Here and There – A New Jersey Blogger on Family, Travel, Photography, Movie and Product Reviews

The company is here. Impromptu refreshments are on the table. No pinochle tonight. Time instead for fun and games.

Too many of us for Backgammon. The kitchen table is too small for Dominoes Twelve. Our guests nix Monopoly as their babysitter is available only until 10. We opt for something new – SYNONYMS. Hubby hates word games and balks. While son-in-law reads us the rules and I set up the game, daughter cajoles her daddy. Finally, he agrees to play.

Synonyms equipment includes a game board complete with rules and directions, two timers, word cards, pass cards, challenge cards, a die, score sheets and pencil. Two to eight players or teams can play this family game. Geared for ages ten to adult, game time takes 30 minutes plus.

I start the game and the luck of the draw brings me red (hard group) four. My mind blanks after three correct one word responses not knowing that the Synonym answer care allows multiple word responses like go along with. Well, live and learn.

Tagged as the word game that gets your mind racing, hubby grumps about how he hates word games. With two green (medium group), he quickly gives one synonym then blanks. Son-in-law is unlucky enough to land on Lose A Letter–no problem as he has none to lose.

Daughter roles a yellow (easy group) six. The word she draws bother amuses me. I remember a poem I once wrote about her brothers entitled “Brothers are bothers….” I laugh at her first answer brother and declare the response not valid. Undaunted she rattles off several more. At last one of us has earned a letter.

We never use the challenge cards. Along the way, when in doubt, we make house rules. Instead of hitting the books or going by consensus, we pick a judge to decide about synonym answers not on the word card. Play continues for almost two hours before it’s time our visitors leave.

Who wins? The object of the game is to spell S-Y-N-O-N-Y-M-S; however, none of us are even close. We decide to go not with who has the most letters total but instead who is closest to spelling the word to decide the winner. Daughter wins.

As we say goodbyes, we chat about the game. Everyone agrees that multi-word definitions certainly are not synonyms and some of the answers on the cards are not correct English words. We are glad we spiced up out game by allowing those at the table to pantomime hints. A good charade is always fun. Synonyms reminds us of the game PASSWORD but slow moving. We decide the pace would be better using partners. Perhaps, it would have been easier and more interesting for us to read the synonym clue words and decide on its match than go for one to six answers.

Designed to help teach, this is a great educational game for verbal people anywhere. To learn more, go online to synonymsthegame.com. Listing for $29.99, SYNONYMS (manufactured by 2010 Lindergaff, L.L.C., San Jose, California) is available on amazon and lists for $29.99.

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THE SMALL PRINT.

US addresses only please. This contest will end on Saturday 03/05/11 at 11:59 pm est. If you?ve entered any of my giveaways before then you know that only comments containing all of the requested information will be eligible for entry. The winner must contact me to confirm they wish to receive the prize within two days of my email notifying them they?ve won. Good luck to everyone!

The product(s) featured in this review was provided free of cost to me for the sole purpose of product testing and review. This review has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.

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