1951 Rare Parker Brothers Game of Who?

Who? A game of hidden identity is a Parker Brothers collectible.  Published in 1951, the board game is a rare and entertaining find.  Who? will challenge all player’s deduction skills and test each player’s memory.  Although it is a game which requires close consideration and scrutiny of moves, Who? is a wonderful and fun game to still play today.

The game is recommended for 2 to 5 players.  At the beginning of the game, each player secretly draws a hidden identification card.  With ten different characters to assume, players strive to be the last identity made known while trying to deduce who is who.

Deductions are made by being aware of the spaces each player moves, or doesn’t move, on to.  Each hidden identification card contains a letter representing the character a player takes on.  They may be any of the following:

A is the Accountant
B is the Bootblack
C is the Clergyman
D is the Doctor
E is the Editor
F is the Financier
G is the Grandfather
H is the Hobo
I is the investigator
J is the Judge

On the board are spaces which consist of the above letters; all or only a few.  In order for a player to move to a space, his character letter must be shown upon that space.  Since a player is only allowed to move upon spaces which consist of his letter, other players can deduce who he is or who he is not.

However, to complicate matters, disguise caps may be worn by players.  Disguise caps will allow a player to move upon a space which doesn’t have his letter.  They are also used to throw other players off their path.  Players may choose to use them even if unnecessary to confuse other players.  Basically, using a disguise cap, allows a player to move without providing any clues to his identity.

The roll of two dice determines movement for players.  A player can move either of the two numbers rolled or the sum of the dice.  Most times (unless doubles), a player will have three spaces to choose to move to.  He must move if able.  If he is unable, then play passes to the next player.

Throughout the game, players may attempt to guess their opponent’s secret identity.  If guessed correctly, the identified player is eliminated and all other players continue to play.  If guessed incorrectly, the player who made the incorrect guess is penalized and is not allowed to use any more disguise caps for the rest of the game (if it was his first incorrect guess).  A player who has made two incorrect guesses is eliminated from the game.  The last player left ‘un-eliminated’ wins the game.

Playing the game of Who? is a perfect way to exercise the mind.  Memory and deduction skills are definitely brought into play and utilized.  Instead of working on a Sudoku, crossword, or other puzzle, gather up a friend or two, and play the amusing board game of Who?

Who? can be found on sites like EBay every now and then.