Spontuneous Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Players and Object
• Game Components
• Spontuneous® Lingo
• Setup
• Basic Rules - Quick Start
• Rules of Play
  • Beginning Play
  • Scoring
  • Stumping
  • Tunesmith Rotation
  • Spontuneous® Cards
  • Winning the Game

Players and Object

• Players: 3-10 Players/Teams (Teams are recommended for younger players or beginners)
• Ages: 9 to Adult
• Length of play: Approximately 30 minutes.

Object: To stump the other players from being able to sing a portion of ANY song containing your Trigger-Word! The 1st player to reach Finish WINS!

Game Components

• Spontuneous® Game Board
• (10) Player Pawns
• (50) Spontuneous® Cards
• (1) 15 Second Timer
• (1) Hit-List Tablet with Pencils
• (2) Dice
• (1) Spontuneous® Rules Sheet

Spontuneous® Lingo

• Trigger-Word: A word that triggers you to sing a song.
• Tunesmith: The player who announces a Trigger-Word.
• Hit-List: The list of Trigger-Words each player creates.

Setup

1. Designate 1 player to read and be in charge of the rules.
2. Each player chooses a pawn and places it at Start.
3. Give a pencil and one page from the Hit-List Tablet to each player.
4. Roll both dice to determine who will start the game off as the 1st Tunesmith. The highest roll starts.

Basic Rules - Quick Start

See detailed rules for each numbered point inside.

1. Think of a song you know, choose a single word from those lyrics and write it down on your Hit-List. This word is called a Trigger-Word. Think of another song and repeat.
2. Once all players have at least 3-5 Trigger-Words, play is started by the Tunesmith.
3. The 1st Tunesmith flips the 15 second timer and announces a Trigger-Word from their Hit-List.
4. The other players race against each other to SING a 5-word portion of ANY song containing the given Trigger-Word.
5. The 1st player to BEGIN singing BEFORE the time expires rolls both dice and advances on the treble clef.
6. If time expires and everyone is stumped, the Tunesmith must flip the timer and prove they know a song by singing a 5-word portion of lyrics containing their own Trigger-Word.
7. If the Tunesmith CAN prove it, they roll both dice and advance. If they CANNOT prove it, they must roll both dice and move backwards.
8. The person to the left of the original Tunesmith becomes the next Tunesmith and attempts to stump the others with a Trigger-Word from their own Hit-List. The Tunesmith position ALWAYS rotates clockwise.
9. If a player lands on a Spontuneous® Treble Clef, they must draw a Spontuneous® Card and attempt the challenge.
10. The 1st player to reach finish and complete the Spontuneous® Challenge WINS!

Rules of Play

Beginning Play

1. Trigger-Words: Think of a song you know, choose a single word from those lyrics and write it down on your Hit-List. This word is called a Trigger-Word.
   • A. A Trigger-Word is a word that "Triggers" you to sing a song.
   • B. A Trigger-Word does not have to be in the title of a song.
   • C. A Trigger-Word is a single word, not a phrase.
   • D. It may be helpful to write a hint next to your Trigger-Words so you can remember what song you had in mind.
   • E. Think of another song and repeat.
   • F. Continue to build your Hit-List throughout the game; stay prepared!
2. Ready: Once all players have at least 3-5 Trigger-Words, play is started by the Tunesmith.
3. "The Trigger-Word Is...": The 1st Tunesmith flips the 15 second timer and announces a Trigger-Word from their Hit-List.

Scoring

4. Race: The other players race to be the 1st to SING at least a 5-word portion of ANY song containing the given Trigger-Word.
   • A. Singing: Players MUST ATTEMPT to SING; talent is not required. Loosen up and have fun with it!
   • B. 5-Word Minimum: An entire song or verse does not have to be sung. If the Trigger-Word is 1 of the 5 words in the portion of lyrics sung; then it counts.
     • More than the 5-word minimum can be sung!
   • C. Songs: You don't have to sing the same song that the Tunesmith had in mind.
     • It must be a REAL SONG; not made up lyrics. Players are the judge; majority rules. Remember, it's just a game; "Google" it if you must.
     • Once a song has been sung, it CANNOT be sung again for the rest of the game.
     • A Trigger-Word, on the other hand, can be used more than once in a game.
5. Score: The 1st player to BEGIN singing BEFORE the time expires ROLLS BOTH DICE and advances on the treble clef.
   • A. Path Intersections: Count spaces at the path intersections in both directions.
   • B. Timing: The entire 5 words DO NOT have to be sung before time expires. However, singing must start before the time expires.

Stumping

6. Times Up: If time expires and everyone is stumped, the Tunesmith has 15 seconds to prove they know a song by singing a 5-word portion of lyrics containing their own Trigger-Word.
   • A. New Time: When time expires, flip the sand timer over to begin a new 15 seconds for the Tunesmith.
7. Prove It: If the Tunesmith CAN prove it, they roll both dice and advance. If they CANNOT prove it, they must roll both dice and move backwards.
   • A. Foul: If the Tunesmith is at "START" and could not prove it, they must sit out of the game until it becomes their turn again in the Tunesmith Rotation.

Tunesmith Rotation

8. Next Round: The person to the left of the original Tunesmith becomes the next Tunesmith and tries to stump the others with a Trigger-Word from their Hit-List.
   • A. Clockwise: The Tunesmith position ALWAYS rotates clockwise from the previous Tunesmith, unless a Spontuneous® Card dictates otherwise.
   • B. Pass the Timer: The timer is passed along to the next Tunesmith, who will start the time upon announcing their Trigger-Word.
   • C. Delay of Game: The Tunesmith has 10 seconds to announce a Trigger-Word, or they forfeit their turn and must move back 2 spaces for delaying the game. Any player can initiate a 10-second whisper countdown.

Spontuneous® Cards

9. Spontuneous® Clef: If a player lands on a space occupied by the Spontuneous® Clef, they must draw a Spontuneous® Card and attempt the challenge.
   • A. Rules Apply: All general rules apply when attempting a Spontuneous® Card Challenge.
   • B. Strategize: Many of the Spontuneous® Cards can be used strategically!

Winning the Game

10. Reaching Finish: The 1st player to reach Finish and successfully complete the Spontuneous® Challenge wins the game!
    • A. The Roll: Players DO NOT have to roll the exact number to reach Finish.
    • B. Spontuneous® Challenge: Once a player reaches Finish, the player in 3rd place (Challenger) becomes the Tunesmith and attempts to stump the Leader. (If 2 or more players are tied for 3rd place, break the tie with a game of rock-paper-scissors.)
    • C. Challenge Complete 1: If the Leader is stumped and the Challenger CANNOT prove it - LEADER WINS!
    • D. Challenge Complete 2: If the Challenger fails to stump the Leader - LEADER WINS!
    • E. Challenge Failed: If the Leader is stumped and the Challenger CAN prove it, the Challenger rolls one die to advance. The game continues as normal with the player to the left of the Leader becoming the next Tunesmith. The Leader can attempt the Spontuneous® Challenge if they score again.
    • F. Sudden Death: If a 2nd player reaches Finish, the game goes into Sudden Death.
      • All the Non-Leaders take turns announcing Trigger-Words until one of the two Leaders at Finish can score by singing a song.
      • The 1st Leader to score wins the game.
      • Stumping CANNOT occur during sudden death.