Select one of the 40 cards (which are in Adobe's PDF format) and print a copy for each player. Players take turns throwing a die (singular of dice). The first throw gives the number across; the second, the number down. To try for row 7 (NuSpel only), throw again. If any two add up to 7, that row may be selected. The player jots each letter down on a separate piece of paper, on which the words formed are also written. The letters may be used more than once; for example, to form “cool” or “sass.”

When words are formed (excluding those just one letter long, if so desired) the player can shout Bingo, and if snacks are part of the pleasure, receive a small reward (a peanut, an M&M, etc.). As decided beforehand, a game continues until 1] a player forms a word of a given length (for example 10 letters or more) or 2] when a player forms a given number of words (12, for example). You may invent other rules or complicate things by printing out a different card for each player. For “solitaire,” play against the clock to top your own or others’ top scores.

Two sample cards are given below, one in OldSpell and one in NuSpel. Before Christmas, 2007 packs of cards will be available at a nominal cost. Check this at Literacy Promotions periodically.