Count-a-WFF

The Definition of a WFF:  A given expression is a WFF if and only if:

a.    It is a ‘p’, ‘q’, ‘r’, or ‘s’; or

b.    It is an ‘N’ followed by a WFF; or

c.    It is  a ‘K’, ‘A’, ‘C’, or ‘E’ followed by two WFF’s.

Note: Each letter N, K, A, C, E has a corresponding logical operation.

N: not; K: and; A: or; C: if ... then ...; E: if and only if

Equipment:      One shaking set of 3 small cubes and 3 big cubes (or, see note below, 4s-4b, or 5s-5b).  Each player will need three pennies and one dime.

Number of Players:  Two or more

Objective in Game:  The player who gets the highest cumulative score for a predetermined number of rounds will win.

How to play and score each round:  Players take turns starting each successive round.  To begin each round, a player rolls the cubes in the shaking set out on the table.  Without touching the cubes, all players examine the set of letters facing upward to discover, as fast as possible, the greatest number of letters from that set which can be used to construct a WFF.  As soon as a player thinks he knows the number of letters, he (let’s call builder #1) should:

1.    Call out that number,

2.    Grab his dime and put it on the table

3.    Then stack all three pennies one at a time, on top of the dime to make a coin-tower

4.    Shout “WFF” when he is finished building the tower.

    While the builder #1 is building his coin-tower, if another player thinks that she can build a longer WFF then she should call out that length, she then becomes “builder #2”.  She then starts to build her coin-tower and shout “WFF” before others (including “builder #1”) call out a higher possible number.

    When a builder shouts “WFF”, other players should stop.  The builder then should present his WFF on the table.  Other players evaluate by saying “check” or “challenge”.        If the builder presents a WFF containing exactly as many letters as he called out, then he gains points equal to the number of players times the number he called.  (If there is no WFF, then the caller gains as many points as the number of players.)  If the expression is not a WFF or the WFF did not contain as many letters as he called out earlier, then he loses points equal to the number of players times the number he called.  The player who says “challenge” and points out the incorrect call will gain as many points as the builder loses. When all points are recorded, another player can start the next round.

Note:  The set of 3s-3b is for beginners, 4s-4b for intermediate level players, and  5s-5b for the advanced players.  To make the game more difficult, players can use a set of different colors and restrict say blue cubes have to go before red cubes.