Crocodile
Crocodile Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Preparing the Game
First, lay out the cards in two piles: word task cards in one pile and the special U-cards (complication cards) in another. If you are playing for the first time, we recommend that everyone first read the word-showing rules on page 2, and then start playing by the "every man for himself" rules on page 3.
Word-Showing Rules
Allowed:
- Move any part of your body, even your ears.
- Take any pose, up to and including standing on your head.
- Answer guessers' questions with gestures.
- "Draw" with gestures on a wall or other surface.
- Point to your clothing, jewelry or other items that were on you or with you when you received the task.
- Show a phrase in several turns, breaking it up word by word.
Not allowed:
- Talk or make any sounds (except expressing emotions).
- Point at any objects that are not on yourself.
- Pick up nearby objects and use them.
- Articulate (mouth words silently, with your lips).
- Show individual letters of words.
- Draw and leave visible marks on any surface.
- Show a word by syllables or other parts.
Every Man for Himself
One of the simplest variants of the game is every man for himself. If you have decided to play this way, do the following:
- Choose who will show the word first. For example, you.
- Now draw a card from the deck and choose one of the tasks on it (it is best to start with the simple 2-point ones).
- Show the word or phrase with gestures to all the others.
While the word is being shown, the other players guess, calling out their versions aloud. As soon as the correct version is called out (matching the word in the task), your turn ends. You return to the other players and from then on guess together with them, and the player who guessed your word draws a new card from the deck, chooses one of the words on it and starts showing it.
After your word has been guessed, keep your card with the words and do not show it to anyone. From then on, when you guess someone else's word and it is your turn to show, choose another word or phrase from your own card. The winner is the player who first shows all the words on the card they were dealt.
Team Play
Individual play is good for a first introduction to Crocodile, but playing in teams is really worthwhile. In this case you not only develop team spirit, you also learn to understand your teammates from a single movement. Only in team play can you keep score and use U-cards, which help you and make life harder for your opponents.
Principles of Team Play
- Each team receives a set of U-cards, which it may use at its own discretion.
- Teams take turns, each time sending a new participant to show a word.
- A team's turn lasts exactly 1 minute, and the more words are guessed during that time, the more points the team earns.
- Only members of the team whose player is showing the word may guess.
- The game lasts exactly 12 rounds, after which the teams count the points they have earned and determine the winner.
We recommend splitting into 2, 3 or even 4 teams.
Team play uses the word cards, the U-cards and the tournament table.
Before the game starts, each team chooses a colour and takes all the U-cards bearing the symbol of that colour on their back. Points earned by the team during the game are recorded in the corresponding row of the table. Agree on the order of turns between the teams.
Structure of a Team Turn
- The team decides which task to perform this turn. The available tasks are the different word categories, listed on the left of the rows of the tournament table. They may be performed in any order, but if a task has already been performed (the corresponding cell is already filled in), it cannot be returned to.
- The team decides which of its players will show the word this turn. From turn to turn, all team members must show words in rotation. Players may not always only show, or only guess.
- The showing player draws a new word card from the deck and finds on it the category chosen as the task. Players of other teams may, if they wish, look at the drawn card. The player must not show the card they received to anyone on their own team.
- Teams (including opponents) decide whether to use U-cards this turn. Each team may play no more than one U-card per turn.
- The teams start the timer by turning over the sand timer, and the player begins showing words from the card.
- After the team guesses a word, the player shows the next word from the same category. Skipping words is not allowed. This continues until the time allotted for showing and guessing runs out. If the player manages to show all the words in the required category, they may move on to the other words on the same card.
- When time runs out, the team earns points for each word guessed during the turn. The number of points for each word depends on its category and is indicated on the word card. U-cards may give or take away additional points. The total points earned in the turn are written in the corresponding cell of the tournament table. If the team guessed no words at all, a zero is written in the table, and that task cannot be returned to. The drawn word card and all U-cards used are removed from the game.
Then the turn passes to the next team. The game ends as soon as all cells in the tournament table are filled in. To the total of points earned during the game, add one point for each U-card the team did not get to use or chose not to use. The team with the highest total becomes the winner.
Example of a Turn
Feofan, Nenila and Lukerya are on one team. They decide that they will show words from the category "Expression". Feofan will do the showing, since in the previous two turns the girls were the ones who showed.
After drawing the card, Feofan finds on it the quotation "The housing question has ruined Muscovites", but decides he will not be able to show it. Having persuaded the girls to play the U-card "Player Swap", Feofan passes the card with the words to Nenila.
Since he is not allowed to guess, Feofan takes on the honourable duty of keeping track of time. The team of Ludvig, Karl and Klara wants to look at the word card, and afterwards uses the U-card "Eyes Closed". Despite everything, Lukerya in one minute guesses not only the inexact quotation from "The Master and Margarita", but also two more words from the card: an object and a name.
In total, the team earns 5+2+3 points for the guessed words and 3 points for the U-card played by the opponents. So Feofan enters 13 points in the tournament table.
Words Come in Different Kinds
Some words are easy to show, and others are very hard. On each word card you will find 10 words and phrases, sorted into five categories.
- Objects — physical things that can be touched. Three words, each worth 2 points.
- Actions — any verbs. Three words, each worth 2 points.
- Concepts — false abstractions, states, ideas. One word worth 5 points.
- Names — titles, names of famous people, brand names. Two words, each worth 3 points.
- Expressions — proverbs, sayings, quotations. One expression worth 5 points.
Free Choice
A player may show any words from the drawn card, in any order. Words guessed earn points according to their categories.
On the tournament table, each task appears twice.
U-Cards
U-cards are complications and simplifications. You may play with them, play with only some of them, or play without them at all. The main thing is that every team starts with the same set of U-cards.
U-cards affect the scoring. For example, you can give a U-card to an opponent so that they cannot show their word, or give it to your own best player so that they earn more points.
How to Use U-Cards:
- A U-card may be played only before the explanation begins.
- One team may use only one U-card per turn.
- After use, a U-card is removed from the game.
- If a team still has U-cards at the end of the game, the team receives one victory point for each unused U-card.
Card Types
- First Letter — In this turn the player, before showing the word, says its first letter aloud. This may be done each time the player moves on to a new word. For phrases, only the first letter of the first word may be named.
- Player Swap — The team chooses another player to show words in this turn. You may use this card to change the order of showing players within your own team, or to replace an overly strong player on another team. The replaced player may not guess in this turn, since they have already seen the word card.
- Eyes Closed — During this turn the player shows the words with their eyes closed. If the team guesses at least one word, it receives an additional 3 points.
- Hands Locked — During this turn the player shows the words with their fingers interlocked. If the team guesses at least one word, it receives an additional 5 points.
- Extra Minute — In this turn the team receives an additional minute to complete the task.
- Standing Back to the Team — During this turn the player shows the words standing with their back to their team. If the team guesses at least one word, it receives an additional 5 points.
- Set a Word — Used only on another team's turn. Set the player of the other team any word of your choosing instead of the task on the card. The player must first show the word you set, and only then move on to the words on the drawn card. If the other team guesses the word you set, it receives 5 points for it.
- Robbery — Used only on another team's turn. During this turn your team may guess words and earn points for them. Your team does not receive additional points for other U-cards in this turn. You may not use "Robbery" if you have already looked at the word card.
Note: when you receive or lose points on a turn that is not your own (thanks to the U-cards "Robbery" or "Bet"), do not fill in extra cells of the tournament table. Correct the numbers in cells that are already filled, or record the changes in the margins.