Educational Games Crambo
( Educational, Guessing, Literature, Memory, Pen and Paper )Each player is provided with two slips of paper and also with another full sheet of paper and a pencil. On one of the slips he writes a question. This may be as serious or absurd as fancy dictates. On the other slip of paper he writes a word either a common or proper noun. The slips containing the questions are then collected in a box or hat and those containing the nouns in another receptacle. The questions are thoroughly mixed and passed around each player drawing one. The same is done with the nouns.
Each player must then write a verse which shall answer the question and contain the word that he has drawn no matter how irrelevant they may be. A time limit is generally given for this performance varying with the facility of the players.
The following may serve as examples. The author recalls a very grave banker not suspected of humor who drew the question “How long should you roast a leg of mutton ” The word drawn was “Finger.” He wrote —
“To roast the mutton let it linger
Longer than to roast your finger.”
Another business man drew the question “What is the difference between doughnuts and sponge cake ” The word was “Youth.” He wrote —
“Sponge cake is delicate and sweet to the taste
While doughnuts are tough as thunder
And the youth who partakes of the first in haste
Will tackle the latter with wonder.”
The game may be made more difficult by each player writing on a third slip of paper a verb or an adjective these to be collected and redistributed with the nouns and questions.