Hasbro's Boggle Classic (C2187)Photo: Hasbro
16 letter cubes and the sand timer (an older Boggle set; today's case is yellow)Photo: Stilfehler, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
The letter cubes, one with a 'Qu' face (older set)Photo: Andrew Malone, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
A compact case that travels wellPhoto: FirstCry
Video

Word game

Boggle

Shake the letter cubes and find words before time runs out

Word gamesSpeed and reflexes

  • 1–6best with 2-4
  • 10–30 minper game
  • Under a minuteto set up
  • 8+years
  • Very easy
  • Lotsreading

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The game in a nutshell

Boggle is Hasbro's quick word hunt: you shake 16 letter cubes into a grid, then everyone writes down as many English words as they can find before the sand timer runs out. It suits older children and adults who enjoy words and spelling, and you can even play it alone. The genuine Hasbro box (Boggle Classic, item C2187) is imported, and many 'Boggle' games sold online are made by other brands, so check the brand carefully before buying.

Is Boggle right for you?

Great if

  • Word lovers: older children, teenagers and adults who read English comfortably
  • Playing alone or with one other person, since you can play solo to beat your own best score
  • A short game before dinner or between other games, as each round lasts only a few minutes
  • Travel and small tables, because the current box is a compact grid with a lid

Skip it if

  • Your group has very different English levels, because the best speller can win every round
  • Your children are under 8, the age on the box; Boggle Jr. is the simpler version for young children
  • You'd rather not check brands: many 'Boggle' games sold online are made by other brands, and Hasbro's genuine box is imported

A place on the honours list

Good company to be in.

Recognition from beyond our table.

GAMES magazine Top 100 Games of 1980, 1980 (Listed)

How Boggle plays

Each player needs a pen and paper. With the lid on, shake the grid so that the 16 letter cubes rattle around and settle into a 4 by 4 square. When everyone is ready, flip the sand timer and lift the lid.

  • Time to teach: about 3 minutes.
  • Reading and language: Boggle is entirely about finding English words in a grid of letters and spelling them correctly. Players need a good English vocabulary, and in a group with very different English levels the strongest speller tends to win.

How to play Boggle · Triple S Games

Choose a video · Watch right here

If this creator doesn’t allow embedded playback, watch on YouTube ↗.

Your turn, step by step

  1. 1
    Shake

    With the lid on, shake the grid until all 16 letter cubes settle into the 4 x 4 square. Lift the lid and flip the sand timer.

  2. 2
    Hunt

    Everyone writes down words at the same time. Each word needs at least three letters, each letter must touch the next (diagonals count), no cube can be used twice in a word, and names don't count.

  3. 3
    Compare

    When the sand runs out, stop writing and read your lists aloud. Any word that another player also found is crossed off everyone's list.

  4. 4
    Win

    Score your remaining words: 3-4 letters earn 1 point, 5 letters 2, 6 letters 3, 7 letters 5 and 8 or more 11. The highest total after the agreed number of rounds, or the first to a target score, wins.

Read the official rules (PDF)Boggle (C2187) instructions · English
The full explanation: how a game of Boggle goes

Write down every word you can find. A word must be at least three letters long, and each letter must touch the next one in the grid: up, down, sideways or diagonally. You can't use the same cube twice in one word. Names of people and places don't count, and before you start you should agree which English dictionary settles arguments. One cube shows 'Qu', which counts as two letters.

When time is up, stop writing and take turns reading out your lists. If anyone else has the same word, everyone crosses it out, so the points come from words nobody else spotted. Words with three or four letters score 1 point, five letters 2, six letters 3, seven letters 5, and eight or more letters 11.

The current Hasbro timer runs for 90 seconds. For the traditional three-minute round, flip it once more when it runs out. You can play a single round, a set number of rounds, or race to a target such as 50 or 100 points. Playing alone, you simply try to beat your own best score.

What's in the box

16 letter cubes and the sand timer (an older Boggle set; today's case is yellow) · Photo: Stilfehler, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 1Grid base
    4 x 4 tray that holds the letter cubes
  • 1Lid
    covers the grid while you shake it; the cubes and timer pack away inside, so the whole game doubles as a travel case
  • 16Letter cubes
    one face reads 'Qu', which counts as two letters
  • 1Sand timer
    about 90 seconds; flip it twice for the classic three-minute round
  • 1Instructions
    English

From Hasbro's own C2187 product pages for India, Canada and the US: grid base and lid, 16 letter cubes, a sand timer and instructions, with the timer and cubes stored in the case. There are no pens or paper, so each player needs their own. Older Hasbro boxes came with a three-minute timer, and a twist-open case with an electronic timer was sold around 2012; neither is the box sold in India today.

