Mystery Date

Overview

Mystery Date is a classic board game where players collect outfit cards to prepare for a date behind a mystery door. Players move around the board, collecting and swapping cards to assemble a matching 3-card outfit (numbered 1, 2, 3 of one color). When ready, a player opens the mystery door to reveal which date has arrived. If the outfit matches the date, that player wins.

Components

• 1 game board with mystery door mechanism
• 48 outfit cards (4 colors, numbered 1-3, multiple copies of each)
• 4 girl playing pieces with plastic stands
• 1 die

Dates and Colors

Color	Date	Outfit
Pink (1, 2, 3)	Formal Dance Date	Tuxedo with corsage
Green (1, 2, 3)	Bowling Date	Jacket and red sweater
Blue (1, 2, 3)	Skiing Date	Ski outfit with skis
Orange (1, 2, 3)	Beach Date	Sport shirt and trunks
–	The Pest (Dud)	Shabbily dressed – no match

Setup

1. Insert the mystery door into the gameboard.
2. Shuffle all outfit cards. Deal 2 cards to each player.
3. Place remaining cards face down beside the door as the Draw Pile.
4. Turn the top card face up beside the door as the Discard Pile.
5. Each player chooses a playing piece and places it on the nearest blue “Open the Door” corner space.
6. Player to the left of the dealer goes first.

Turn Structure

1. Roll the die and move your piece clockwise that many spaces.
2. Follow the instructions on the space you land on.
3. Maximum hand size is 6 cards. If taking cards brings you over 6, discard down to 6.

Actions

Board Spaces

Space	Effect
Take cards	Draw the specified number of cards from the Draw Pile
Swap	Give 1 face-down card to the specified player, then draw 1 card blindly from their hand
Take 1 from Draw or Discard	Choose the top card from either pile
Open the Door	If you have a complete 3-card outfit (1, 2, 3 of one color), you may open the door

Opening the Door

1. Show your 3-card outfit to all players.
2. Ensure the door is completely closed.
3. Turn and spin the doorknob, then slowly open the door.
4. Check the date revealed:
   • Matching date: You win!
   • Wrong date: Close the door, spin the knob. Turn ends.
   • The Pest (Dud): Discard all 3 shown outfit cards. Draw 3 new cards from the Draw Pile. Turn ends.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The first player to open the door and reveal the date matching their shown 3-card outfit wins the game.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• A player may hold two complete outfits simultaneously (e.g., Green 1-2-3 and Blue 1-2-3). They must choose which to show before opening the door. The other set remains in hand for future turns.
• When the Discard Pile is exhausted, turn the top Draw Pile card face up to start a new Discard Pile.
• When the Draw Pile is exhausted, shuffle the Discard Pile (except its top card) to form a new Draw Pile.
• Two or more pieces may occupy the same space.
• Players always move clockwise.

Player Reference

Phase	Action
Roll	Roll 1 die, move clockwise
Land	Follow space instructions (take, swap, or draw cards)
Hand Limit	Maximum 6 cards; discard excess
Door	On “Open the Door” space with a complete outfit: reveal your date
Win	Outfit matches the date behind the door