OUTFOX the FOX
OUTFOX the FOX Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object
Score the most points by (a) ranking your Top 5 List answers accurately as a group, (b) Doubling Down on the answer you think is best placed and (c) fooling your fellow players with your fake Fox answers.
Contents
2 - 10 players, ages 10+, 45 min.
- 250 Question cards
- Game board
- 6 mini dry erase boards
- 1 dry erase marker
- Player tokens, 10 sets of 2
- 2-minute sand timer
The game is played in turns, in which all the players team up against the Question-Reader, trying to guess the correct order of the answers and catch The Fox. Then the role of Question-Reader advances clockwise.
These rules describe a 2-4 player game. When playing with 5-10 players, pairs of players team up to be the Question-Reader (see page 7).
Set Up
- Center the board on the table with the dry erase boards, marker and the box of question cards nearby.
- Each player chooses a set of color player tokens and places one of their tokens on the green START square of the game board's scoring track and 1 token in front of them.
Get Ready
- The owner or host of the game is the 1st Question-Reader and takes the sand timer. Give the 6 dry erase boards and marker to the player sitting to their left.
- The Question-Reader draws 3 Question cards, face-up, without looking at the answers on the back. Select 1 and place the other 2 back into the box at random with the other unused cards. Ideally, choose a question / category that you know a bit about, and you think the rest of the players may not necessarily know as well. That may make it easier to think up a fake answer that could fool the others.
Do not look at the answers on the back when selecting a Question card.
Creating the Fox
Once selected, flip the card over and look at the answers on the back of the Question card. You will see all 5 of the actual Top 5 answers and a spot for your FOX answer. You will want to choose a FOX that sounds plausible as one of the Top 5.
Illustration caption: "Make up a convincing FOX answer."
Playing the Game
There are 4 steps to each round.
1. Read Aloud to the Group
The Question-Reader reads aloud the question and the source from the front of the card (the year, source, or location of the poll could matter). Note: Take care not to accidentally show the answers on the back of the card.
Then, flip the card over and read aloud all the answers in the order listed from top to bottom, inserting your Fox answer where shown (the order is randomized on each card).
As the Question-Reader reads the answers aloud, the player to their left writes down each answer on a separate dry erase board (or anyone can volunteer to do so). Then, place them all to the left of the main board.
Illustration captions: "Read the question and the source aloud." and "Read all the answers top to bottom, adding your FOX answer in the place shown." The example card is "Funniest Looney Tunes Characters" (card source line: "According to CBR (Comic Book Resources), 2023."). Read from top to bottom: Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Wile E. Coyote (the FOX answer), Marvin the Martian, Daffy Duck, Tazmanian Devil.
2. Debate, Rank and Double Down
- The Question-Reader starts the timer.
- All other players now have two minutes to debate the order of the answers. As players discuss their thoughts on how to rank them, they place the whiteboards in the GUESS column in what they believe to be the correct order, with their prediction for The Fox in the bottom slot. As the sand runs out, the Question-Reader asks the group to wrap up quickly and lock answers.
Note: an answer placed in the 2 - 3 slot counts as correct if it is actually the #2 or #3 answer. The same is true of the 4 - 5 slot.
- Double Down: Even though you all agreed on the final ranking as a group, you may have other opinions of your own. This is your chance to earn 3 Bonus points all for yourself. Everyone (except the Question-Reader) places their second token on the one answer that they are most confident is in the exact correct position. (Rank 4 MUST be Rank 4.) You may NOT choose the answer placed as The Fox, however any number of players may place their token on the same answer.
Illustration captions: "They think you made up this answer." (pointing at the answer in the bottom slot, where the FOX prediction goes) and "Green Doubles Down on Daffy." (a player's second token placed on Daffy Duck in the top GUESS slot).
3. Reveal the Top 5
The Question Reader reads aloud the actual Top 5 order (as ranked by the noted source) from the card, one answer at a time, starting with #1 and continuing to #2 through #5.
As each answer is revealed, pause to move the named dry erase board & and any exactly correct player tokens placed on it to the matching rank in the TOP 5 column. If it was ranked correctly, place the dry erase board so that the green ✓ remains visible. If it was incorrectly ranked, place it so that the orange x is visible.
Remember: Answers in the 2-3 zone are interchangeable and considered correct if placing as Rank #2 or #3, and answers in the 4-5 zone are correct for Rank #4 or #5. Don't move any tokens unless they are exactly placed, however.
The last answer revealed will be The Fox. Leave the dry erase board with The Fox answer where it is in the GUESS column.
Illustration captions: "Read the answers in Ranked order, #1 first and the Fox last." (the card's ranked answers are read as #1: Daffy Duck, #2: Elmer Fudd, #3: Bugs Bunny, #4: Tazmanian Devil, #5: Marvin the Martian, #6: Wile E. Coyote, the FOX answer) and "Move the dry erase boards and tokens to the actual TOP 5 ranking. Tokens that are not in the exact right order do NOT move."
4. Scoring
The Question-Reader earns points based on how highly ranked the group placed their Fox answer.
- Ranked #1: 5 points
- Ranked #2-3: 4 points
- Ranked #4-5: 3 points
- Fox Caught: 0 points
Each other player scores 1 point for every green checked ✓ answer the group guessed correctly.
Any player who placed their token on an answer in the exact correct order gains 3 Bonus points.
Move each player's scoring token along the scoring track on the game board accordingly. Should a player exceed 39 points, continue to loop around the board.
Illustration caption: "In the example, the Question-Reader gains 4 points (for being ranked in the 2-3 area), the group gains 4 points (1 for each correct), and Green gains 3 Bonus points for guessing Daffy Duck's exact ranking."
End of Turn
Tuck the used Question card behind the orange divider in the box. Players recollect their guessing tokens, the dry erase boards are collected and erased. The role of Question-Reader advances to the next player clockwise. Return to the Get Ready step to begin the next turn.
End of Game
Keep playing until all players have gotten to be the Question-Reader an equal number of times. For 3 to 4 players, each player will read 2 Questions. In a 2-player game, each player reads 3 Questions.
When everyone has completed all their Questions, the game is over. The player with the highest score is the winner. If tied, the players share the victory.
5 or More Players
To allow everyone 2 turns to score their Fox without doubling play time, a group of 5 -10 players can play with this simple change. When it is your turn as the Question-Reader, simply team up with with [sic] the player seated to your right (see diagram on page 8).
Discuss and choose the Question card together. Then work together to plan your Fox answer by writing and sharing suggestions privately on dry erase boards until you both agree upon one.
Erase them and hand them to the player on your left as usual. They will write the answers as you read them aloud. It is best if only one reads them aloud. However, both of you will score any Fox points earned during the turn.
All other rules are the same. You play only one round around the table, but each player will have 2 turns as part of a Question-Reader team. It's a fun, collaborative way to play.
Diagram caption (5 or more players): "A 10-player game. 10 turns, with pairs of Question-Readers. (first 3 shown)" The diagram circles the Question-Reader pairs for Turn 1, Turn 2 and Turn 3, and notes "Orange is the starting player."