How to play

How the game works

1. Each player starts with a blank score card (or scrap of paper) and a pen.

2. Players take turns to pick a card on this website (also see rule 11). A 45 second timer is started.

3. Each player writes three words they associate with that place or person’s name.

4. After 45 seconds, stop writing.

Scoring

1. In turn, each player reads out their three words. As each word is read, other players say if they have a match.

2. Points are scored where two or more players have written the same word:

   • 2 points each for two players who have a match
   • 3 points each for three players who have a match
   • 4 points each for four players who have a match
     etc.

Conclusion

At the end of the game, depending on the time available and fun being had, the winner is the player with most points.

Rules

1. There is no restriction to the kinds of associations a player can write, for example: ideas, food, buildings, geography, history, art, verbs, nouns, similes, etc. and of course other people and places!

2. Many not identical words are considered a match, as long as the idea is very close:

   • Same thing in different languages, e.g. gelato and ice cream.
   • Plural and singular, e.g. car and cars.
   • Full and common names, e.g. Roger Federer and just Federer.

3. The three things you write down must be of different kinds/categories:

   • Pasta cannot be in your same set of 3 as Pizza (both are foods).
   • John Lennon cannot be in your same set of 3 as Paul McCartney (both are people).

   Any words of the same categories do not score for that player, but still score for other players with a match.

4. Related adjectives, verbs and nouns are not a match:

   • French is not a match for France.

5. Individual items or ideas are not a match for their wider set or category:

   • Mount Everest is not a match for the Himalayas.

6. These generic associations with people and places are not allowed:

   • person; woman; man; female; male
   • town; city; state; country; region, continent

7. More than one word can be used, where that is the best or clearest way to write the single idea.

8. Spelling is flexible. WhoMatches is an inclusive game for many abilities – so incorrect spellings are a match.

9. Word/s that are factually incorrect still score if they match.

10. If there is a dispute on whether a word is a match or not, a vote is taken. People whose words are in dispute can not vote.

11. If the player picking the name card doesn’t like that one, they can pick again. Only one change per player per game.