The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

HANGMAN SPELLING GAME

ONE PERSON THINKS OF A WORD AND PUTS DOWN ON A PIECE OF PAPER THE
NUMBER OF BLANK SPACES THAT THERE ARE LETTERS IN THE WORD. THE OTHE
PERSON MUST NOW GUESS THE LETTERS UNTIL HE HAS SPELLED OUT THE WORD
OR HAS BEEN HANGED. LET'S SAY I HAVE DECIDED ON THE WORD AND YOU AR
GUESSING IT. I DRAW THE BLANK SPACES AND A SIMPLE GALLOWS WITH ROPE
YOU NOW GUESS A LETTER. IF THAT LETTER IS IN THE WORD I FILL IN THE
APPROPRIATE BLANK SPACE. IF THE LETTER APPEARS MORE THAN ONCE I MUS
FILL IN EACH APPEARANCE. IF THE LETTER IS NOT IN THE WORD I WRITE I
DOWN AND DRAW A CIRCLE FOR YOUR HEAD CONNECTED TO THE GALLOW ROPE.
AFTER YOUR NEXT WRONG LETTERS I DRAW LINES FOR YOUR TRUNK, BOTH ARMS
AND BOTH LEGS. IF YOU ARE A REALLY BAD GUESSER AND I WANT TO RUB IT
IN I MIGHT ADD EYES, FEET, ETC. UNTIL YOU GET THE WORD. ONE STRATEG
OF THE GUESSER IS TO GUESS VOWELS AND MOST COMMON LETTERS FIRST.

Submitter comment: EVERYBODY I KNOW HAS PLAYED HANGMAN. THIS IS A GOOD GAME TO PLAY IN
THE BACK OF A BORING CLASS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BLOOMFIELD HILLS

Date learned: 11-23-1979