Private answer sheets
Up to 12 players each type on their own screen while the clock runs. Nobody can peek, and every sheet locks when time is up.
Independent categories word game
Play a Scattergories-style game online with friends
One letter, a list of categories and a ticking clock. Write an answer for every category before time runs out, and score only when nobody else had the same idea. CardYard Categories runs in the browser for game night, the classroom or a video call.
- 2-12 players
- No download
- Letter, list and timer
SCATTERGORIES® is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc. CardYard Categories is an independent game and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or an official online edition of that product.
Now on iPhone and Android
CardYard is on iPhone, iPad & Android.
Playing later?
Scan for the free app
Free · no sign-up
Roll a letter, get a list, start the clock
Share this screen on a call or prop a phone on the table. Everyone writes on paper, then you read the answers aloud and cross out the matches.
- 12 original categories per list, with Classic, Party and Kids packs.
- 21 letters, never the same one twice in a row.
- A 1, 2 or 3 minute timer with a sound when time is up.
Rooms for remote friends
No paper, no shouting answers over the call
In a Room, the letter, list, timer, answers and scores live on every player's screen at once.
Answers side by side
After the round, the Room reveals one category at a time so everyone can see, argue and laugh about each answer together.
Matches cancel themselves
Identical answers score zero automatically. The host merges near-matches and strikes answers that miss the letter.
Step by step
How to play Scattergories online with friends
Start a video call if you are apart, then let the Room handle the letter, the list, the timer and the scoring.
- 01
Open a Room
The host creates a Categories Room and shares the code or link in your group chat. Friends join from any phone or laptop browser.
- 02
Pick the round
Give every player their own answer sheet, or play in 2, 3 or 4 teams. Then choose 8, 10 or 12 categories, a 60 to 120 second timer and up to 10 rounds.
- 03
Race the clock
Everyone sees the same letter and list. Each player types on their own screen, where nobody else can read the answers.
- 04
Reveal one category at a time
When time runs out, every answer for the first category appears side by side. Identical answers cancel automatically.
- 05
Rule the close calls
The host merges near-matches like Banana and Bananas, and strikes answers that miss the letter or the category.
- 06
Count the score
Each unique, valid answer earns 1 point. Scores carry across rounds, and the Room shows the winner at the end.
Rules and scoring
Every answer has to start with the round's letter and fit its category. You get 1 point for each valid answer that no other player or team wrote.
If two players both write Book for “Something found in a backpack”, both score zero for that category. A rarer answer like Binoculars takes longer to think of but is far more likely to stand alone. The player or team with the most points after the last round wins.
CardYard deals 21 letters and leaves out Q, U, X, Y, Z, because too few answers start with them. Rooms play 3 rounds by default, up to 10, with 8, 10 or 12 categories and a 60, 90 or 120 second timer.
- Something found in a backpack
- Book
- Something people collect
- Baseball cards
- A weekend activity
- Bowling
- Something seen from a window
- Birds
- A reason to stay home
- Bad weather
- A souvenir
- Bottle opener
- A reason to wear gloves
- Building a snowman
- Something used before bed
- Blanket
- A place to meet a friend
- Bakery
- A place where people clap
- Ballet
- A place with a queue
- Bank
- Something with a handle
- Bucket
House rules
Rules groups argue about
Agree on these before the first letter and the scoring stays friendly.
Articles do not count
"The Beatles" counts for B, not T. Most groups ignore a, an and the at the start of an answer.
Alliteration bonus
Some groups give an extra point for each extra word on the letter, so Big Bad Bear scores 3. CardYard scores 1 per answer, so add bonus points by hand if you like them.
Proper names are fine
Brands, places and people count as long as they fit the category, so Budweiser works for a drink.
Kids and classrooms
Use the Family & Kids pack, allow invented spellings, and play teams of two so nobody sits alone with a blank sheet.
Playing on Zoom, Teams or Google Meet
Online, the hard part of a categories game is keeping answers private until the reveal and then reading them out without talking over each other. A Room fixes both. Everyone joins with the code on a phone or a second browser tab, types answers where nobody else can see them, and the reveal shows every answer to each category at once.
Keep your call open for the banter. CardYard keeps the letter, timer, answers and scores in sync for every player, but it does not carry audio or video. For a big work call, split into 3 or 4 teams so each team talks over its answers in a breakout room, then come back for the reveal.
All in one room instead? Put CardYard Categories on one shared screen, a TV or a laptop. Everyone writes on paper, and the screen runs the letter, the list, the timer and the scoreboard. Playing in French or German? Try Petit Bac en ligne or Stadt Land Fluss online.
More lists
Categories for every group
200+ category ideas
Ready lists for kids, adults, classrooms and parties, with a print button on each one.
Browse the listsChristmas categoriesHoliday rounds for family dinners, school parties and the office.
Play Christmas CategoriesAlphabet RushA faster letter race: name something in the category with a letter nobody has used yet.
Play Alphabet RushScattergories online FAQ
The free round on this page needs no account. Joining a Room is free; hosting one is a Premium feature.
How do you play Scattergories online with friends?
Open a CardYard Categories Room and share the code. Everyone joins from a browser on their own phone, sees the same letter and category list, and types answers privately before the timer ends. The Room then reveals each category side by side and cancels matching answers.
Is this Scattergories-style game free?
The letter, list and timer on this page are free with no sign-up and no limit. A scored game on one shared screen is free within CardYard's daily free plays. Friends join Rooms for free, and hosting a Room needs Premium.
Can you play on Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet?
Yes. Keep the video call open for the talking and laughing, and have everyone join the Room on a phone or a second browser tab. CardYard keeps the letter, timer, answers and scores in sync but does not carry audio or video.
How many people can play?
A Room holds 2 to 12 players, and each one can have their own answer sheet. Prefer teams? Switch the Room to 2, 3 or 4 teams that share a sheet.
Can 2 people play?
Yes. Each player gets their own sheet. Matching answers are rarer with two people, so most rounds are close and quick.
Is there a single player version?
The game is about avoiding the same answers as other players, so scoring needs at least two. To practice alone, roll a letter above, set the timer and try to fill every category before it runs out.
Which letters are used?
CardYard deals 21 letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, V, W. It leaves out Q, U, X, Y, Z because too few answers start with them, and it avoids repeating the last two letters.
How does scoring work?
Each valid answer that starts with the letter and that no other team wrote earns 1 point. Identical answers score 0 for everyone who wrote them. Blank or rejected answers score 0.
Do I need to download an app?
No. CardYard Categories runs in the browser on phones, tablets and laptops, and friends join Rooms from the browser too. Nobody needs an account to join.
Is CardYard Categories the official Scattergories game?
No. CardYard Categories is an independent categories game with its own lists. CardYard is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Hasbro, which owns the SCATTERGORIES® trademark.
CardYard Categories