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How to play Qwixx (2026): Qwixx is a fast dice game for two to five players where everyone plays on every roll. You cross off numbers in four colored rows, trying to mark as many as possible while avoiding penalties. The catch is that numbers must be crossed from left to right, so every skipped number is gone for good. Games take about 15 minutes. These rules follow Gamewright's rulebook.
The game you need: Qwixx (Gamewright)
The box holds six dice (two white, plus red, yellow, green and blue) and a score pad. Bring a pencil for each player.
Price band: $10–$20 (about $12) · Check today’s price on Amazon
The Qwixx scoresheet
- Red and yellow rows run from 2 up to 12.
- Green and blue rows run from 12 down to 2.
- Penalty boxes: four boxes, each worth minus 5 points.
- The basic rule: numbers in every row must be crossed from left to right. You can start anywhere, but skipped numbers can never be crossed later.
Starting the game
Each player takes a scoresheet and a pencil. The first player to roll a 6 becomes the active player. The role passes to the left after each round.
A round of Qwixx in two actions
Action 1: everyone uses the white dice
The active player rolls all six dice and announces the total of the two white dice. Every player, including the active player, may cross off that number in any one color row. Nobody is required to.
Action 2: the active player mixes colors
Next, the active player alone may add one white die to one colored die and cross off that total in the row of the same color. For example, a white 4 and a blue 6 let the active player cross the blue 10. This is optional too.
Use a pencil rather than a pen, and keep sheets flat on the table so everyone can see which rows are close to locking. Players finish both actions in order before the next player rolls. In the rulebook example, after a white 4 and 1 are announced as five, one player crosses the yellow 5, another crosses the red 5, and two others skip.
Penalties
If the active player crosses nothing in either action, they must mark one penalty box. Players who are not active never take a penalty for passing. Each penalty is worth minus 5 points at the end.
Locking a row
To cross the last number in a row (red 12, yellow 12, green 2 or blue 2), you must already have at least five crosses in that row. When you do, also cross the lock symbol next to it. That row is now locked for everyone, and its colored die leaves the game. The lock counts as one more cross in your score for that row. If a row is locked during the first action, other players may also cross that same last number at the same time, as long as they already have five crosses there.
End of the game and scoring
The game ends immediately when a player marks their fourth penalty, or when two rows have been locked. Score each row by its number of crosses using the table on the sheet:
| Crosses | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 28 | 36 | 45 | 55 | 66 | 78 |
Add the four rows and subtract 5 for each penalty. Highest total wins. In the rulebook example, rows worth 10, 6, 36 and 28 with two penalties total 70 points.
Teaching Qwixx in two minutes
Hand out sheets and point at one row. Explain that numbers go left to right and skipped boxes are gone. Roll once and let everyone use the white sum. Then show how the active player can also pair a white die with a colored die. Explain the penalty for the active player and the five-cross rule for locking. Everything else is learned on the fly, and most new players are comfortable by the third roll.
Qwixx strategy tips
- Do not skip too much early. Small skips at the start add up, and long rows score far more.
- Focus on two rows. Points grow faster the more crosses a row has, so depth beats spreading out.
- Take a penalty sometimes. A single penalty can be better than crossing a number that ruins a row.
- Watch the locks. If a rival is about to lock your best row, you may want to push toward the end of the game quickly.
- Mark skipped numbers. Draw a small line through numbers you skip so you do not cross them by mistake.
Enjoy quick dice games? Try Farkle, Yahtzee or Liar’s Dice next.
Qwixx rules questions
Can you skip numbers in Qwixx?
Yes, but once you skip a number in a row, you can never go back and cross it.
Do non-active players get penalties in Qwixx?
No. Only the active player takes a penalty for crossing nothing on their roll.
How many players can play Qwixx?
Two to five with the standard Qwixx box.
