How to keep score in Pictionary

The Pictionary board game has no points. A team that guesses its word within the minute rolls the die and moves its pawn, and the first team to reach the finish and win the last All Play word wins. Without the board, give a point for every word guessed in time, and the most points wins.

At a glance

• Players: 3 or more, in 2 to 4 teams

• Who wins: First to the finish, or the most points

• Each turn: One minute to draw

• Drawing: No letters, numbers or talking

Two ways to win

The box plays as a race round the board. You can also leave the board in the box and count points, which is what Tallynight counts.

The board game, turn by turn

Each team has a pawn on the start. The colour of your square says which category to draw from the card: object, person, place or animal, action and difficult, plus pop culture and catch-all in the current box.

The picturist has one minute. Guess it and your team rolls the die, moves, and plays again with a new picturist. Miss it and the next team takes a card, without rolling.

On an All Play square, every team's picturist draws the same word at once, and the first team to guess it rolls and moves.

How the board game ends

Reach the final square (you don't need an exact roll), then win the All Play word there. If another team guesses it first, they take the die, and you have to win it back before you can try again.

The points version

• Give a point for each word your team guesses within the minute.

• Play an All Play word now and then: every team draws it at once, and the first team to guess scores the point.

• Agree how many rounds to play, or a target such as 10, and the most points wins.

• Change the picturist every word so everyone draws.

Drawing rules

• No letters or numbers in the drawing.

• No talking, and no sign language.

• No pointing at your ear for sounds like, and no dashes for the number of letters.

• Drawings that sound alike are fine: a dock for doc, or the sun for son.

Agree before you start how close a guess has to be. Is bunk good enough for bunk bed?

A scoring example

The points version: three teams, four rounds, a minute a turn, and one All Play word after round 2.

Team B guessed the All Play word first and wins 4 to 3. Without that point, A and B would have tied, and one more round would settle it.

Keep score in Tallynight

Pictionary is set up for you: a running score, highest wins, a point a tap. Add each team as a player, start the 60-second timer for each turn, and tap the team's tile when they guess in time.

• A 60-second turn timer, the same minute as the sand timer

• A big tile for each team, facing its side of the table

• Undo, and a scoring log to fix any point

• Play to a target, and the app offers to end the game when a team reaches it

• Get Tallynight on the App Store: free, no ads.

• Print a Pictionary score sheet if you'd rather keep score on paper.

Questions

How does Pictionary scoring work?

In the board game there are no points: guess your word within a minute, then roll the die and move. The first team to reach the finish and win the last All Play word wins.

How do you keep score in Pictionary without the board?

Give a team 1 point for each word it guesses within the minute. After the rounds you agreed, the team with the most points wins.

How long do you get to draw in Pictionary?

One minute, timed with the sand timer in the box.

What does All Play mean in Pictionary?

Every team draws the same word at the same time, and the first team to guess it wins the turn. In the board game, that team rolls and moves.

Can you use letters or numbers in Pictionary?

No. You can't draw letters or numbers, talk, or use sign language. Drawing something that sounds alike is fine.

Game names belong to their owners. Tallynight isn't connected with any game publisher.