Game Review: Pick Two

Outset Media, $19.99

Pick Two is a fun, unique crossword puzzle type game. Everyone starts off with 8 random letter tiles, each with a point value like that other classic crossword style game (it rhymes with “babble”). You then try to arrange all your letters into a crossword (like that other game).

The first person to successfully arrange their tiles says “Pick Two,” and everyone picks two more tiles from the bag. Then you have to add to or rearrange your crossword to incorporate the new tiles. This keeps going until there are no more tiles left in the bag and someone can yell “pick two” again.

You can play a single round or keep a running score card. At the end of each round, everyone gets points only for the tiles they have not included in their crossword, and the low score wins.

Clever, fun, fast paced and mentally stimulating - we liked it. The only drawback is that, if you get behind, the game is no fun - if you have several letters you’re still trying to figure out, and someone keeps yelling “pick two,” the tiles just keep piling up, and it can get very frustrating.

The back of the box says, “If you don’t feel ‘Pick Two’ is the best word game ever, I would like to hear from you” - quoted from the company president. I’m not sure I can agree with him, but I can’t disagree, either - this is an excellent game. If you like word games (like that other game), then you’ll love “Pick Two.”