In a blog comment on my May 24 post, Shelley Henderson asked how Lemming is played. Here’s how:

Deal four players three piles of four cards each face-down. (If you only have three players, deal them four piles of four cards each face-down.) The remaining four cards are placed face-down in the center of the playing surface.

The game begins when the cards in the center are turned face-up.

The object of the game is to get three sets (or four sets if you have three players), such as four 2s, four Kings, or whatever, which you get by throwing down a card face-up in the middle of the playing surface and grabbing a card that helps you on your way to making a set. You can only switch out one card at a time. As you make a set, you place it face-up in front of you. When you get your final set, you place it down face-up and yell “Lemming.” The last one to yell Lemming loses, while all the remaining players win.

If you yell “Lemming” prematurely, you automatically lose. If you get caught with more than four cards in a pile, you automatically lose. Also, you can’t switch cards from pile to pile, but instead must put a card in the center of the table, then pick it up if you need it for another pile.

This card game tends to become frantic, especially near the end, as the last two players are typically neck and neck on the way to yelling Lemming.