How to play
- Get a list and a letterPick a pack and press New list. Everyone uses the same twelve categories and the same letter, shown large at the top of the tool.
- Start the timerPress Start. The usual round is three minutes; choose two minutes for a quicker game or for younger players.
- Write one answer per categoryEach player quietly writes an answer for every category, and each answer has to begin with the round's letter. Leave a line blank if nothing comes to mind.
- Stop at zeroWhen the timer reaches 0:00 it beeps and buzzes, where your device allows. Pens go down straight away.
- Read answers aloudGo through the list one category at a time. Each player reads their answer, and the group settles any doubtful ones.
- Score the unique answersAn answer scores 1 point if nobody else wrote it. Answers that match another player's score nothing. Add each player's points to the scoring grid.
Play as many rounds as you like. New round draws a fresh letter, resets the timer and adds a row to the scoring grid, while the list stays the same. Want new categories too? Press New list, or tap Swap beside any category you do not like. Letters are not repeated within a game until every letter has been used.
The standard letter die leaves out Q, U, V, X, Y and Z because they are so hard to play. They stay out here unless you turn on Include hard letters. Your game saves on this device as you go, so a reload keeps the list, the letter, the timer and the scores.
Categories by pack
Every category on this page was written for this site. Each pack holds more than 160, so lists rarely repeat. Tap a pack name to load it into the generator.
Kids pack
Simple, everyday topics for younger players, such as animals at the zoo, things at the playground, flavors at the ice cream shop and things that are yellow.
Family pack
A mix that works for teens and adults together, such as things in a junk drawer, breakfast dishes, things at an airport and TV shows you would binge.
Adults pack
Grown-up life without anything rude, such as excuses to leave a party early, things people say in meetings, coffee orders and reasons to skip the gym.
House rules to agree on
Category games cause friendly arguments, so settle these before the first timer starts:
- Adjectives. Can "Big" count for "things that are loud"? Many groups allow a describing word only when it is part of a real name, such as Big Ben.
- Little words. Words like "a", "an" and "the" usually do not count as the first word. "The Lion King" counts for T, not L.
- Plurals and near matches. Decide whether "dog" and "dogs" are the same answer. Most groups treat them as a match, so neither scores.
- Proper names. For people, agree whether the first name or the last name has to start with the letter.
- Doubtful answers. Let the table vote, and let the host break a tie.
Some groups also give a bonus point for an answer where several words all start with the letter. Agree on it in advance or leave it out.
Print your own lists
Press Print 6 lists to print six lists on one Letter or A4 page, two across and three down. Each card has a name line, a box to write the round's letter, and an answer line next to every category. Choose Six copies of this list to give every player the same list, or Six different lists for six separate rounds. Cut along the borders and hand them out.
Print answer pad prints one larger sheet with the current twelve categories and three round columns, so a player can use the same sheet for three letters. Keeping totals for the night? The bingo caller is ready for the next game, and the score keeper handles any other scores.
Scattergories is a trademark of its owner. This free generator is an independent tool for category games and is not the official game. It does not reproduce the official lists, score pads or letter die.
Last reviewed October 24, 2026. Rules written in our own words.