How to Play Double Bananagrams: Rules, Setup & Tiles

Double Bananagrams is played exactly like regular Bananagrams — same split, peel, dump, and the winning "Bananas!" call. The only difference is the set itself: 288 letter tiles instead of 144, which lets the game scale from the usual 8-player cap up to 16 players. If you know how to play Bananagrams, you already know how to play Double.

What is Double Bananagrams?

Double Bananagrams is the official large-group edition of Bananagrams: one bigger banana pouch holding 288 letter tiles, double the standard game's 144. The letter distribution is the same as the regular set, just twice over — think of it as two complete games sold in one bag.

It exists because the standard set gets cramped past six players. With eight people drawing from one 144-tile bunch, each player only ever touches a couple dozen tiles and the game turns into a thirty-second sprint. Doubling the bunch restores real grid building at big tables — which is why the box supports up to sixteen players.

How many tiles do you start with in Double Bananagrams?

The starting draw uses the same brackets as regular Bananagrams — the 7+ bracket just keeps going to 16 players instead of stopping at 8:

Everything not dealt stays face-down in the bunch and feeds out through peels. With 288 tiles, even a 16-player game has a deep bunch — expect noticeably longer games than the regular set at the same table size.

Are the rules different from regular Bananagrams? No.

There are no rule changes. Every mechanic carries over unchanged:

• Split: everyone flips their starting tiles at once and builds their own connected crossword.
• Peel: place your last tile, call "Peel!", and every player draws one from the bunch.
• Dump: trade one unwanted tile for three new ones, as often as you like.
• Bananas: once the bunch holds fewer tiles than there are players, the first valid finished grid wins.
• Rotten banana: call Bananas with an invalid grid and you're out; your tiles return to the bunch.

Word rules are identical too: no proper nouns, no abbreviations, dictionary words only. If any of that is fuzzy, our full Bananagrams rules guide covers every call, tile count, and table argument in detail.

Can you just combine two regular sets? Yes.

Two standard 144-tile sets mixed together are functionally identical to Double Bananagrams — 288 tiles, same doubled letter distribution. If you and a friend each own the regular game, pour both pouches into one pile and you have Double Bananagrams for free. The boxed product is really just the convenience of one bag (and one purchase) instead of two.

Where to buy it (and why it's hard to find)

Double Bananagrams is frequently out of stock at major retailers, and much of what you'll find is secondary-market listings at collector prices. The Bananagrams brand changed hands in 2025 (Moose Toys acquired it), and the current official lineup doesn't prominently feature the Double edition. If you can't find a copy at a sane price: combine two regular sets (identical result), or play a 288-tile game online, below.

Play Double Bananagrams online (free)

Nanagrams — our free browser Bananagrams-style game — includes a 288-tile game size, the same bunch as Double Bananagrams. Create a private room, set the game size to the 288-tile marathon, and invite your group: no download, no signup, with automatic word checking and voice chat in private rooms.

An online bunch also never runs low on physical tiles, so it's the practical way to run a big-group game when you don't own the physical Double set. Room settings are covered on the Nanagrams rules page.

Frequently Asked Questions