Not all players have the same level of intelligence and sophisticated general knowledge. But if you want to have a better chance of beating your opponents at Scattergories, here are some tips that might help.
Learn as many names of African countries and cities as possible
Almost all players won’t waste their time looking up complicated country names or city names like Africa. Instead, they will try to find names that are easier to pronounce and write, like in Europe. Therefore, knowing the names of countries and cities in Africa would be a major advantage in winning the Scattergories.
Older names
If this is a first name theme, almost all players will refer to names from your era. If you try to find old names (like Matilde, Clotilde, Lucile, Elisabeth, Marguerite, etc.), you will have a better chance of beating them.
Use simpler words
When you play Scattergories, you will be used to looking for complicated words to avoid finding the same word as your opponents.
Example: Animal theme beginning with the letter C. Your opponents will certainly not think to write “cat”. Instead, they will try to find more complicated words to feel more secure.
It is easier to write the first word that pops into your head.
Write names with different spellings
Be aware that not all names and surnames are spelled the same way. For example: Jeremiah can be spelled Jeremy, Clovis can be spelled Clovisse, etc.
Talking is a way to confuse the other players
Talking a lot is a way to throw off your opponents’ concentration. Just talk about anything you like, whether it’s politics, art, etc. Silence is an inordinate way to concentrate at full power, so destroy that silence!
Play with uneducated players
If you want to win as often as possible, challenge less educated players. This is an unorthodox way, but it can still get you a lot of wins.
