
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,469
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Sherlock
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 1999

2004
Rules assistance for Hear 'N Seek
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Hear 'N Seek is a board game released in 2004 for 2–6 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 5 and up. It was designed by Reinhard Staupe and its main mechanics are Memory.
This is a memory game that uses ears instead of eyes. The active player has ten pairs of cards face-down in front of him. He picks up cards and listens to other players perform the sounds depicted on the side that he cannot see. With every second card picked up he either receives a negative point for drawing an unmatched pair or gets to pick up a matched pair. Play shifts to the next player once all of the cards have been picked up.
Hear 'N Seek supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Hear 'N Seek is 20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Hear 'N Seek for ages 5 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Hear 'N Seek has a complexity rating of 1.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Hear 'N Seek belongs to these categories: Children's Game and Memory. Its main mechanics are Memory. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Hear 'N Seek are: Reinhard Staupe. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Hear 'N Seek as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.