There are no really earthshaking innovations in this interesting word game. But that's part of the glory of it. We all know how to play games where letters of an English-language distribution are used to build words. So right off the bat, you're working with a familiar concept.

In this game, letters (cards) are taken by each player (at least 5 per player) and while others are taking their turns, each player may continually draw more cards up to a max of 10 cards in hand (expediting play). When it comes to be your turn, you must lay a word before you from the letters in your hand. However, you do not have to reveal all (or any) of the letters. Thus, each card may be played face up or face down.

Then, state your word and allow anyone at the table to challenge you. If no one speaks up, you reveal your letters and score whatever each letter's value is. As an example, if you told everyone that your word was T-H-E-R-E and revealed only ?-?-E-R-?, you'd wait to see what they do. Let's say no one challenges. Then you reveal your real word: X-Q-E-R-Z and you'll score a bundle.

What if someone challenges? Well, then you get squat. Further, each person who challenged gets 10 points for realizing that you are a liar.

Finally, each word which actually scores (bluffs or valid words) receives a couple of bonuses. The first bonus is based on how many of your cards you used (ie, using 5 out of 6 cards merits more bonus points than using 7 out of 10; it's all on a handy-dandy chart). The second bonus is an extra 10 points per person who invalidly challenged you, for the insult.

Play a few rounds (5 is standard) and see who wins. As an add-on, rules to other games (like an anagrams game) are included with the purchase.

Summary: word buffs will really like it and any perceived flaws (maybe it's a bit too easy to challenge when the challenger suffers no tangible penalty) can be readily fixed with house rules.