Hear 'N Seek
Hear 'N Seek Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 20 sound cards: each shows a picture linked to one characteristic sound. There are 10 different pictures, each appearing twice, making 10 pairs.
- 30 error cards, all identical.
Game Idea
In turn, each player takes on the role of the active player for one complete round. The active player's task is to find the face-down pairs of sound cards. The difficulty is that the active player cannot see the pictures on the cards; they only hear the matching sounds. So: keep your ears open!
The player who needs the fewest attempts to find all the pairs during their round as the active player is the winner.
Setup
First, all players familiarise themselves with the characteristic sounds of the pictures. It is best for everyone to make the corresponding sounds together once, so that everyone knows what is meant.
Note: Throughout the game, players should try to imitate the respective sounds as realistically as possible, such as a motor scooter sputtering or a dog barking!
The original sheet shows the ten pictures with their sounds as a grid of illustrations; they are listed here as a table (picture names as printed, translated from German):
| Picture | Sound |
|---|---|
| Locomotive | "Tsch-Tsch-Tsch" |
| Fish | "Blubb" |
| Frog | "Quak" |
| Bell | "Bimm-Bamm" |
| Dog | "Wau-Wau" |
| Cat | "Miau" |
| Motor scooter | "Brrr-Brrr" |
| Triangle | "Pling" |
| Drum | "Bumm-Bumm" |
| Clock | "Tick-Tack" |
- The 20 sound cards are shuffled face down and laid out face down in a 4 x 5 grid. The frogs on the backs of the cards should face the active player.
- The 30 error cards are kept within reach next to the grid.
Diagram labels in the original rulebook: "Aktiver Spieler" (active player) sits directly in front of the grid; "Mitspieler" (other players) sit around the active player.
Game Play
The oldest player begins and takes on the role of the active player for the complete first round. The active player should sit directly in front of the card grid. The active player's left neighbour takes the stack of error cards.
The active player picks up any sound card with the left hand and shows it to the other players.
Very important: the active player must not see the picture on the card. The other players now imitate the corresponding characteristic sound of the picture. For example, if it is a bell, all the other players together say "Bimm-Bamm".
The active player then picks up another card with the right hand (again without seeing the picture!) and shows it to the other players. The other players again imitate the corresponding sound.
Example (Karl): Karl takes on the role of the active player. With his left hand he lifts a card (triangle). The other players make the "Pling" sound. Then he lifts another card with his right hand (fish). The other players make the "Blubb" sound.
- If the two cards show two different pictures (so two different sounds were heard), the active player returns both cards face down to their places and takes one error card. The error card is placed next to him.
- If the two cards show the same picture (so two identical sounds were heard), the active player sets both cards aside. He does not receive an error card.
Example (Karl): Karl first uncovers a clock with his left hand, then another clock with his right hand. Both times the same sound is heard: "Tick-Tack". Karl sets the two clocks aside and does not receive an error card.
The active player continues in this way. He may freely choose each time which two cards to uncover. It is essential that the active player cannot see the pictures that he shows to the other players.
End of a Round
The active player keeps playing until he has found all the pairs. Then his round ends. The round also ends immediately if the active player has received all 30 error cards.
The active player counts the error cards he has received. This number is his result. The fewer, the better.
Each player takes on the role of the active player once and goes in search of the ten pairs.
End of the Game
The game ends after every player has taken on the role of the active player once. The player who received the fewest error cards in his round is the winner.
Pro Rule
If the active player has received an error card (because he heard two different sounds), he does not return the two sound cards to their original places. Instead, he swaps the places of these two cards. The right card is placed face down in the left place, and the left card is placed face down in the right place. The rest of the game proceeds as before.