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Criss Cross

Criss Cross Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

  • Components
  • Setup
  • Gameplay
  • Game End
  • Winner
  • Scoring Example
  • Solo Play
  • Advanced Rules
    • Advanced Rules Scoring Example
  • Credits

Components

2 dice with 6 different symbols, 6 pencils, 1 pad of score sheets

Setup

Each player receives a pencil and a score sheet. (Ignore the fact that the diagonal row is shaded for now.) Each player enters one of the six dice symbols in the highlighted space at the top-left corner of his score sheet. Make sure that each player enters a different symbol.

Gameplay

The game is played over 12 rounds. At the start of each round, a player rolls both dice and announces the two symbols rolled. Now each player must enter these two symbols into his score sheet.

Important: The two symbols must be entered into two empty spaces which are either horizontally or vertically next to each other. The two symbols do not have to be placed next to symbols already on the sheet (from a previous turn), but they do need to be placed next to each other. – Keep all score sheets open so that no player can cheat!

Hint: Make sure not to leave any single empty spaces without empty neighbours – otherwise your game will end prematurely with some single empty spaces left on your score sheet.

Game End

The game ends when all spaces of all players' score sheets are filled, or only single empty spaces remain.

Winner

Now each player evaluates the 5 horizontal rows and the 5 vertical columns in his score sheet:

Each pair of 2 matching symbols:2 points
Each triplet of 3 matching symbols:3 points
Each quadruple of 4 matching symbols:8 points
Each quintet of 5 matching symbols:10 points

Important: In order to score, matching symbols must be next to each other without gaps in-between.

The score of each horizontal row is entered to the right of each row, and the score for each vertical column is entered below each column. The overall total is entered in the box at the bottom right.

The player with the highest total wins. Ties are broken in favour of the highest single line score.

Hint: Long lines of 4 and 5 matching symbols (8 and 10 points) and sets of 2x2 spaces of equal symbols (8 points for 4 pairs) score the most points.

Scoring Example

An example filled score sheet, showing each row's score to the right and each column's score below:

RowSymbolsScore
1X, X, triangle, triangle, circle4
2X, slash, triangle, triangle (shaded), hash2
3hash, slash, three-lines, three-lines, hash2
4triangle, slash (shaded), three-lines, triangle, hash0
5X (shaded), hash, three-lines, circle, hash0

Column scores (left to right): 2, 3, 5, 2, 8

Overall total: 28

Solo Play

When you play a solo game, try to score as high as possible. Can you progress up the ranks?:

ScoreRank
30+ pointsCross Master
25-29 pointsX-tra Special
20-24 pointsSymbol Simon
15-19 pointsLine Sweeper
0-14 pointsColumn Counter

Advanced Rules

Once players have mastered the game, they may choose to play the advanced version of Criss Cross!

The game plays exactly the same, with the following changes:

A Notice that the diagonal line of boxes that runs through the middle of the grid is highlighted. In the advanced game, players also score this line of symbols (as well as each column and row as usual). The score for the diagonal line is scored twice.

B Any line or column (or the diagonal line) that scores 0 points, now scores -5 points.

Advanced Rules Scoring Example

An example filled score sheet under the advanced rules, with the highlighted diagonal line running from the top-right corner down to the bottom-left of the grid:

RowSymbolsScore
1circle, circle, slash, circle, X (diagonal)2
2X, three-lines, three-lines, X (diagonal), triangle2
3X, hash, three-lines (diagonal), triangle, triangle2
4X, X (diagonal), circle, circle, triangle4
5X (diagonal), hash, slash, slash, slash3

Column scores (left to right): 8, -5, 2, -5, 3

A separate box above the grid shows the diagonal line's score of 4 (counted twice per rule A, contributing 8 to the total).

Overall total: 24

Credits

Game design: Dr. Reiner Knizia Illustration and graphic design: Heiko Günther

Criss Cross is ©2017 Dr. Reiner Knizia. All rights reserved. Artwork and presentation is ©2017 Grail Games. The Grail Games goblet is TM and © Grail Games. All rights reserved.

Grail Games PO Box 4 Ashfield NSW 1800 Australia

www.grailgames.com.au [email protected]

Warning: Choking hazard! Keep away from children under the age of 3. Please keep this info for future reference.

Made in China.