Wits & Wagers

Wits & Wagers -How good are you at guesstimating?

Wits & Wagers claim they are history's most award-winning party game. Not sure where that came from because there are no award seals on the box, and people like to brag about those things. If you ask me, my vote would be for Apples to Apples.

Wits & Wagers is a fun game because you don't have to know the exact answers. Questions are asked and you will write your guess (estimate) to the answer, always a number, on your answer board. After answers are submitted and the real answer is revealed, the number that is closest without going over is the winning number. Some of the types of questions in the box are:

• In feet, how long is a Slinky when it is stretched out and laying flat?
• On average, how many whiskers does a cat have on its muzzle?
• In seconds, what is the world record for solving the Rubik's Cube? (REALLY?? Somebody can do it in seconds? I got mine when I was 9 and I'm still working on it.)

As you can see, these are not answers that the average person would know right off the top of their head. That's what makes it fun, everybody will be guessing.

The game includes 250 questions, 5 dry erase answer boards, 1 number "1" answer board, 5 dry erase pens, 5 large Meeples, 5 small Meeples, and 1 dry erase score board.

Each answer board has a colored border and there is one large Meeple and one small Meeple of the same color. Meeples are wooden shaped pawns. The question cards have two questions per card and the answers are on the back.  

Object:
Be the first player to accumulate 15 points.

Set up:
Give each person an answer board, 2 Meeples the same color as the border on their answer board, a dry erase marker, and a paper napkin to erase the board. Place the score board off to the side. Place the answer board with the number 1 in the middle of the players. It will always be the first board when the answer boards are lined up in number order (see image above). Choose someone to be the question reader and give them the tray of cards.

Play:
Read the top question on a question card. The answer will always be a number. You might want to leave the question card flat on the table since the answer is on the back and may be seen if you hold the card up to read it. Each player secretly writes their best guess on their answer board and places it face-down in the middle of the table. After all boards are in the middle, turn them face-up and put them in number order (see image above). Did you know the exact number? If you didn't, after looking over the numbers, do you think someone else at the table does, or maybe is closer? Players now put their two Meeples on the answer board(s) that they think is closest to the answer without going over. You can put them both on one, or divide them between two boards if you are unsure and hopeful of getting points. Put both Meeples on the "1" board if you decide that all guess are too high. After everyone has made their guess(es), turn the question card over and read the answer. Choose the board that was closest without going over the number. This will be the winning board that you needed to have Meeples on to score. Score this way:

• 1 point if you wrote the exact winning number
• 1 point if you had a small Meeple on the winning answer board.
• 2 points if you had a large Meeple on the winning answer board.

Use the dry erase marker to X a circle on your path on the score board for every point you won. First person who gets to the end of the path (15 points) wins the game.

If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below.