Qwixx

QWIXX is a ROLL-AND-WRITE DICE GAME (2012) designed by STEFFEN BENNDORF, published by NÜRNBERGER-SPIELKARTEN-VERLAG (NSV, Germany). Considered a foundational game of the MODERN ROLL-AND-WRITE GENRE which exploded after 2015 with GANZ SCHÖN CLEVER, WELCOME TO..., CARTOGRAPHERS, THAT'S PRETTY CLEVER, ROLL PLAYER, + many more. Qwixx itself sold OVER 1 MILLION COPIES + spawned multiple sequels + a Spiel des Jahres NOMINATION. GAMEPLAY: 2-5 players. Each player has an IDENTICAL SCORESHEET with 4 COLORED ROWS: RED (numbers 2-12 ascending, left to right), YELLOW (2-12 ascending), GREEN (12-2 descending), BLUE (12-2 descending). The dice pool: 2 WHITE DICE + 4 COLORED DICE (1 each of red, yellow, green, blue). Rolling player rolls all 6 dice per turn. TURN STRUCTURE: (1) SUM OF WHITE DICE (0-2 marks): Every player may cross off the sum of the 2 white dice on ANY of their 4 colored rows (once, in the correct position — left-to-right for red/yellow, right-to-left for green/blue). (2) ACTIVE PLAYER OPTION: The rolling player may additionally cross off 1 number combining any 1 WHITE die + 1 COLORED die on that color's row. So active player may cross up to 2 numbers per turn; non-active players may cross 1 (the white sum). RESTRICTION: Marks MUST be in POSITION (left-to-right for red/yellow ascending 2-12; right-to-left for green/blue descending 12-2). Numbers to the LEFT of your last mark can no longer be crossed. LOCKING A ROW: If you get to the 12 (red/yellow) or 2 (green/blue), AND you have MARKED AT LEAST 5 NUMBERS IN THAT ROW, you may also cross the LOCK icon (right of 12 for R/Y; left of 2 for G/B) — this LOCKS that row for all players + removes that colored die from play. PENALTIES: If the active player CANNOT or CHOOSES NOT to mark any number on their turn, they take a PENALTY (-5 points each). 4th penalty ENDS THE GAME immediately. GAME END: (1) 4th penalty, OR (2) 2 colored rows are LOCKED. FINAL SCORING: Each ROW: sum of the CHECKED-NUMBER COUNT via a scoring table (1 mark = 1 pt, 2 marks = 3 pts, 3 = 6, 4 = 10, 5 = 15, 6 = 21, 7 = 28, 8 = 36, 9 = 45, 10 = 55, 11 marks + lock = 66, 12 = 78). Sum all 4 rows; subtract penalties (-5 each). Highest score wins. GAME LENGTH: 15 MINUTES. WEIGHT: BGG ~1.6/5 — light. RECEPTION: SPIEL DES JAHRES 2013 NOMINEE (German mainstream game of year); PLAY OF THE YEAR various national awards; over 1 MILLION SOLD; consistently BGG top-1000 with high enjoyment. VARIANTS + EXPANSIONS: QWIXX GEMIXXT (2014 mixed-up variant); QWIXX BONUS (2015 additional bonuses); QWIXX MAX (bigger score sheet); QWIXX CONNECTED (2019 digital version). Countless print-and-play scoresheet variants. LEGACY: Qwixx demonstrated that ROLL-AND-WRITE could be DEEP + REPLAYABLE beyond YAHTZEE, spawning the modern genre.

Sum of scoring-table values across 4 rows minus 5 per penalty.

Win condition · Highest total score at game end.

Shared dice pool + individual scoresheets per player.

• Qwixx game box ($10)

  6 dice + 80 scoresheets + rules

• 6 dice: 2 white + 4 colored (red/yellow/green/blue)

  Shared dice pool

• Individual scoresheets (paper)

  One per player per game

• Pens/pencils

  For marking

• Qwixx variants (Gemixxt, Bonus, Max, Connected)

  Additional variants

• Don't rush row completion in one color

  Balance across all 4.

• Lock a row when 5-6 marks + convenient reach

  Denies others + earns bonus.

• Skip early marks strategically to preserve options

  Penalties sometimes worth it.

• Track other players' rows for locking threats

  Racing dynamic.

Qwixx

The game (name is invented word).

Roll-and-write

Genre where dice are rolled + results marked on a sheet.

Lock

Row closure at the edge with 5+ marks; removes color die.

Penalty

-5 point mark for failing to make any mark on your turn.

Scoring table

Exponential scoring by marks in a row (1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21...)

• Spiel des Jahres 2013 NOMINEE

  annual · Germany · since 1978

• Various national Game of Year nominations 2013+

  annual · Global · since 2013

• Board Game Arena online play

  ongoing · Online · since 2014

• 🇩🇪Germany
• 🇦🇹Austria
• 🇺🇸United States
• 🇬🇧United Kingdom
• 🇫🇷France
• 🇮🇹Italy
• 🇪🇸Spain
• 🇳🇱Netherlands
• 🇸🇪Sweden
• 🇧🇪Belgium
• 🇨🇭Switzerland
• 🇯🇵Japan

• NSV (Nürnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag, publisher)

  Founded 1948 · Germany

• Steffen Benndorf (designer)

  Founded 1974 · Germany

• Multiple international publishers via NSV licensing

  Founded 2013 · Global

• NSV — Qwixx— NSV
• BoardGameGeek — Qwixx— BGG