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- BGG #116
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Decrypto
- 3–8 players
- 15–45 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,641
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Trapwords
2018
Rules assistance for Trapwords
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 4–8 players
- 30–45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.4/5
For 4 players
Rules assistant for Trapwords
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Trapwords is a board game released in 2018 for 4–8 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Jan Březina, Martin Hrabálek, and Michal Požárek and its main mechanics are Modular Board, Team-Based Game, and Communication Limits.
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About the game
The game is for 2 teams, divided into two approximately equivalent number of players and takes about 30 minutes to play. It could remind you of the classic word game known as Taboo, but this one has an interesting twist on gameplay – the opposing team is the one who chooses the words you cannot use. With you having no idea which words are "traps", it’s like dancing on a minefield, when you’re trying to describe your assigned word to the rest of the team. You take the role of a group of adventurers crawling through a fantasy dungeon full of traps and curses, with a Boss waiting for you at the end. You have to successfully guess a word that one of your teammates is trying to describe to you. Sounds simple, but it is made fiendishly difficult by not knowing which words you can't say. Because both teams are simultaneously preparing secret traps for each other, words that you can't use. And further you get, the more trapwords you might expect. Let's see the example of one possible turn when you are trying to give clues for the word "Axe": You: "It is a thing that a dwarf can…" Opponents team: "A-ha, dwarf! Gotcha!" You: "How did you know that? Was it obvious I will use that?" Or when you would try another approach it could look like this, the successful turn of your team: You: "This thing is used by a man with a beard, in a checkered shirt...." One of your teammates: "A coffee maker?" [Everyone laughs] You: "He uses it for work in nature." Another teammate: "A chainsaw!" You: "He makes smaller pieces from a big plant with it." Any of your teammate: "An axe!" You: "Yes! Very good!" Could you avoid your opponent's trapwords when you don't know what you can't say?
Categories
Publishers
- Devir
- Hobby Japan
- Rebel Sp. z o.o.
- Gémklub
- GaGa Games
- Rexhry
- MINDOK
- Kilogames
- White Goblin Games
- IELLO
- Fantasmagoria
- DiceTree Games
- Czech Games Edition (CGE)
- Cranio Creations
Questions and answers
Trapwords supports 4–8 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 Trapwords is 30–45 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 Trapwords for ages 8 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.
Trapwords has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
Trapwords belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Word Game, and Party Game. Its main mechanics are Modular Board, Team-Based Game, and Communication Limits. 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 Trapwords are: Jan Březina, Martin Hrabálek, and Michal Požárek. 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 Trapwords 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.