Improve Mental Maths with Numero®

The following are frequently asked questions that may help you get more fun out of playing Numero®. All the answers can be obtained by referring to the three Golden Rules of Numero®.

Can more than two people play Numero® at the same time?
Yes, it can be played with three or four players (though it is best between two). The only difference in the rules is that, at the start of the game, you turn face up in the centre as many cards as there are players. The player at the left of the Dealer then has first turn, and play continues in a clockwise direction.

What happens if there are no cards left in the centre?
If there are no cards in the centre, you will not be able to take or build. Therefore, your only alternative (Golden Rule 1) is to discard.

Can you discard Wild Cards?
Yes. You can discard a Wild Card at any time, as long as you remember that you must play another card after playing a Wild Card. Your turn finishes when you play a Number Card. If you ever find yourself with five Wild Cards in your hand, you have to discard all five cards (Golden Rule 3).

If you have discarded five Wild Cards and restored your hand from the pack, do you continue to discard until you play a Number Card?
No, discarding the five Wild Cards ends your turn. (Your penalty for having found yourself in this position, is that you don’t get to play a Number Card!)

Can you perform multiple takes on the same turn?
Yes, there is no limit to the number of cards or builds that can be taken by a single Number Card.

If you create a build, do you have to take it in the next turn?
No, you may decide to do another build, discard, or take something else, provided of course that you do actually have the answer to any build you may have made (Golden Rule 2).

Can you add different builds together?
Yes, you can add builds together, but you cannot break a build (e.g. a build of 8 and a build of 7 can be joined and taken with a 15 from your hand).

If you play a Wild Card, do you restore your hand to five cards before having your next turn?
No, complete your turn at play (i.e. playing a Number Card) and then restore your hand.

What happens if a player does a build, and does not hold the answer?
Avoid this problem by forming the habit of showing the answer after making a build. Refer to Golden Rule 2.

•  Not scoring points: Should another player ask (or challenge) if the answer is held, and it is not, then the last card added to the build card is simply moved from the build and placed in the centre as a discard, (no other penalty). In schools, if the student has not yet replenished their hand to five cards, they may be allowed to return the card to their hand and have their turn again – this time making a ‘legal’ move. If there is no challenge, the build simply remains until someone is able to either take or involve it in another build.
•  Scoring points: Should a challenge be made, and the answer is not held in the hand, the offending player is penalised 20 points and the card is discarded. If not challenged before the other player’s second turn after the play in question, the build simply stands and there is no penalty.

Order of Operations?
In Numero, the ‘order of operations’ does not apply. Every turn simply uses each number sentence as a stand alone equation, followed by another, and so on.

Do you have to verbalise your play?
No, it is not a rule. But we recommend ‘saying aloud’ every play. It helps avoid confusion in more complicated moves, and also helps instil number combinations and tables into children’s minds. In fact, teachers should make it a ‘classroom rule’.

Is there a time limit for your turn?
No, however, competitive players may create a time limit if they want to increase the pace or difficulty of the game. (We have seen chess timers used, but usually a gentle reminder to ‘hurry up’ is sufficient.)

What are the blank cards for?
They are not ‘super’ Wild Cards! They are simply spares so that if you lose or damage a card, you can replace it by putting whatever number etc has been lost onto the blank card. This has been done as a courtesy to you, the customer, to save you having to replace a pack if only 1 or 2 cards have been misplaced.

If there are any other questions that you would like answered, please do not hesitate to contact us.