Absolute Balderdash, by Drumond Park, is another colourful and entertaining game to enhance a social gathering ,of two to twenty players, and is suitable for players aged twelve and upwards.

It's so easy to set this up. Lay the board on the table. There are eight playing pieces available. The circular path, on the board, has different symbols on to represent different categories and this very much resembles Pictionary which is explained in my last review.

The game play is instructed by the following categories:

Laws

Words

People

Films

Initials

Each player will take a turn at being the 'dasher' and they read the questions from the appropriate category cards. There are four hundred and ninety-five cards and well over two thousand possible questions so you're not likely to run out any time soon. I bet you won't remember all the words and their meanings even immediately after game play. Inevitably, the word on the card will be an obscure word, which you probably haven't ever heard in a sentence, unless a genius, such as Stephen Fry, well I think he is) has uttered it in your hearing.

The dasher will pick a category, read the word from the card, and write down the correct meaning of the word. Everyone must secretly write down, on the provided paper, a made up but convincing definition. In most cases you really do have to bluff about the definition because you'll be clueless as to the real meaning.

This is a good time to work out which relatives and friends are the most devious. Those talented in the art of lying are rewarded! Who can lie so successfully that they win the game? Just for the record, I personally, have never won a game of Absolute Balderdash!

The definitions, submitted by players, are all muddled up together with the real answer and all are read aloud by the dasher of the round. Those who have fibbed but are thought to be telling the truth are allowed to move along one on the board. If you guess the correct answer your score increases too. The most creative and witty people shine in this game.

The definitions provided can be hilarious. We've been doubled over with laughter with the false answers and even more, sometimes, by the correct definitions. The answers you write can be anything you like. We've also been amused at trying to decipher handwriting - we've discovered that doctors are invariably the worst at writing clearly!

Just like with the game of Pictionary, the more players, the merrier the game turns out. Your group of players needs to consist of creative thinkers and witty people. I really believe only children with fantastical imaginations would truly enjoy this game. Also you might not want to encourage lying and falsehood in your home in which case, steer well clear. Having said that, it is has always been obvious to our game players that it's just a game and a good way to let lose our darker sides!

A side note - those who work in law, tend to do very well.

This game is also very good for tipsy and drunk people though somewhat chaotic. I think anyone who enjoys watching television programmes which involve Stephen Fry, who has a real talent for words, will really enjoy the play with language and the humour that can be drawn from Absolute Balderdash.

To purchase this you'll need to be spending around £25 and that's absolutely true!