This is a spelling game. A person gives a letter, not necessarily
having any particular word in mind, his next neighbor must think of a
word beginning with this letter, and then say the second letter, the
third person must think of a word using the two letters previously
given, and add the third and so on, to the end of the word. A person is
not a ghost until he is four times caught.
The penalties are to be challenged rightfully, to challenge wrongfully,
or to complete a word. The challenging consists in doubting a letter
which a player has given. A player may say, “I challenge you,” when a
person has added a letter, if he feels sure there is no word spelled
in that order. If rightfully challenged, the speaker has one penalty
against him as ghost. If, on the contrary, he gives the word which he
had in his mind, as he is bound to do when challenged, the challenger
is one-fourth of a ghost.
Every word finished makes one-fourth of a ghost, but it is proper to
add a letter and thus form a new syllable. If a syllable of a word is
a complete word in itself, the one pronouncing the last letter has
incurred the penalty. For example, take the word revelry. R-e-v-e have
been given, and unless the fifth player can think of n, and change it
to revenue, or some other word, he must say l, and thus the word ends.
Whoever is ghost has to keep absolute silence throughout the game.