HOW TO PLAY

Rank life's worst moments on a scale of misery. It's therapeutic, we promise.

The Basics

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2 - 6 Players

Grab some friends who enjoy suffering

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First to 10 Cards

Place 10 cards correctly in your lane to win

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Misery Scale 1 - 100

Every card has a hidden misery score

Setup

1. Each player is dealt 3 starting cards into their lane. These are placed face-up, sorted by their misery score in ascending order.

2. The remaining card deck sits in the table. Cards are drawn one at a time each turn.

3. Your lane is your scoreboard — cards must always stay in ascending order of their misery score (lowest on the left, highest on the right).

Game Flow

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1.

Draw

60s

A mystery card is revealed to all players. You can see the scenario but the misery score stays hidden. You have 60 seconds to decide where it goes.

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2.

Place

Drag the card into your lane's ascending order. Think "stubbing your toe" is worse than "losing your keys"? Slot it to the right. Trust your gut.

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3.

Correct or Stolen

If you placed the card in the right position, it locks into your lane permanently. But if you got it wrong, other players get a chance to steal it!

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4.

Steal Round

30s each

Other players take turns clockwise, each getting 30 seconds to place the card in their own lane. If everyone fails, the card is discarded.

Winning

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First to 10 Cards

The first player to successfully place 10 cards in their lane wins the game. Stolen cards count too — a win is a win.

Tiebreakers (if the deck runs out)

  1. Most cards in your lane
  2. Highest single card misery score

Card Categories

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Physical

group

Social

payments

Financial

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Emotional

work

Professional

devices

Digital

psychology

Existential

94 cards across 7 categories of human suffering

Pro Tips

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Watch Other Lanes

Pay attention to where other players place their cards. It gives you clues about the relative scores of different scenarios.

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Don't Overthink It

You only get 60 seconds. Go with your gut feeling — misery is subjective, but the scores aren't.

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Steal Strategically

When a steal round starts, consider whether the card actually fits in your lane. A failed steal attempt wastes your chance.

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Think Relatively

Don't try to guess the exact score. Focus on whether this scenario is more or less miserable than the cards already in your lane.