Things in Rings
Things in Rings Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- A. 3 Rings
- B. 3 Ring Labels
- C. 240 Thing Cards
- D. 24 Attribute Rule Cards
- E. 24 Word Rule Cards
- F. 24 Context Rule Cards
Credits
Design: Peter C. Hayward Illustration: Snow Conrad Graphic Design: Snow Conrad, Anca Gavril Development: Michael Dunsmore, John Brieger, Velgus Editing: Jeff Fraser 3D Artist: Filip Gavril Special Thanks: Isaac Shalev, Ren Vice
Setup
| Challenge Level | Casual/Family | Standard | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| # of Rings Used | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Suggested Rings* | Attribute | Attribute, Word | Attribute, Word, Context |
*We recommend using the Attribute and Word rings for your first game, or just the Attribute ring if playing with kids. Once you're comfortable, you can use any combination!
- Arrange the chosen rings on the table so they overlap.
- Choose 1 player as Knower. The rest are Finders. With 2 players, use the co-op variant on pg. 4.
- Shuffle each rules deck. The Knower draws 1 rule from each and secretly looks at them. For your first game, use the "Easy" rules.
- Shuffle the things. The Knower draws 5, picks 3 to place as clues (following their rules), and discards the rest.
- Each Finder draws 5 things. The Finder left of the Knower goes first.
Overview
The Finders take turns placing things in rings and try to guess the secret rules. The first to empty their hand by placing 5 things correctly wins!
Game Turns
The Finders take turns clockwise. On your turn, follow these steps:
- Place 1 thing either inside a ring, in the overlap between rings, or outside of all rings.
- The Knower checks whether it's in the right spot, based on each ring's secret rule.
- If it is, the Knower tells you to place another thing (repeat from step 1).
- If not, they move your thing to the right spot and keep it in play. Draw 1 new thing and end your turn.
There's no limit to how many things you can place in a turn, as long as you keep placing correctly.
Example Turn
In a 2-ring game, a Finder thinks "comet" belongs in the blue and yellow rings. The Knower checks the rules and sees that "comet" doesn't follow either. The Knower moves "comet" outside both rings. Since the Finder was wrong, they draw a thing and end their turn.
Secret Rules
Each ring's label tells the Finders what kind of secret rule it has.
- The Attribute Ring has a rule about physical properties things have, like size, weight, or shape.
- The Word Ring has a rule about how we spell, write, or pronounce the names of things.
- The Context Ring has a rule about where we might find or use things. This is often the trickiest to figure out!
Game End
When any Finder places the last thing in their hand correctly (without drawing another), they win! The Finders can then try to guess the secret rules to earn bragging rights.
Knowing Things
As the Knower, your role is to facilitate the game, not stump the Finders. You can check the secret rules at any time, but can't say anything about them (even in co-op).
When deciding if a thing fits a rule, consider a "typical" or "average" version of it. You can use what's in the picture to narrow your interpretation. It's okay to use your judgment—that's part of the puzzle!
For example, a balloon has a specific shape, but balloons in general have many. Brooms are used in curling, but the average broom probably isn't.
Co-op Variant
In this variant for 2-4 players, the Knower and all Finders work together. The goal is for every Finder to place 5 things correctly.
Setup Changes: The Knower draws 10 things (not 5). They place 1 clue per player (including themselves), then keep the rest as their hand.
Gameplay: After each round of Finder turns, the Knower places 1 new clue. Finders keep their things hidden until played, but may discuss theories and strategy. Finders with no things left skip their turns.
Game End: If the Knower needs to place a clue but has none, everyone loses. If every Finder empties their hand first, everyone wins!