XmasGoat gift guide
Curated pickA simultaneous 144-tile word race with private grids, no board and constant rearranging.
Bananagrams is a fast word-building race packed into a yellow pouch. See who will love it, how it plays and which version makes the best gift.
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Reviewed by XmasGoat Editorial · Updated
There is almost no waiting in Bananagrams. Everyone flips their letters and starts building at the same time, calling for another tile whenever their own little crossword is complete. One awkward letter can send an entire grid sliding apart while everyone else races ahead.
The verdict
Classic Bananagrams is quick to start, easy to carry and much livelier than its simple letter tiles suggest. It is an excellent gift when the recipient enjoys spelling under pressure. If vision, dyslexia, dexterity or processing speed would make the race unfair, choose the Big Letter edition or play without the timer-like rush—the word puzzle still works.
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Classic Bananagrams supports one to eight players, ages seven and up, and is listed at about 30 minutes. It can be played alone as a word puzzle or as a simultaneous race.
Each player starts with 21 tiles in a two- to four-player game, 15 tiles with five or six players, and 11 tiles with seven or eight. The rest stay face down in the middle.
Call “Peel” after using all your current letters, and everyone draws one new tile. Call “Dump” to return one difficult letter, but you alone must take three replacements.
Yes. Big Letter Bananagrams uses larger, bolder and higher-contrast letters while keeping the familiar game. Make sure the listing says Big Letter, because the Classic pouch uses the standard tiles.
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