How to play Spoons
Deal and pass
Each player has four cards. You are the dealer: draw one, then pass one of your five cards to the next player. The card travels through the computer hands, with each computer keeping four and passing one. The last discard goes to the trash pile. Empty stock is refilled by shuffling the trash.
Watch for four equal ranks
Keep matching ranks and pass cards you do not need. Four sevens or four kings both count; suits do not matter.
Take a spoon
Only a player with four equal ranks can take the first spoon. Once that happens, all remaining players may take one regardless of their cards. Press Grab a spoon, or Space on your keyboard. One player will be left without a spoon.
Survive SPOON
The player who misses out receives S, then P, O, O and N on later losses. Spelling SPOON eliminates that player and removes one spoon. Play until you are the last player, or until you are eliminated.
Pause and controls
Use Pause game or P to stop all reaction timers. Hiding the browser tab also pauses. Resume game continues the same cards and race. D draws a card; keys 1–5 pass the corresponding hand card from left to right. Touch users can tap the same buttons and cards.
Questions at the table
Who can take the first spoon?
A player holding four cards of one rank may take the first spoon. Once any spoon is taken, everyone can take one.
What happens if I miss a spoon?
You receive the next letter in SPOON. Five missed spoons eliminate a player. The last player remaining wins.
How do the computers react?
A computer with four equal cards waits 650 milliseconds before taking the first spoon. Other computers then react after 450–1,049 milliseconds. Pause freezes the race for everyone.
Can I resume a saved match?
Your cards and letters stay in this browser. Reloading or hiding the tab pauses the match; choose Resume game when ready.