How to Play Bananagrams Guide


Check out our easy to read how to play Bananagrams game rules guide

Game Summary, Video How to Plays, Reviews

Players: 1 to 8 | Game duration from: 10 mins | Game Complexity: EASY How to play Bananagrams rules in simple steps

No products found.


What is the goal of Bananagrams?

Bananagrams 1

The objective of Bananagrams is to empty your pile of tiles first by creating words.

How do you set up a Bananagrams game?

To set up Bananagrams, place all 144 tiles facedown in the centre of your playing surface. These form the Bunch.
Each player now takes their “Starting Tiles” from the Bunch:
2-4 Players: Start with 21 tiles each.
5-6 Players: Start with 15 tiles each.
7-8 Players: Start with 11 tiles each.

The objective of Bananagrams is to empty your pile of tiles first by creating words.

Game setup

Place all 144 tiles facedown in the centre of your playing surface to set up Bananagrams. These form the “Bunch”.


Step by Step How to Play Bananagrams Guide

Bananagrams 2

This section outlines how to play Bananagrams.

Starting the game and laying tiles

Any player calls out “SPLIT!” to begin the game. All players simultaneously turn their tiles face up and compete to arrange the tiles in their own intersecting word grid. Words must read left to right horizontally or top to bottom vertically. Grid can be rearranged at any time and as often as you like.

Player places the last face-up letter in their word grid

Whenever a player places their last face-up letter in their word grid, that person calls out, “PEEL!”. Every player, including the one saying “Peel”, then takes another tile from the Bunch.

Calling DUMP

At any time during the game, you may call out “DUMP!” and put one of your letters back facedown in the Bunch. However, you must then take three more tiles in exchange.  This has no effect on other players and there’s no limit on how many times you DUMP.

Winning Bananagrams

When the total amount of tiles in the BUNCH is fewer than the number of players, the first player to use ALL their letters in an intersecting word grid and calls out “BANANAS!” wins that hand and is declared the winner. Other players may now proceed to inspect the winning grid. If it contains:
A misspelled word
A proper noun
An abbreviation
Other unacceptable words 
The other players call out “ROTTEN BANANA!” and that player is eliminated from the game. The tiles from that grid are returned to the Bunch facedown and play resumes for the other players until one of them calls out “BANANAS!”

Other Ways of Playing Bananagrams:

“Best of..”

Bananagrams is fast and fun but if you want a longer version, play “Best Of” three or five hands in which whoever wins the most games is the Top Banana!

Banana Smoothie (for when you’re in no mood to rush)

  1. Place all tiles facedown on the playing surface
  2. Keeping them facedown, divide equally amongst all players
  3. Play the regular Bananagrams but with no peeling or dumping
  4. The first player to use all letters and call out “Bananas!” wins. If the game ends in a stalemate or tie, the player with the longest word in their grid wins. However, if you have the same number of letters in your longest words… Play another hand!

Banana Cafe (great for playing while waiting in restaurants) 

  1. Put the Bananagrams game on the table, leaving all tiles in the pouch.
  2. Every player takes 21 facedown tiles from the pouch.
  3. Play the regular Bananagrams with dumping but NO peeling.
  4. The first player to use all their letters and calls out “BANANAS!” wins.

Banana Solitaire

  1. Place all tiles facedown.
  2. Take 21 tiles and play as usual.
  3. Try to beat your best time using all the letters or tyr make as few words as possible. 

How do you win?

Win by being the first player to use all their tiles by creating an intersecting word grid.


How to Play Bananagrams and Review Videos

Related Board Games and Expansions

Your Mastodon Instance
Share to...