Overview

Pictures is a creative party game and Spiel des Jahres winner where players use sets of unusual materials to depict photos from a grid. Other players try to guess which photo each player recreated. Each player uses a different material set each round.

Components

• 91 photo cards
• 5 sets of material components:
  • Sticks and stones
  • Color cubes
  • Icon cards
  • Shoelaces
  • Building blocks
• 5 frames (1 per player)
• 1 scoring sheet and pencil

Setup

1. Shuffle all photo cards face down. Deal 16 cards face up in a 4x4 grid in the middle of the table. Mark the rows and columns with letter/number labels.
2. Each player takes one set of material components and a frame.
3. Place all combination tokens face down and shuffle them.

Turn Structure

Each round has 3 phases:

1. Preparation

Each player secretly draws a coordinate token that identifies which photo in the 4x4 grid they must depict.

2. Creation

All players simultaneously use ONLY their assigned material set to create a representation of their secret photo. Place your creation inside your frame.

3. Guessing

Players take turns examining all creations. Each player guesses which photo each other player depicted by writing down coordinates.

Actions

Players create representations using their material set. Each set offers a unique creative challenge:

• Sticks and Stones: Arrange natural-looking pieces to form shapes
• Color Cubes: Stack and arrange colored cubes
• Icon Cards: Select and arrange cards with simple icons
• Shoelaces: Shape colored laces into pictures
• Building Blocks: Construct with geometric wooden blocks

Scoring / Victory Conditions

After all guesses are revealed:

• Each player who correctly guesses another player’s photo earns 1 point.
• Each player whose photo was correctly guessed by another player earns 1 point.

After scoring, rotate the material sets clockwise so each player gets a different set. Replace the 16 photos with new ones and play another round.

The game ends after 5 rounds (so each player uses each material set once). The player with the most points wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Each player uses only one material set per round; sets rotate each round.
• Photos in the grid that are not assigned to any player still remain as potential guesses.
• Players cannot use anything other than their assigned material set (no props, no drawing).
• If a photo is particularly abstract, creative interpretations are part of the fun.
• The 4x4 grid uses coordinates (e.g., A1, B3) for identification.
• Material sets rotate clockwise after each round; after 5 rounds every player has used every set.
• In case of a tie at the end, tied players share the victory.

Player Reference

Phase	Action
1. Preparation	Draw secret coordinate
2. Creation	Build depiction using your material set
3. Guessing	Write down coordinates for each player’s photo

Scoring: +1 for each correct guess you make; +1 for each player who correctly guesses your photo.