Keep travel boredom at bay with this clever custom-made game.

Materials:

  • 1 empty CD jewel case
  • assorted letter squares (from your Scrabble game or available in sets online)
  • 10 lollipop sticks (available at craft stores)
  • 1 sheet of white paper
  • scissors
  • white glue
  • three-minute egg timer
  • drawstring bag
  • paper & pencils for each player

Directions:

1. Remove the plastic CD liner from the jewel case.

2. Cut a 4.75 x 4.75 inch (12 cm) piece of paper. Divide the square into 16 equal squares, measuring and marking a grid with a pencil line.

3. Slip the paper under the tabs into the bottom of the jewel case, with your pencil lines showing, to use as a template.

4. Apply a thin line of white glue onto the back of a lollipop stick and place over the lines you’ve marked on your template. You will be able to use seven full sticks. One on each of the outside edges (four), and three from top to bottom between the edge sticks. Cut three sticks into smaller pieces to fit between the lengthwise sticks to create 16 equallysized bordered boxes on your “game board”.

To Play:

Each player pulls a tile from the bag and places it onto a square (without peeking) until the board is filled. Close the lid of the case. Flip the egg timer and make as many words as you can by using the letters on the board. The letters in each word must be adjacent to each other, either above, below or beside the next letter in order to count. When the time is up, give yourself a point for each word that you found that your opponent(s) did not. Pack your “board” into the drawstring bag with the letter tiles and timer and stow until the next game.