The journey is long. Patience is at an end. What to do? Everyone is intelligent and over eight years of age. Surely we can think of something to pass the time? NIT, the game, is what we should play. This is very similar to the game of Tombstones, but being simpler does not require pen and paper to keep track of.

How to Play

You need two or more players with no real upper limit. The first player says a letter of the alphabet; the second player adds a second letter. The third player can either say a letter which contributes to a word starting with the two previous letters (in the order given) or challenge player 2 that there is no word possible starting with the two letters given. The letter that player 3 contributes to the word must not complete any word or the other players will point this out and he or she loses a point. Play continues around the players, each player adding a letter while not finishing the word.

How to Score

When a player loses a point, by finishing a 3-letter or longer word or by giving a letter which does not contribute to a longer word, he or she becomes an N¹. If they do it again they become a NI² and if they do it a third time they are a NIT³ and they are out of the game, leaving the others to continue.

An Example of Play

The game is best understood by following through an example.

Andy, Bernice and Chris are playing. Andy says 'C'. It's Bernice's go and she says 'R'. Chris thinks 'CR...' and adds 'A'.

Andy's second go: he adds 'T' thinking of CRATE. Bernice looks at him in a funny way, as she is also thinking CRATE and if she says 'E', the last letter of the word, she loses. Bernice says 'T', making the letters now 'CRATT'. This is a bluff by Bernice as she doesn't want to finish the word and is hoping that Chris does know a word that begins with 'CRATT'.

Chris has no idea of any word spelled that way so he challenges Bernice. She owns up to not knowing any longer word either, and so loses a point and becomes an N.

Chris got the challenge correct and so starts the next word with an 'F'; this is followed by Andy with an 'I' and quickly followed by Bernice with an 'S' (thinking FISH). Chris adds a 'C' and Andy ponders for a while. Andy challenges Chris who immediately says 'Fiscal - as in Fiscal Policy - to do with taxation!' Andy is now also an N as the challenge was incorrect and the wrongly-challenged person gets to start the next word.

Dealing with Disagreements

If someone claims a word is OK when everyone else says it is not, a dictionary can be referred to as the final arbiter. However, not many people carry dictionaries with them and this game lends itself strongly to situations where there is nothing around - not even a piece of paper to score on. The players have to decide how they are going to deal with disputes. It could be agreed that swearing on one's mother's grave that this word exists would be enough to satisfy players. Arm wrestling is another option or the ownership of a firearm by the person either declaring the word to be correct or declaring the word to be false could constitute sufficient persuasion by the other players.

The Winner

Players drop out as they become NITs until there is only left: the winner!