PDQ: The Pretty Darn Quick Word Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Object
• Setup
• How to Play
  • Word-Making Rules
  • Some examples
• Ties
• No Word
• The Letter "X"
• Ending the Game
• Other Ways to Play
  • For Experts
  • For Younger Players
  • Intergenerational Play
  • PDL (Pretty Darn Long)
  • Solitaire
  • Any-Which-Way
  • Four Score (For experts)
  • Stuck in the Middle
  • Word Count

Contents

• 78 letter cards

Object

The object of the game is to collect the most cards by making words that include the letters on the cards.

Setup

Have a dictionary handy, in case someone says a word that you want to look up to see if it's a real word or to see how it is spelled.

Choose one player to be the dealer. (If you play multiple games, take turns being the dealer.)

How to Play

The dealer shuffles the entire deck and deals three cards face up in a row in the middle of the playing area. Make sure to deal the center card first, then deal one to the left and to the right of that card. (The printed rules show the cards in dealing order: the center card is dealt first, the card to its left second, and the card to its right third.)

Once the three cards are dealt, all players, without taking turns, immediately try to think of a word that includes those letters in order, from left to right or from right to left. The first player to shout out a correct word gets to keep the cards.

Word-Making Rules

• Must be four or more letters.
• Must start with either of the outside letters and continue in order to the left or right.
• Does not have to end with the other outside letter.
• May contain any number of additional letters between or after cards.
• Cannot be a proper noun, compound word, abbreviation or foreign word.

Some examples

Valid words:

• PiNeApple
• PiNbAll
• PaNcreAs
• PeNdAnt
• PeniNsulA
• PheNomenAl
• PresideNtiAl
• ANteloPe
• ANticiPate
• ANthroPology

You cannot use:

• painter, adoption or append because the letters do not appear in order.
• dependable, beanpole or catnip because they do not start with one of the outside letters.
• Pocahontas, Pandora or Pennsylvania because they are proper names.

Valid words:

• DRUm
• DReadfUl
• DangeRoUs
• DRUgstore
• DumbstRUck
• UndeRstanD
• UndeRstooD
• UnReaD

You cannot use:

• during, under or underwear because the letters do not appear in order.
• burped, lured or curdled because they do not start with one of the outside letters.
• Dracula, Drusilla or Urbandale because they are proper names.

After a player wins a round and collects the three cards, the dealer deals three more cards to start the next round.

Ties

If more than one player shouts out a valid word at the same time, whoever has the longest word wins the round. If the words are the same length, the dealer removes the three cards, puts them off to the side and deals three new cards that can only be played by the people who tied. The player who says the first valid word also wins the other three cards as a bonus.

No Word

If all players agree that no word can be made with the letters shown, the dealer removes the three cards, puts them off to the side, and deals three new cards. The first player to shout out a correct word in the next round also wins the other three cards as a bonus.

The Letter "X"

If the letter "X" appears as one of the outside letters (left or right), you can use "EX" as the first letters in your word.

For example:

Valid words:

• EXCelleNt
• EXCeptioN
• EXCitemeNt

Ending the Game

The game is over when all cards have been dealt. At this point, all players count the cards they have collected. Whoever has most cards wins.

Alternate Scoring: J, K, Q, X, and Z cards count twice.

Other Ways to Play

For Experts

Set a higher letters-per-word minimum, such as five or six instead of four.

For Younger Players

Deal only two cards per round instead of three. Also, shorten the letter minimum to three. For a slightly more challenging version, words must start and end with the two letters shown.

Intergenerational Play

When adults play with children, raise the letter minimum for the adults to five or higher.

PDL (Pretty Darn Long)

In this version, it's not the quickest player who wins the round, but the one who makes the longest word using the three cards. Players go back and forth shouting out words until no one can think of a longer word. Note: Once a word has been said, it cannot be beaten by another player saying the plural or adding a suffix (i.e., -LY, -ED or -ING).

Solitaire

In this one player version, the object is to get through the entire deck without being stumped. Play like the regular version, however you may only make words from left to right. Make as many words as you can until you get stuck on a set of letters. Then count up the cards you have collected. Shuffle the entire deck and try to beat your high score.

Any-Which-Way

Words can start with any of the three letters (including the center) and continue with the others in any order.

Four Score (For experts)

Before playing, remove two cards (Z and one X) from the deck. Then, play using regular rules, only deal out four cards at a time, instead of three.

Stuck in the Middle

Words may start before either of the outside letters. But you still have to use the letters in play in order from left to right or from right to left. For example:

Valid words:

• ocTaGoN
• anTaGoNist
• midNiGhT
• uNGraTeful

Word Count

Give each player a pencil and paper. Using a stopwatch or timer, see how many words you can make in a set time limit. Write down a list of words that can be created from the three letters that have been dealt, using the regular game rules. Whoever has the most unique words wins.