Each colored stock card shows how many cards are in its suit. Deal everyone equal hands, with the last card faceup to open the noisy market. Everyone simultaneously offers to trade any number of cards with anyone else. ("Two yellow for one brown, anybody?") You may also take the faceup card by replacing it with another from your hand. You can even offer someone cards for nothing! Shout "Stop!" when your suits consist entirely of majority stock holdings--for example, five cards of a nine-card suit.

Players score for successfully ending play, as well as for each card in a majority held. Lose a point (ouch!) for each card held that matches the final faceup suit. Highest scorer wins after several rounds.

I might not have tried this game save for its designer, the prolific award-winning Reiner Knizia. I've always been very satisfied with his games, regardless of its target audience. Wheedle is one of his lite fun efforts that works well for the family or as a filler game in a game group.

The game consists of a deck of 61 cards in 9 suits, or corporations. The cards in each suit are identical, in that they are the same color, and feature the same corporate name and a number representing the total number of cards ('stocks') in that suit. The breakdown of suits looks like this:

5 'stock' suits: three

7 'stock' suits: four

9 'stock' suits: two

Cards are dealt out face-down to players (4 players - 15; 5 players - 12; 6 players - 10), with the last card place face-down on the table. Once everyone has arranged their hand, the dealer turns the card on the table face up, and the trading begins.

There are no turns; trading is simultaneous. Players call out what they have to offer and/or what they are looking for and swap cards. Calling out the colors vice the corporate names is best. Players need not keep the same number of cards in hand as they started with, so 2 for 1, or even 3 for 1 exchanges are occasionally tactically sound.

Also, at any time during the trading, a player may exchange a card in hand for the face-up card on the table.

So what's the object of the game? Well, players score 1 point for each card in hand of a suit they hold the majority of cards in (For instance, holding 5 of the 9 'black' Texas Tea Oil Company cards is worth 5 points.) If a player holds all of the cards in a corporation, they are each worth 2 points instead of 1.

When does it end? As soon as every card in player's hand can score points, he/she outs 'Stop!' At that instant, trading abruptly ends, and the 'stopper' lays down his/her cards.

If it turns out that the 'stopper' has a card that cannot score, he/she loses 5 points.

If every card in the 'stoppers' hand does score, he/she scores an additional 5 points.

All other players then score their hands according to the scoring scheme.

If this sounds a little like the old Parker Brothers game Pit, you're right.

But here's that twist: The card that is face-up on the table when trading stops is the 'bankrupt' corporation, and each card in that color scores -1 point.

A full game consists of playing as many rounds as there are players.

This game is definitely not for gamers who shy away from noisy, wild fun. You've got to trade aggressively and always keep an eye on the card on the table -- it may be one you're looking for, and it might negate a lot of points in your hand. We have enjoyed Wheedle, and I think it will continue to come out as a filler at our gaming sessions between heavier games like Puerto Rico and Taj Mahal.

If you're looking for a simple and raucous card game, this is it.