Wortfabrik
Wortfabrik Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Goal
The goal is to create as many exactly fitting words as possible by skilfully entering the letters, and so be named "Fachkraft der Woche" (Skilled Worker of the Week).
Components
- 1 pad of delivery slips (Lieferscheine)
- 5 letter dice (Buchstaben-Würfel)
- 1 rulebook (Spielanleitung)
Each Skilled Worker (player) also needs a pencil (Stift).
Delivery Slip
Each player has a delivery slip (Lieferschein). The printed sheet contains:
- A – Name field: the player writes their name at the top right.
- B – Word rows: six rows of boxes for the words (Wort-Reihen). The sheet shows the rows growing by one box each time, from row 1 (2 boxes) down to row 6 (7 boxes). The sheet header reads "Zu liefern sind: 5 Wörter, 1 Bonuswort" ("To deliver: 5 words, 1 bonus word"). Row 6 is the bonus row.
- C – Working days (Arbeitstage): six boxes, one per working day; a day is crossed out when it is finished.
- D – Score column (Punktespalte): one box per row, plus the score boxes for Ersatzteile and Mangelware.
- E – Total (Summe): the final score box, next to the checker's signature line (Unterschrift Prüfer).
- Ersatzteile (spare parts): a row of boxes for letters you store for later use.
- Mangelware (scarce goods): a row of boxes for letters you cannot use.
Setup
- Each Skilled Worker receives a delivery slip and writes their name in the name field at the top right.
- The Skilled Worker with the longest first name receives the 5 letter dice.
Game Flow
The game lasts six working days (Arbeitstage), so the game is played over 6 rounds. Every working day follows the same sequence:
- Letter Production (Buchstaben-Produktion)
- Letter Utilisation (Buchstaben-Verwertung)
- Closing Time (Feierabend)
1. Letter Production
Whoever holds the 5 letter dice rolls them and places them in the middle of the table so that everyone can see them well. The result applies equally to all Skilled Workers.
2. Letter Utilisation
All Skilled Workers work at the same time on their own delivery slip.
- Choose at least 4 letters from the dice result and enter them into any boxes of the word rows (Wort-Reihen) on your delivery slip. Each chosen letter may be used only once.
- Note: you may also enter all 5 letters from the dice result.
Important: when entering letters, remember that by the end of the working week the finished words must fit exactly into the given rows.
Example 3 (word row): the word LUFT (air) is shown filling a row of 4 boxes exactly.
Exception – the 6th word row is a bonus row. Here words may also be formed that do not fit exactly. They may be between 2 and 7 letters long. The word may begin on any box, but it must not contain empty boxes (gaps).
- Example: the word FISCH (fish) is shown in two layouts. Empty boxes before the word are allowed (valid). An empty box in the middle of the word, between letters, is not allowed (invalid).
"?" (joker): a question mark on a die counts as a joker. If you want to use a "?" from the dice result, you must immediately define any letter for it and enter that letter into the word rows on your delivery slip.
Spare parts (Ersatzteile): if you cannot or do not want to use certain letters from the current dice result, you may enter them in the Ersatzteile row. In a later round you may use letters from the spare parts in addition to the dice choice, entering them into the word rows. After using a spare part, cross it out.
- You may also enter jokers into the spare parts row. Write a "?" there, and only define which letter it stands for when you use it later.
- Note: if you have stored two identical letters in the spare parts, you may cross both out at any time and enter them as one joker ("?") in any position of the word rows.
Scarce goods (Mangelware): if you cannot or do not want to place any more letters from the current dice result into the word rows or spare parts, you must enter them in the Mangelware row. These letters can no longer be used afterwards and cause a deduction of points at the end of the working week.
3. Closing Time (Feierabend)
After all Skilled Workers have entered their chosen letters, the working day is over. Cross out one working day (on the working-days column). The letter dice are passed to the next Skilled Worker clockwise. A new working day begins with step 1.
End of the Game and Scoring
The game ends after the sixth working day.
Pass your delivery slip to the Skilled Worker on your left for checking. Check the delivery slip you receive against the following criteria, and enter the points for each row in the score column (Punktespalte).
- Award 1 point per letter for every complete, exactly fitting word in the word rows. This also applies to the bonus row's word, which may be any length, as long as it is complete.
- Incomplete or impermissible words (see Tips) score no points.
- Award 1 point for each empty box in the Ersatzteile (spare parts) row.
- Deduct 1 point (−1) for each letter in the Mangelware (scarce goods) row.
Add up the points and write the result in the total box (Summe) of the delivery slip. Finally, sign the delivery slip to confirm its correctness. The Skilled Worker who has earned the most points is named "Fachkraft der Woche" and wins the game.
Scoring Example
The example shows the delivery slip of "Michaela" (the player's name is written in the name field):
- Word row 1 (2 boxes): U and one empty box. Incomplete, so "−" (0 points).
- Word row 2 (3 boxes): WEN. Complete, 3 points.
- Word row 3 (4 boxes): LUFT. Complete, 4 points.
- Word row 4 (5 boxes): K, empty, N, S, empty. Incomplete, so "−" (0 points).
- Word row 5 (6 boxes): ZEMENT. Complete, 6 points.
- Bonus row 6 (7 boxes): WOVON (of what), followed by two empty boxes. The bonus word is 5 letters long, so 5 points.
- Ersatzteile: three letters are crossed out (already used), one letter C is stored, and one box is empty. One empty box, so +1.
- Mangelware: one letter L, and three empty boxes. One letter, so −1.
- Sum: 3 + 4 + 6 + 5 + 1 − 1 = 18.
Tips for a Smooth Working Week
- Write a small number next to each letter showing on which working day (1–6) you entered it. This gives you a better overview when entering the current letters.
- The letters X, Y and Q do not appear on the dice and are only possible through "?" jokers. Each vowel appears twice on the dice.
- Form letter combinations that leave several word possibilities open. Your options shrink as the working week goes on.
- Use spare parts also to generate jokers.
- All words are allowed except abbreviations, proper names or foreign-language words.
Safety Warning
Not suitable for children under 36 months. Contains small parts which may be swallowed. Choking hazard. Keep the address.