Last Updated on March 1, 2026 by The Official Game Rules Team

Jewel Box is a thoughtful tile-placement game where players collect colorful beetles and arrange them into a personal grid. Each beetle family scores points in a different way, so smart placement matters just as much as luck. With simple turns, shared choices, and layered scoring, Jewel Box rewards careful planning and flexible strategy.

Want to learn faster? Checkout the video tutorial for quick and easy gameplay!

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How to Play Jewel Box

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What’s in the Box

Inside the game box, you’ll find:

• 1 Folding Log Board
  Features five numbered slots (1–5) and a special rule for rolling a 6
• 75 Beetle Tiles
  • 5 different beetle families
  • 15 beetles per family
• 12 Tool Tokens
  • 4 Magnifying Glass tokens
  • 4 Forceps tokens
  • 4 “Either” tokens
• 4 Field Notes cards
• 1 Die

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Objective

Your goal is to collect and place 16 beetle tiles into a 4×4 grid, known as your Jewel Box.

You score points (shown with a leaf icon) based on:

• How each beetle family is arranged
• Any unused Tool Tokens at the end of the game

The player with the most total points wins.

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Setup

Table Setup

1. Place the Log Board in the center of the table.
2. Shuffle all 75 Beetle Tiles and place them face down around the Log.
3. Randomly draw 5 Beetle Tiles and place one face up in each Log space (1–5).

Player Setup

Each player receives:

• 1 Field Notes card
• 3 Tool Tokens
  • 1 Magnifying Glass
  • 1 Forceps
  • 1 “Either” token

The player who most recently saw a beetle takes the first turn.

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Gameplay

Players take turns clockwise. On your turn, you will collect one beetle and then place it into your Jewel Box.

Collecting a Beetle

1. Roll the die.
2. Take the beetle from the Log space that matches the number rolled.
3. If you roll a 6, you may take any beetle from spaces 1–5.

After taking a beetle, immediately flip a new tile face up to refill the empty Log space.

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Placing a Beetle

• The first beetle you collect is placed face up in front of you.
• Every beetle after that must be placed orthogonally adjacent (sides touching, not diagonally) to an existing tile.
• Over time, you will build a 4×4 grid of beetles — your Jewel Box.

Once your beetle is placed, pass the die to the next player.

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Tool Tokens

Each player begins with three Tool Tokens. You may use only one Tool Token per turn.

Once used, flip the token to its gray side. Unused tokens are worth 2 bonus points each at the end of the game.

Magnifying Glass

Instead of rolling the die, you may choose any face-up or face-down beetle from the Log.

Forceps

Allows you to swap the positions of two beetles already placed in your Jewel Box.
This may be done before or after collecting a beetle.

“Either” Token

Can be used as either a Magnifying Glass or Forceps token.

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End of the Game

The game ends once all players have completed their 4×4 grids (16 beetles).

Players then:

1. Score points for each beetle family
2. Add 2 points for each unused Tool Token

The player with the highest score wins.

Tiebreaker

• Player with the most unused Tool Tokens wins
• If still tied, the tied players share the victory

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Beetle Families and Scoring

Each beetle family scores points in a unique way.

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Scarabs (Scarabaeidae)

Scarabs score points individually, but only if all adjacent beetles are from different families.

• Corner or edge placement: 2 points
• Center placement: 3 points
• Any adjacent beetle of the same family cancels the score

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Weevils (Curculionidae)

Weevils score points in straight lines, vertically or horizontally.

• 2 connected Weevils: 3 points
• 3 connected Weevils: 6 points
• 4 connected Weevils: 10 points

Diagonal or broken connections do not count.

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Ladybugs (Coccinellidae)

Ladybugs score best when kept apart.

• Adjacent Ladybugs cancel each other out
• Count only Ladybugs not touching another Ladybug

Scoring per set:

• 2 Ladybugs: 1 point
• 3 Ladybugs: 4 points
• 4 Ladybugs: 8 points
• 5 Ladybugs: 15 points

If you collect more than five, start a new set.

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Longhorns (Cerambycidae)

Longhorns score based on whether the total number is even or odd.

• Even number: 2 points per Longhorn
• Odd number: 1 point per Longhorn

Placement does not matter.

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Jewels (Buprestidae)

Jewels score in pairs, but clusters are risky.

• Each non-overlapping adjacent pair: 5 points
• Groups of three or more cancel out and score nothing

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Two-Player Variant

For a longer two-player game:

• Build a 5×5 grid (25 beetles)
• All other rules remain the same

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Solo Variant

In solo play:

• Build a 5×5 grid
• After each turn, discard one beetle from the Log before refilling it

Compare your final score to the chart:

• 63+ – Master Entomologist
• 57–62 – Pro Entomologist
• 50–56 – Amateur Entomologist

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Tips for New Players

• Don’t rush to use Tool Tokens — unused ones are valuable points
• Plan your grid early so you don’t block scoring opportunities later
• Watch what beetles opponents are collecting to anticipate Log choices

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Strategy Guide

• Scarabs reward careful spacing — build them later when your grid is stable
• Ladybugs require discipline; one bad placement can undo a whole set
• Forceps tokens are strongest in the late game when grids are crowded
• Aim for even Longhorn totals, especially if you’re collecting many

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Conclusion

Jewel Box blends luck, planning, and tactical choices into a compact but rewarding experience. With multiple scoring paths and shared decision spaces, every turn presents meaningful options. Whether played competitively, cooperatively, or solo, Jewel Box offers a satisfying puzzle that rewards smart placement and thoughtful timing.

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Video Tutorial

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