How to Play Categories

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Categories is a pen-and-paper word game in which players compete to fill a grid of chosen topics with answers that all begin with the same randomly selected letter. It requires nothing more than paper, pens, and a willingness to think fast, making it one of the most portable and accessible games in existence.

Its appeal lies in the combination of speed, vocabulary, and lateral thinking. A clever but perfectly valid answer scores more than an obvious one, so the game rewards players who think sideways as much as those who think quickly. It works equally well at a kitchen table, on a long car journey with paper pads, or as a structured group activity with older children.

A little history

The origins of Categories as a structured pen-and-paper game are unclear, though word-and-category games of this type have been part of parlour game culture for well over a century. A commercial boxed version brought the format to a wider audience in the mid-twentieth century, and the core rules have remained largely stable since. The game is widely known under several informal names including Guggenheim and, in some regions, simply Scattergories, though the pen-and-paper tradition predates any branded product and belongs to no single inventor.

Setting up

1. Seat all players around a table or in a circle where they can write without seeing each other's answers.
2. Give every player a sheet of paper and a pen or pencil.
3. As a group, agree on between five and ten categories for the round. Write the agreed categories in a column down the left side of your paper, leaving a wide column to the right for answers.
4. Select a random letter for the round. The simplest method is for one player to close their eyes, recite the alphabet silently, and stop when another player says 'stop'. The letter reached is used for that round. Exclude uncommon letters such as Q, X, and Z unless the group agrees otherwise.
5. Write the chosen letter at the top of the answer column.
6. Agree on a time limit for the round, typically two to three minutes, and appoint one player to watch the time.

How to play

1. When the timekeeper says 'go', every player writes one answer for each category. Every answer must begin with the chosen letter for that round.
2. Players write simultaneously and in silence. You may not ask for help or discuss answers during the round.
3. Each answer must be a genuine, specific, and defensible entry for its category. Vague or nonsensical answers may be challenged during scoring.
4. When the timekeeper calls time, all players must stop writing immediately. Any answer still being written at that moment may or may not be counted at the group's discretion; agree the rule before play begins.
5. Players take turns reading their answers aloud, category by category.
6. Scoring standard: an answer that no other player has written scores two points. An answer that one or more other players have also written scores one point. A blank or successfully challenged answer scores zero.
7. After scoring all categories, note each player's total for the round.
8. Select a new letter by the same method and play another round. Typically three to five rounds make a complete game, though the group may agree any number in advance.
9. After the final round, total each player's points across all rounds. The player with the highest total wins.

Winning and scoring

The player with the highest cumulative point total after all agreed rounds wins. Points are awarded per answer: two points for a unique answer (one no other player wrote), and one point for any answer that at least one other player also wrote. A blank cell or a successfully challenged answer scores zero. In the event of a tie after all rounds, play a sudden-death tiebreaker round using a new letter; the tied players only need score in the tiebreaker, and the player with more points in that single round wins.

The fine points

The most common dispute concerns whether an answer is valid for a category. The standard ruling is a majority vote among all players, including the player being challenged. If the vote is tied, the answer stands. Proper nouns are generally permitted unless the group has agreed to ban them before play; once the rule is set it must apply consistently for the entire game. Answers that are clearly the same word in different forms (for example, 'run' and 'running' in a Sports category) are treated as the same answer for scoring purposes if another player objects.

A second frequent edge case involves the cutoff when time is called. The cleanest rule, and the one recommended here, is that any answer not fully written when time is called does not count. Partial words are not accepted. It is also worth agreeing before the first round whether compound answers are allowed: for example, whether 'Great Barrier Reef' counts as a single answer for a Places category under the letter G. The safest ruling is to allow it provided the first word starts with the correct letter, but flag this before play begins to avoid arguments mid-game.

How to win more often

• Choose your categories before the game starts with some thought. A mix of broad categories (Countries, Animals) and narrow ones (Things in a Kitchen, Types of Music) keeps every round interesting and prevents any one player's specialism dominating.
• When you are stuck, work through subcategories in your head. For Animals under B, run through mammals, then birds, then fish. A structured mental search is faster than waiting for inspiration.
• Aim for specific rather than generic answers. 'Bear' and 'Badger' will both occur to many players under Animals and B; 'Binturong' is almost certainly unique and worth two points.
• Keep an eye on the time. Spend no more than ten to fifteen seconds on any one category before moving on. A single blank is less damaging than three rushed answers written in the final seconds.
• In later rounds, remember what answers other players have given in earlier rounds. If a player consistently reaches for the same type of answer, you can predict it and choose something different to protect your two-point score.

Variations

Timed Speed Format

Instead of a fixed time limit agreed in advance, the round ends the moment the first player shouts 'stop', indicating they have completed every category. This rewards speed heavily and changes the strategy entirely: it is better to write fast plausible answers than to spend time hunting for unique ones. Best played with a smaller number of categories, typically five or six.

Single-Point Scoring

All valid answers score one point regardless of whether they are unique. Blank or challenged answers score zero. This simpler scoring system is recommended for younger players or for a first game with a group unfamiliar with the standard rules. It reduces the incentive to be obscure and makes scoring faster.

Rotating Categories

Each player nominates one category per round rather than the whole group agreeing the list in advance. With five players and five categories, each player owns one row. This variation prevents anyone from loading the list with their specialist subject, and it often produces more unusual category combinations that make the game harder and funnier.

Two-Letter Rounds

Two letters are selected instead of one, and every answer must begin with either letter. Players choose which letter to use for each individual answer. This reduces the chance of a hopeless letter derailing a round and is a useful adaptation when playing with a wide age range, as younger players are less likely to draw a blank on every category.

Categories: frequently asked questions