Game Objective

Get ready for a cooperative word association adventure with So Clover! Here, the goal is simple yet challenging: work as a team to decipher each other's keywords and, of course, beat your own high score! Each game is a chance to hone your deduction and communication skills, recording your achievements in the Record of Legends. Will you become legends of word association?

Setup

Let's set up the table for the fun to begin! The setup for So Clover! is quick and easy:

1. Each player receives a Clover board and a marker (erasable pen).
2. Shuffle all Keyword cards and form a face-down deck, within everyone's reach.
3. Now for the secret part: each player draws 4 Keyword cards and places them randomly in the recessed spaces of their Clover board. Remember, no one can see your cards!

Game Turn

The game unfolds in two exciting phases, where cooperation is key:

1. Choosing Clues (Individual Phase)

This phase is individual and happens simultaneously for all players:

• Everyone picks up their Clover board and secretly looks at the 8 Keywords on the outer edges of their cards.
• You'll notice there are 2 Keywords that form a Pair below each Clue Zone on your Clover board. In total, there are 4 Pairs.
• For each of your 4 Pairs, you must secretly think of a Clue that connects the two Keywords.
• Clues must be a single word (compound words are allowed) and can be a common noun, proper noun, acronym, number, or onomatopoeia.
  • Valid examples: Rabbit, Clooney, FBI, 13, and Buzz.
• Invalid Clues:
  • None of your Keywords or their translation into another language.
  • A word from the same family as a Keyword.
  • Invented words.
• Write your Clue in the corresponding Clue Zone on your Clover board.
• Tip: If a connection seems difficult, don't worry! Write down the first word that comes to mind. Other players' guesses might surprise you!
• After writing your 4 Clues, remove all Keyword cards from your Clover board.
• Then, without looking, draw 1 new card and shuffle it with your other 4 Keyword cards.
• Place your Clover board in front of you and your 5 cards face down in a pile on it.
• When everyone has completed these steps, the team moves on to the Resolution phase.

2. Resolution (Team Phase)

In this phase, communication and collaboration are essential:

• Choose the first player to be the Spectator. During this phase, the Spectator cannot communicate in any way. Each player will be the Spectator once per game.
• The Spectator places their Clover board and their 5 Keyword cards face up in the center of the table.
• Using the Clues, the other players work together to discover the Spectator's Pairs and place the cards back into the correct spaces on the Clover board.
• If there is disagreement about where the cards should go, the player to the left of the Spectator makes the final decision.
• Tip: Feel free to place the Keyword cards on the Clover board to visualize possible combinations and explain your reasoning to help the team make a decision.
• When players agree on the card placement, the Spectator checks the Keywords.

Verification

• First Attempt:
  • Perfect: All Pairs are placed correctly on the Clover board. The team earns 1 point per card and an extra bonus of 2 points for finding all Keywords on the first attempt (total of 6 points).
  • Error: At least one Pair is placed incorrectly. The Spectator removes the incorrect cards without saying anything and places them in the center of the table.
• Second (and final) Attempt:
  • After players agree on the new card placement, the Spectator removes any incorrect cards and places them in the center of the table. The team earns 1 point per correct card (0 to 4 possible points).
• Then, the Spectator flips their Clover board, writes the number of points in the center, and discards the 5 Keyword cards they used.
• The player to their left becomes the next Spectator, and a new Resolution phase begins.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends after each player has been the Spectator once. To evaluate your team's deduction skills, add up all the points you earned and record your score in the Record of Legends. The challenge is always to beat your highest score!

Tips for Winning

To excel in So Clover! and beat your records, consider these tips:

1. Think Simple, Think Clear: When creating your Clues, don't overcomplicate things. The first word that comes to mind that connects the two Keywords is usually the best, as it's more likely to be intuitive for your teammates. Avoid overly convoluted associations!
2. Communication is Everything in Resolution: During the Resolution phase, don't be afraid to explain your reasoning. Place the cards on the board to test combinations and verbalize why you think a certain Clue fits a pair of Keywords. Active collaboration dramatically increases your chances of success.
3. Don't Underestimate the Second Attempt: If the first attempt isn't perfect, use the second chance wisely. Re-evaluate the remaining Clues and the leftover cards. Sometimes, eliminating options helps focus on the more obvious connections that might have been missed in the first round.