Where to buy

Amazon.inNo confirmed listing

Find it on Amazon.in

We haven't confirmed one genuine listing yet, so this opens an Amazon.in search. Check the brand and the seller before you buy.

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Hasbro does not make Boggle in India. Indian listings say the current Boggle Classic (item C2187) is made in China and name Hasbro India Toys Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, as the importer. Many word games sold online use the Boggle name without being Hasbro's, so look for Hasbro Gaming on the pack.

How to make sure you get a genuine copyA little care before you click.
  • Look for Hasbro Gaming and the Boggle logo on the pack, and for item code C2187 on the current box. Indian listings name Hasbro India Toys Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, as importer and give China as the country of origin.
  • Check the contents: a grid base with a lid, 16 letter cubes (one of them has a 'Qu' face) and a sand timer that is stored in the lid. A box with a different number of cubes or no timer is not Hasbro's Boggle Classic.
  • 'Word Boggle' games from other brands are different games that use the name. They play in a similar way, but they are not Hasbro's Boggle, and we have not checked their contents.
  • Be wary of listings titled just 'Boggle Classic Word Game' with no brand name and a big discount.
  • Look for the ISI mark. An Indian listing for Hasbro's box shows a BIS certification number.

This button opens an Amazon.in search, because we haven't confirmed one genuine listing yet. We don't show prices: Amazon shows today's price, the seller and delivery. Paid link. We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

What reviewers and players say

Boggle has lasted since 1973 because it is fast and nobody waits: everyone hunts through the same grid at once, and a round is over in a few minutes. Reviewers like how little teaching it needs, how small the box is, and that every shake makes a new puzzle. The catch is that it rewards a big English vocabulary, so a strong speller can win round after round and newcomers can feel lost. Agree on a dictionary before you start, and think about a head start for younger players.

What people love

  • Nobody waits for a turn: everyone searches the same grid at the same time
  • It takes a minute to teach and a few minutes per round, so it fits in anywhere
  • Every shake makes a new grid, and you can play alone to beat your own best score
  • The compact box packs easily for travel

Common complaints

  • It rewards vocabulary, so the best speller tends to win and newcomers can struggle
  • With many players more words are shared and crossed off, so scores build slowly
  • Players argue over which words count, and critics say it has less strategy than Scrabble
Based on 5 reviews and discussions

Summarised in our own words from the sources above. We don't use Amazon reviews or ratings.

More like Boggle

Our picks if Boggle isn't quite right

Feature
Boggle box Boggle
 Scrabble box Scrabble Dobble box Dobble Codenames box Codenames
Players1–62–42–82–8
Best with2-42-33-66-8
Play time10–30 min50–60 min15 min15 min
Age8+10+6+14+
RulesEasyMediumEasyEasy
Indian editionImportImportYesImport
Why look at itThis pageThe other classic English word game, slower and more strategicThe same rush of spotting things fast, but with pictures, so younger children can join inA team word game for larger groups

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Questions people ask about Boggle

Is Boggle made in India?

No. Hasbro's current box, Boggle Classic (item C2187), is made in China and imported by Hasbro India. Many 'Boggle' games sold online in India are made by other brands, so look for Hasbro Gaming on the pack.

Is Word Boggle the same as Boggle?

No. 'Word Boggle' is a name that several other brands use for their own letter-cube word games. They play in a similar way, but they are not Hasbro's Boggle, and we have not checked what their boxes contain.

How long is a round of Boggle?

Hasbro's current box comes with a 90-second sand timer. For the traditional three-minute round, flip it once more when it runs out. A whole game can be one round, an agreed number of rounds, or a race to 50 or 100 points.

Is Boggle good for children learning English?

Hasbro rates it for ages 8 and up, and every round asks children to spot and spell English words. Because they compete directly with adults, though, a strong speller can win every time. Your family can agree easier scoring for younger players, or they can play solo to beat their own best score, which the rules suggest.

Game facts

Designed by
Allan Turoff
Publisher
Hasbro (originally Parker Brothers)
In India
Hasbro India Toys Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai (named as the importer on an Indian listing)
First published
1973
Players
1–6
Language
Needs English – Boggle is entirely about finding English words in a grid of letters and spelling them correctly. Players need a good English vocabulary, and in a group with very different English levels the strongest speller tends to win.
Awards
GAMES magazine Top 100 Games of 1980, 1980 (Listed)
Sources & photo creditsThe references behind this guide.

Facts on this page come from the publisher, the Indian maker or distributor, and the sources below. Photos are credited under each one.