the word has fewer than 5 letters. Addy's round score is 28.
Variant: Sugar Cube
The player with the lowest total score at the end of each round gets the sugar cube die added to their drink dice. The player may use the sugar cube as they would their regular drink dice. This increases the chances of matching target letters and also getting bonus points for five-, six-, or seven-letter words. (You may make an eight-letter word but this scores 25 bonus points, like a seven-letter word.)
Variant: Optional Rules for Younger Players
Use any or all of these rules to help level the playing field for younger players.
- Younger players have unlimited rerolls.
- Younger players get a head start: Upon the first flip of the timer, only the younger players start. When the time is up, flip the timer again and everyone plays.
- Younger players ignore the target letters and instead multiply their word score by the total number of letters in their word.
- If younger players are having trouble making five-, six-, or seven-letter words, flip over their drinking straw boards to side B (the "More Bonus Points!" side) and use the alternative bonus point allocations there, which start at three-letter words.
Variant: Rerolling Target Letters
You may choose to add this rule: If, immediately after the starting player rolls the ice cube dice, all players agree that they would prefer new target letters, the starting player may reroll the ice cube dice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I matched the same target letter twice in my word. Do I increase the multiplier? A: No. The multiplier is the number of target letters matched, not how many times the target letter is matched.
Q: I used the "?" to match a target letter. Does this count? A: Yes. If the target letter is matched in the word, it counts — regardless of whether it is an actual letter or a "?". (Note: The only way to match the "J" or "X" target letters in your word is to use the "?". The only way to use a "Q" or "Z" in your word is with "?", which are not present on the ice cube dice.)
Q: Can I still score any points if I did not match any target letters in my word? A: Yes, but only bonus points, which are added after the target letter multiplier. See the example for Willy on page 3.
Q: What words are allowed? Can I use slang words? A: Any words found in a standard dictionary are allowed, except abbreviations, prefixes and suffixes by themselves, and any words that must be capitalized (like proper nouns) or that use a hyphen or an apostrophe. If there is a disagreement, check a dictionary. If a player fails to correctly spell an allowed word, they score no points.