What is Saraswatis?

"What is "Saraswatis"? With this question the exciting game can begin. Above all, imagination is required and the gift to formulate things in such a way that the others will fall for you. A healthy general knowledge can't hurt either, but is by no means a prerequisite. Convince yourself that "Saraswatis" will give you the great fun in your group evening or in the rainy Pfila.

What is Saraswatis?

• Cult object from Hinduism
• Sandwich-like snack from Russia
• Persian national circus
• Indian goddess
• Russian name for Smarties
• small nomad tent

This is how we proceed

We need five to six groups, each with at least two players. Each group has small notes and a pencil. The groups distribute themselves around the room and give themselves a name, e.g. "Loosli's Lexicon (LL)", "Jungschar Duden (JD)", or "Baumann's Dictionary (BW)". The game leader enters these names into the prepared list of points on a board. Who will have the most points at the end?

Gameplay

The game leader writes a word that is as unknown as possible on the overhead projector, e.g. "Saraswatis". Each group now looks for an explanation for this word that is as believable as possible and writes it on a piece of paper with the group name. This is immediately brought forward to the game leader, because after two minutes the bell sounds. The game leader accepts only those suggestions that are in his hand by then (the game leader reads the suggestions immediately after receiving them, so that he can recite them afterwards without laughing if possible). Now he mixes the suggestions of the groups with his own correct piece of paper and reads the explanations (see box) slowly and clearly. Then the groups have half a minute to discuss which suggestion they like best. Now the group leader asks: Which explanation is correct? He reads out the suggestions again in reverse order.

• Two groups have decided on the first suggestion (one person from each of the two groups stands up after the first suggestion). The game leader writes down a 2 on the corresponding slip of paper
• No one believes the second suggestion (noted down: 0)
• The third suggestion is given a vote by one group (the game leader writes a 1 on the slip of paper with this suggestion).
• Now comes the fourth (correct!) suggestion.Only the group "Baumann's dictionary" believes this variant. The game leader notes on this slip of paper the abbreviated group name of the correct voters (BW)
• The fifth suggestion is again believed by no one (noted down: 0)
• The sixth proposal gets a vote of (game master notes a 1)

Distribution of Points

• Each group that has decided on the correct explanation gets 5 points (the game leader writes on the board at group BW: 5)
• But you can also win points by making credible suggestions: Per group that believed the (false) claim, the inventing party gets 2 points. For example, the first suggestion was made by group LL. Two groups thought that this was the correct explanation. So group LL gets 2 x 2, i.e. 4 points (which are written on the board).
• Group JD's suggestion was not chosen, so this group gets 0 point for your explanation.

The game leader writes the second word on the overhead projector "Glabella". Attention, the second round begins.

Rules of the Game

- One's own suggestion may not be chosen

- If someone knows the word, there are two possibilities

• The group writes down the correct meaning as a suggestion and reaps 2 points each from all the correct voters (so if there are 5 groups, the maximum is 8 points because the group may not choose its own suggestion.
• The group invents a good (but wrong) explanation and then gets to choose the correct answer themselves, gaining 5 points for sure. This is usually more rewarding!

Preparations

• The game leader looks for about 15 words in a dictionary that are as unknown as possible. He writes them with the simplified explanation each on a note sheet (use exactly the same sheets that are then distributed in the game). It is important that the explanation does not sound too academic, otherwise it will stand out among the made-up explanations.
• Note sheets and 1 pencil are made ready for each group
• Set up bright room projector and whiteboard with writing materials
• Have clock and bell ready

Possible words

Fatra, Wuhu, Funkia,

Elura, Bussole, Fennich,

Bolas, Toga, Eppich,

Jocus, fascicle, etesia,

Chanchito, Futhark,

Dachia, Ranulta, Datscha, Transuse, Doina

(It's fun to look for special words!)

Source credits:

Content and cover image: Copyright BESJ, www.besj.ch

Author: Helen Stalder, Huttwil