a2a (chat)

In this chat version of Apples to Apples™, a moderator gives an initial category to the other players and instructs each player to find an 8-to-12-letter answer fitting the category. This answer becomes a “letter set,” which each player will use to form a word in the second part of the game. If the categories was “Chemical elements,” the answer “astatine” would lead to the letter set A, A, E, I, N, S, T, T.

When players are finished finding their answers/letter sets, the moderator presents a “green card” question, asking for an object with a certain quality, e.g. “Name something that is Juicy” or “What is something that is Diabolical.” Each player tries to come up with answer using only the letters in the letter set. For the Diabolical question, the player with the earlier-described letter set A, A, E, I, N, S, T, T could go with “Satan” (using both of the A's in the set) but not “Senate” (only one E in the set). The players present their answers and the moderator chooses the one he likes best.

Variations: Moderatorship may rotate after each question, or a single player may moderate multiple games in a row. Instead of players using their own letter sets, the moderator may suggest that each player pass their letter set to another player. After giving the green card questions, the moderator may allow all players to give answers, in which case synchronized reveal is used. On the other hand, the moderator may choose to only allow answers from a certain number of players who answer quickly. This is similar to the rule in the Apples to Apples box game used to increase the game's momentum. A show of hands would be used in the latter case (see Giving Answers in the introduction).

Apples to Apples is from Out of the Box Games.