Game Objective

Ingenious Challenges is a collection of three distinct games: the Card Challenge, the Dice Challenge, and the Tile Challenge. In each, 2 to 4 players engage in a battle of wits by matching symbols to score points and attempt to block opponents. The overall objective is to be the first to advance all your scoring pawns to the target column on the Score Board.

Setup

Before starting, players must choose which of the three challenges to face. The common basic setup is:

• Each player receives a Score Board.
• Each player inserts a Scoring Pawn into column 0 of each row, matching the pawn's color to the row's color.

Specific Setups:

• Card Challenge: Shuffle the Creative Cards and deal six to each player. The remainder forms the Ingenious Deck. Each player, starting with the youngest, draws the top card from the deck and places it face-up in front of them. Leave space for the Discard Pile. (In 2-player games, each draws two cards to place in front of them: one near the center and one near themselves).
• Dice Challenge: Distribute the Creative Dice: 4 dice for each player (in 2-player games), 3 dice (in 3-player games), or 2 dice (in 4-player games). One die is returned to the box in 2 or 4-player games. Each player rolls their dice and leaves the result exposed in front of them.
• Tile Challenge: The Creative Tiles are placed face-down in the center of the table and randomized. Three tiles are drawn and placed face-up in the center of the table.

Game Flow

In all challenges, players take turns in clockwise order, starting with the youngest player. The structure varies depending on the chosen challenge:

• Card Challenge: The player selects a card from their hand, scores its two symbols, replaces the card in front of them, and replenishes their hand.
• Dice Challenge: The player rolls their dice (with the option to re-roll up to three times), scores by comparing their symbols to opponents' dice, and keeps their dice exposed for the next round.
• Tile Challenge: The player ensures there are three tiles in the center, chooses between drawing a tile or taking a Free Score, and resolves scoring according to matching rules.

Actions and How to Play

Card Challenge

• Scoring: The player chooses a card from their hand and one of its two symbols. For each face-up card on the table with the corresponding symbol, they score one point in the corresponding row of the Score Board. The process is repeated for the second symbol on the card.
• Scoring Restriction: The scoreboard is divided into four areas (Column 0; Columns 1–3; Columns 4–6; Columns 7–10). It is not permitted to advance to the third area if there are pawns in the first, nor to the fourth area if there are pawns in the second. Points that violate this or exceed column 10 are disregarded.
• Bonus Turns: Upon advancing a pawn to column 10, the player shouts "Creative!" and earns a bonus turn after completing their current play. Only one bonus turn per color is allowed during the game.
• End of Turn: The player discards the card that was in front of them and replaces it with the card they just played. To replenish their hand to six cards, the player checks the row with the lowest score; if they have no cards with that symbol, they may discard their entire hand before drawing new ones.

Dice Challenge

• Rolling: The player rolls all their dice. They may re-roll any dice up to two times (for a total of three attempts), but must accept the result of the third roll.
• Scoring: Compare each die to the dice in front of the other players. Each matching symbol generates one point. No points are scored by matching your own dice.
• Wild Scores:
  • Two identical symbols: Can be used as a Wild Score (1 point on any symbol).
  • Three identical symbols (2 or 3 players): Double Wild Score (2 points on any symbol) or one wild and use the remaining die to match opponents.
  • Four identical symbols (2 players): Triple Wild Score (3 points on any symbol), or a double wild and one die to match, or two pairs for two unique scores.
• Bonus Turns: Upon reaching column 10, shout "Creative!" and earn a bonus turn.

Tile Challenge

• Drawing a Tile: The player draws a tile and places it in front of them.
  • If the symbol matches a tile already drawn this turn: the turn ends and the tiles go to the center.
  • If the symbol matches nothing in the center: the turn ends and the tiles go to the center.
  • If it matches the center and not the tiles in front of you: you may score or draw another tile.
• Scoring: The player takes tiles from the center with symbols matching those they played, adds them to their own, and scores points. Tiles that exceed the target column are returned to the set. All used tiles are returned to the box.
• Free Score: If there is a symbol in the center matching the player's lowest-scoring row, they may take all tiles of that symbol from the center and score, instead of drawing a tile.
• Bonus Turns: Upon reaching the target column, shout "Creative!" and earn a bonus turn.

End of Game and Scoring

• Victory Condition (Card and Dice Challenges): The first player to advance all six scoring pawns to column 7 or higher wins.
• Victory Condition (Tile Challenge): The first to advance all six pawns to the target column wins (Column 7 for 2 or 3 players; Column 5 for 4 players).
• Overall Winner: When playing multiple challenges, sum Victory Points equal to each player's lowest-scoring row after each challenge. Whoever has the most points at the end is the overall winner.

Tips for Winning

• In the Card Challenge, utilize the rule of discarding your entire hand if you don't possess cards matching your lowest-scoring rows, allowing you to refresh your options.
• In the Dice Challenge, assess whether it's more worthwhile to use repeated symbols as Wild Scores to fill difficult rows rather than trying to match opponents' dice.
• In the Tile Challenge, the Free Score is a strategic alternative to advance on rows where you have fewer points without risking drawing tiles that prematurely end your turn.