Are you game? Are you game?

Each player gets two Provocation cards (face-down).

On your turn, reveal a card and spend one minute arguing why this issue matters (to you, your team, etc).

The other players rate your argument. If they’re not sold, discard your card. If they like it, discard your card and take a new Provocation. When you’re out of cards, you’re out— but can still judge.

Continue until only one provocative player is left.

This is a conversation-starter game—there’s no winner. Or‚ to look at it another way: you’re all winners, because you’re learning!

Four Pattern cards are placed face-up in the middle.

Everyone decides silently: pick the pattern that’s most exciting‚ most scary‚ most urgent‚ and most disorienting to you.

Reveal and discuss. Does the discussion change your mind or confirm what you already thought?

Discard the cards and lay out four new ones. Rinse and repeat until all Patterns are done.

First player picks one Provocation card and one Pattern card.

Now it’s time to get provocative. You have 90 seconds to tell a story about how the two cards connect.

The other players award points for the most plausible connections. And separately for the most brilliant BS. Keep a tally.

Take turns and keep going until the Provocation cards run out. Most points wins.

Shuffle the 28 Pattern cards and deal each player a hand (we recommend 5 Patterns each). Keep your cards hidden but your hand sizes visible. Place any remaining Pattern cards to the side.

Keep the 14 Provocation cards in a deck, face down, also to the side. They don’t get dealt but they do power the game.

Patterns run vertically. Provocations run horizontally. They alternate, so Patterns only ever touch Provocations.

Reveal the top Provocation and place it in the middle to start the quilt.

1. Play a Pattern
Play a Pattern from your hand into an open slot touching a Provocation already on the quilt. The Pattern needs to relate to the Provocation/s it touches… or you need to be able to make a case that it does e.g. how does the leadership crisis link to AI scepticism? Discuss how the Pattern relates to the Provocation.
 

2. Place a Provocation
Once you’ve played a Pattern, flip the top card of the Provocation deck and place it in the middle to build out the quilt. Once the Provocation deck is finished, play using whatever slots remain.
 

3. Pick a pattern
After placing a new Provocation, draw a new Pattern from the deck. Continue until the Patterns run out.

In short: Play one, Place one, Pick one.

The winner is whoever learns the most along the way. Happy quilting!

1. Play a Pattern
Play a Pattern from your hand into an open slot touching a Provocation already on the quilt. The Pattern needs to relate to the Provocation/s it touches… or you need to be able to make a case that it does e.g. how does the leadership crisis link to AI scepticism? If you don’t think you have a valid play, you can pass.
 

2. Wait for the Challenge
If another player thinks a Pattern in their own hand fits that spot better, they can shout “Provoked!” and put their card forward (if multiple people challenge, the first to shout out prevails). Both players argue for their Patterns. The other player(s) decide or vote on whose Pattern wins (if it’s a tie, the original card wins).
+ If the challenger wins, their Pattern replaces the original. The original player discards their card and draws 1 new Pattern.
+ If the challenger loses, the original Pattern stands. The challenger discards their card and draws 2 new Patterns as a penalty.
 

3. Place a Provocation
Next, flip the top card of the Provocation deck and place it in the middle to build out the quilt. The team can make suggestions where the Provocation fits best; here you collaborate. Once the Provocation deck is finished, play using whatever slots remain.

The winner is the first person to play their last Pattern into the quilt (either on their turn or by challenging). Happy quilting!