Ferret Out
Ferret Out Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 7 Markers
- 7 Secrecy Sleeves
- 1 Die
- 7 Easels
- 1 Timer
- 1 CFO Card & Token
- 24 Pouches to hold 6 identical cards in each
- Scoring Chits
Printed on the component graphic: 12+ age range, 45 minutes playing time, 3–7 players.
Setup
When you first open the game, unwrap the card deck and place one set of 6 identical cards into each pouch.
Pick two random pouches. You will use a number of cards equal to the number of players in the game. (The illustration labels the two pouches A and B.)
One card will come from one pouch, and the rest from the other pouch. Try not to look at these cards too closely! Leave the unused cards in their pouches and set them aside.
Insert each card into a Secrecy Sleeve using the same orientation. Shuffle the sleeves together. You'll know everything is correct when you see the same colors and shapes in the notch when the Sleeves are face down.
Give each player a Marker, Easel, and a Secrecy Sleeve with a Card inside.
Appoint a Chief Ferret Officer (CFO). This position will pass clockwise each round.
To Play
The game is played in rounds that follow these steps:
1. PEEK Each sleeve has six words revealed. The CFO chooses a number or rolls the die. This number indicates everyone's secret word. All players have the same secret word, except one player (the Weasel) who has a different word. But no one will know whether they're a Ferret or the Weasel.
2. HINT Each player simultaneously writes a one-word clue on their easel. This may be any word*, except a word that appears on your card. Once everyone has written a clue, the CFO says, "Reveal!" Everyone turns their easel around so that all players can see the clues.
Pro Tip: Write a good clue, but NOT a great one. Ideally, Ferrets should write a clue that relates to their word so that the other members of their gang will recognize them. The clue should be vague enough to prevent the Weasel from figuring out the Ferrets' word.
Example: "Dune" can be a give-away for "SAND." A better clue might be "paper" (as in "sandpaper").
*We suggest that anything is acceptable as a Clue as long as it relates to your word. If you want, you should decide what kinds of words are acceptable as clues (proper names, acronyms, slang, etc.).
3. GUESS After everyone has written their clue, flip the timer and let players study the words. Once the timer expires, all players secretly write the name of the player they think is the Weasel on the back side of their easels. Anyone who thinks they're the Weasel should write their own name and their guess of the Ferrets' word.
4. SCORE Once all players have written their guesses, reveal them simultaneously and then score (see Scoring below).
Scoring
After the guesses are revealed, flip over your Secrecy Sleeves and reveal the Weasel.
Each Ferret scores:
- +1 if they correctly guess the Weasel.
- +1 if ALL Ferrets correctly guess the Weasel.
- +1 if the Weasel did not guess the Ferret word.
The Weasel scores:
- +1 if ANY Ferret fails to guess the Weasel.
- +1 if they guess that they are the Weasel.
- +2 if they guess the Ferret word.
Next Round
At the end of the round, pass the Sleeves to the next CFO who will flip or turn the cards to a new set of words without looking at them. Make sure they all get turned the same way! Shuffle them and pass them back to the players face down.
The action for each round:
- Round 1: INSERT.
- Round 2: ROTATE. Pull out the card and turn it around.
- Round 3: FLIP. Pull out the card and flip it over.
- Round 4: ROTATE. Pull out the card and turn it around.
After Round 4, empty the sleeves and put the cards back in their pouches. Repeat the Setup steps again with two new pouches of cards.
The Game Ends
After 8 rounds have been played. (Or play to 15 or 20 points. Your choice. We trust you know what you're doing.)
If there's a tie, keep playing rounds until there's a winner.
Variants
Wrinkles
Point-of-Order. Do not simultaneously write and reveal clues. Instead, each player, starting with the CFO, writes their clue in turn order. (No repeat clues allowed.) The mystery as to who may be the Weasel is clarified as each clue is revealed. The later your position, the more information you have in the form of the other players' clues. This positional advantage shifts by one person each round as the CFO role shifts to the left.
Weasel-Brained. Allow Ferrets to guess the Weasel word. If they do, they score 3 points.
Paranoia. Add an extra Secrecy Sleeve with a card at the beginning and leave a random Sleeve out each round. Is there or is there ain't a Weasel among us?
Team Weasel. Play with two Weasels by adding two cards from the second packet instead of one.
Duel. For two players: Play with two cards from one pack, and a third from another. It's possible no one's a Weasel.