Wordraw

How to Play Pictionary and Other Party Games

Use the Wordraw iPhone App to play pictionary and many other party games! Also use the app for brainstorming, improv ideas and writing inspiration.

• Pictionary
• Charades
• Catch Phrase

How to Play Pictionary

Pictionary is a fun drawing game for all ages. Players draw a word and their team must guess the word. The team that guesses the most words correctly wins.

What You Need to Play

• Four or more players. See Variation 1 below for 3 players.
• Whiteboard (dry-erase board), chalkboard or paper
• Marker, chalk, pen or pencil
• Wordraw App. Download for free on the App Store.

Set Up

1. Form two teams. Each team should have at least two players.
2. The teams must determine the following before beginning to play:
   • Difficulty level(s) to use in Wordraw (eg. Easy, Medium, etc)
   • Time limit to draw (generally 1 minute)
   • Number of rounds or number of points required to win
   • If hand gestures allowed
   • If guessing part of a word counts as a point
3. Select one team to draw first. This is the first drawing team.

Gameplay

1. On the drawing team, select a player to draw first. For each new round, a different player will draw.
2. The non-drawing team will use Wordraw to select a word to draw.
3. Show this word to the drawing player. Do not show his/her team.
4. Once the drawing player has seen and agreed on the word, you’re ready to start the turn.
5. Start the timer and the drawing player starts drawing the word. No talking, letters, words or numbers are allowed. Symbols ($, +, etc.) and erasing are allowed.
6. The drawing team must guess the word being drawn. Any number of guesses are allowed.
7. The turn ends when the drawing team guesses the word or when the timer runs out. If the word was guessed correctly, the drawing team scores a point. If the word was not guessed, the drawing team does not get a point.
8. The next turn begins and the next team becomes the drawing team. Repeat the above steps.
9. The round ends when all teams have drawn once. Start a new round and repeat the above steps.
10. The game ends when the required number of rounds or points have been reached. The team with the most points wins.

Variation 1 – No teams

Each person becomes a one-person team. Each turn a new player will select a word from Wordraw and draw. When the timer starts, the other players try to guess the word within the time limit. The first player that guesses the word correctly gets a point. The drawing player also gets a point. Repeat this until all players have drawn, which marks the end of the round. The player with the most points after a predetermined number of rounds wins.

Variation 2 - Draw multiple words until time runs out

The non-drawing team will select multiple words for the drawing player to draw. After the drawing team guesses the first word correctly, if there is time remaining on the timer, the drawing player draws the second word. Continue this until the timer runs out. Each word guessed correctly is a point for the drawing team.

Variation 3 - Both teams draw at the same time

Two whiteboards or something else to draw on is required. Each team will select a player to draw. The drawing players will use Wordraw to select a word to draw. When the timer starts, both players will start drawing at the same time and the team to guess the word first wins the point.

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How to Play Charades

Charades is a classic game where players act out words for their team to guess. The rules of Charades are similar to Pictionary, but instead of drawing the word, players act out the word without talking.

What You Need to Play

• Four or more players. See Variation 1 below for 3 players
• Wordraw App. Download for free on the App Store.

Set Up

1. Form two teams. Each team should have at least two players.
2. The teams must determine the following before beginning to play:
   • Difficulty level(s) to use in Wordraw (eg. Easy, Medium, etc)
   • Time limit to act out words (generally 1 or 2 minute)
   • Number of rounds or number of points required to win
   • If use of objects in the room are allowed
   • If guessing part of a word counts as a point
3. Select one team to act first. This is the first acting team.

Gameplay

1. On the acting team, select a player to act first. For each new round, a different player will act.
2. The non-acting team will use Wordraw to select a word to act.
3. Show this word to the acting player. Do not show his/ her team.
4. Once the acting player has seen and agreed on the word, the turn begins.
5. Start the timer and the acting player starts acting out (pantomime) the word. Movement, hand gestures, actions and emotions are allowed. Talking and sound effects are not allowed.
6. The acting team must guess the word being acted out. Any number of guesses are allowed.
7. The turn ends when the acting team guesses the word or when the timer runs out. If the word was guessed correctly, the acting team scores a point. If the word was not guessed, the acting team does not get a point.
8. The next turn begins and the next team becomes the acting team. Repeat the above steps.
9. The round ends when all teams have acted out a word. Start a new round and repeat the steps above.
10. The game ends when the required number of rounds or points have been reached. The team with the most points wins.

