The Mind

1. 1
   Lives. Check the chart for your player count. Take the shown lives and 1 star. You know your last level. Start at level 1.
2. 2
   Shuffle. Mix all 100 number cards together. The deck holds every number from 1 to 100.
3. 3
   Table. Put lives, 1 star, and the chart in the middle of the table. Deal cards to start level 1.

Worked opening: level 1 with 2 lives and 1 star. Each player gets 1 card. Anna holds 37. Ben holds 62. Anna waits, then plays 37 number-up. Ben plays 62 on top. The level is clear. Deal 2 cards each for level 2.

1. 1
   Ready. Each player lays one hand flat on the table when ready to start. No talking. No gestures. No eye signals.
2. 2
   Play. When you think your card is the lowest left, put it in the middle number-up. The middle pile starts with that card.
3. 3
   Continue. The player with the next lowest card plays it on top. The pile grows from low to high.
4. 4
   Mistake. Stop if the played card is higher than a card still in a hand. Lose 1 life. Put each skipped lower card in the middle number-up. Keep playing from the high card.

1. 1
   Deal. Deal each player cards equal to the level number. Level 1 is 1 card. Level 2 is 2 cards. Keep your cards secret. Do not sort them on the table.
2. 2
   Silence. No talking about numbers. No sounds, gestures, or looks as hints. Your hand stays hidden until you play each card.
3. 3
   Play. The holder of the lowest card left plays it number-up in the middle. The middle pile must go from low to high.
4. 4
   Mistake. Stop as soon as a played card skips a lower card still in a hand. Lose 1 life and put each skipped card in the middle number-up.
5. 5
   Finish. The level is clear when all dealt cards sit in the middle from low to high. Check the chart for a bonus life or star, then deal the next level.
6. 6
   Star. Spend a star only if every player says yes. Each player puts their own lowest card in the middle number-up.

• Out-of-order miss: Anna plays 54 while Ben still holds 41. The team loses 1 life. Ben puts 41 in the middle number-up. Play goes on from 54.
• Throwing star help: the team all say yes to spend a star. Each player puts their own lowest card in the middle number-up, for example 12, 28, and 33. Play goes on.

2 players

Play levels 1 to 12. Start with 2 lives and 1 star. Bonus life at levels 3, 6, and 9. Bonus star at levels 2, 5, and 8.

3 players

Play levels 1 to 10. Start with 3 lives and 1 star. Bonus life at levels 3, 6, and 9. Bonus star at levels 2, 5, and 8.

4 players

Play levels 1 to 8. Start with 4 lives and 1 star. Bonus life at levels 3 and 6. Bonus star at levels 2, 5, and 8.

Throwing star

Team help. Every player must say yes. Then each player puts their own lowest card in the middle number-up.

• Talking about your numbers, or hinting with sounds, gestures, or looks.
• Playing too fast and skipping a lower card still in a hand. Wait longer on high levels.
• Spending a star without a yes from every player.
• Sorting your cards on the table where others can see the gaps.