Sum Fun

Sum Fun

The idea of the game is straightforward – go ahead and have “SUM FUN”! Use the tiles you have picked up to make SUMs. Once all of the tiles are out, the winner is the first person to use all of their tiles to make valid SUMs.

The SUMs must be connecting and intersecting – similar to that of a crossword format. A player can rearrange their own SUMs as often as they wish.

Everybody plays the game at the same time, there is no waiting around for another player to take their turn as each person makes their own SUMs independently from one another.

How To Play

All of the numbers, symbols and joker tiles are placed face down on a flat surface in a pile. Each player takes 5 number tiles (white) and 4 symbol tiles (blue) keeping them face down in front of them. When all players have collected their 9 tiles, one player shouts “Let’s have SUM FUN” to start the game.

Each player attempts to make a SUM using the numbers, symbols or joker tiles in front of them. As soon as a player has made a SUM that works they must shout out “SUM”.

When someone shouts “SUM”, all players must pick up one tile (they can pick a number or a symbol tile) from the pile. The game continues in this way until there are fewer unpicked tiles than players.

There are 2 blue joker tiles which can be used to represent any symbol tile of your choice. There are also 3 white joker tiles which can be used to represent any number tile.

You can change a valid SUM at any stage – this may be tactical or because you are stuck. If this is done and creates a new valid SUM you can shout “SUM”. As long as each line or column is a valid SUM then almost anything goes!

The winner of the game is the first person to use all of their tiles up to create valid SUMs. Upon doing so the player should shout “SUM FUN”. At this stage the calculations are checked to confirm the SUMs are correct.

If at any stage no one can make a SUM, all players can agree to take another tile from the pile. Each player can choose whether to pick a number or symbol tile.

If a player declares “SUM FUN” and, upon checking, there are invalid SUMs, that player is disqualified from the game and all of their tiles are returned to the pile. The game then continues as normal.

If, at the end of the game, nobody can use their tiles and a stalemate is agreed, the player with the fewest tiles left is the winner. If still level, each player involved must add their remaining number tiles together, with the lowest total declared the winner. (Note there are no penalties for being left with symbols tiles).

Age 3+, 4+, 5+, 6+