Hint – Use common gestures

Any gesture is allowed but here are some common ones:

• If multiple words, hold up a number of fingers at the start of the turn to indicate the number of words.
• Afterwards, hold up a finger to indicate the first word, second word, etc.
• Laying fingers on an arm indicates the number of syllables in the word
• Hold fingers to your forehead to indicate the number of letters in the word.
• Cup your hand to your ear to indicate “sounds like” the word your acting.
• When your team is close to guess, use the distance between your hands to indicate closeness.
• If your team doesn’t understand the gesture or action, move on and try something else.

Variation 1 – No teams

Each person becomes a one-person team. Each turn a new player will select a word from Wordraw and act it out. When the timer starts, the other players try to guess the word within the time limit. The first player that guesses the word correctly gets a point. The acting player also gets a point. Repeat this until all players have acted, which marks the end of the round. The player with the most points after a predetermined number of rounds wins.

Variation 2 – Reverse Charades

Instead of one person acting, the entire team acts and one person tries to guess the word. The entire team is acting out the same word so work together. All other rules apply. This variation allows more team participation.

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How to Play Catch Phrase (or Catchphrase)

In Catch Phrase you must explain the word or phrase by giving clues to your team without saying it and your team tries to guess what it is. The clues may be verbal or through gestures.

What You Need to Play

• Four or more players. See Variation 1 below for 3 players.
• Wordraw App. Download for free on the App Store.

Set Up

1. Form two teams. Each team should have at least two players.
2. The teams must determine the following before beginning to play:
   • Difficulty level(s) to use in Wordraw (eg. Easy, Medium, etc)
   • Time limit to act out words (generally 1 minute)
   • Number of rounds or number of points required to win
3. Select one team to guess first. This is the first guessing team.

Gameplay

1. On the guessing team, select a player to be the first clue-giver. For each new round, a different player will be the clue-giver.
2. The non-guessing team will use Wordraw to select a word to guess.
3. Show this word to the clue-giver. Do not show his/her team.
4. Once the clue-giver has seen and agreed on the word, the turn begins.
5. Start the timer and the clue-giver starts giving clues on the word to his/her team. They clue-giver may talk or use hand guestures but is not allowed to say:
   • The word
   • Part of the word (eg. “base” in “baseball”)
   • Something that rhymes with the word
   • The letters or syllables in the word
   For example, for “baseball” the clue-giver may say “game played with long wooden stick and round object”.
6. The guessing team must try and guess the word or phrase the clue-giver is trying to explain. Any number of guesses are allowed.
7. The turn ends when the guessing team correctly guesses the word or when the timer runs out. If the word was guessed correctly, the acting team scores a point. If the word was not guessed, the guessing team does not get a point.
8. The next turn begins and the next team becomes the guessing team. Repeat the above steps.
9. The round ends when all teams have tried to guess a word. Start a new round and repeat the above steps.
10. The game ends when the required number of rounds or points have been reached. The team with the most points wins.

Variation 1 – No teams

Each person becomes a one-person team. Each turn a new player will select a word from Wordraw to give clues on. When the timer starts, the other players try to guess the word within the time limit. The first player that guesses the word correctly gets a point. The clue-giver also gets a point. Repeat this until all players have been the clue-giver, which marks the end of the round. The player with the most points after a predetermined number of rounds wins.

Variation 2 – Explain as many words as you can in the time limit

The non-guessing team will select multiple words for the clue-giver to explain. After the guessing team guesses the first word correctly, if there is time remaining on the timer, the clue-giver explains the second word. Continue this until the timer runs out. Each word guessed correctly is a point for the guessing team.

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